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Chapter 10
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silver Chair, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Deception and Illusion
Freedom and Imprisonment
Temptation
Courage
Summary
Analysis
Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum eat dinner with the Knight, who is exceptionally polite. The Knight tells the adventurers that some sort of curse has been placed upon him. He does not remember where he lived before coming to the Underland and, at night, the Earthmen tie him to a silver chair because he transforms into a raving lunatic who attacks whoever is nearby. Additionally, if he is not restrained, he will turn into a giant serpent. However, the Queen of the Underland promises that his curse will be broken when they return to the Overworld. When the time is right, the Queen plans to return to the Overworld, kill the current king, and then install the Knight as king. The Knight tells Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum that he will rule according to the whims of his Queen.
Here, two of the most important symbols in the novel appear in close proximity. First, there is the serpent, which represents unexpected evil. Indeed, the Knight is an unassuming figure from whom one might not expect evil deeds. However, if his story is true, then it seems evil lurks within him, waiting to come out. Meanwhile, the silver chair is a representation of the Knight’s false power. It is a chair he sits on because the Queen of the Underland tells him he must. In this regard, the throne of Cair Paravel will ultimately be similar to the silver chair if the Queen succeeds in conquering Narnia—that is, it will effectively be under her control.
Themes
The children push back on the Knight’s claims that the Queen of the Underland is a righteous person. They point out that her plan will require her to kill many creatures and people from the Overworld, who have done nothing to deserve death. For a moment, the Knight looks troubled, but he assures them that the Queen is perfect and can do no wrong. The more the Knight speaks, the more Jill thinks he is the most contemptible man she has ever met.
The Knight’s response is strange because he has appeared never to have thought through the consequences of the Queen’s plan, despite playing an integral part in it. Although Jill hates him for his ignorance, the Knight appears to have a working moral compass. However, his blind devotion for the Queen keeps him from seeing the truth.
Themes
After dinner, the Knight sends the children and Puddleglum away to wash up and go to bed. He offers them one of his private rooms so that the Earthmen will not return and attempt to imprison them. He also tells them that they can come back and watch his frenzy if they would like, even though that is a right usually reserved for the Queen of the Underland. However, he warns them that he will say anything and everything to try to get them to release them from the chair. He urges them not to give in, no matter what he says.
The Knight appears to want to help Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum, as he gives them special privileges that the Earthmen would never allow. In particular, it seems odd that he would let them visit him while strapped to the silver chair, particularly if releasing him could spell danger. Although the children and Puddleglum are wary of the Knight, he seems to trust them more than they expect.
Themes
After washing up, Puddleglum, Jill, and Scrubb decide it is best to watch the Knight’s frenzy. Puddleglum is positive that the Queen of the Underland is some sort of sorceress, and he wants to get all of the information he can. When they return to the dining room, the Knight is strapped to his silver chair. He begs them to free him. He claims that—counter to what he said before—nighttime is the only time where he is of sound mind. Additionally, he says that he is the Queen’s prisoner, though he is not sure how long he has been in the Underland. The more the Knight talks, the more the children and Puddleglum wish to free him.
The Knight’s condition is similar to the Greek myth of Theseus and Pirithous, who are strapped to a chair in the Underworld that makes them forget who they are. However, the problem for the children and Puddleglum is that they do not know which version of the Knight is telling the truth. Although they do not trust the Queen of the Underland and want to believe what he says, the Knight himself has just warned them that everyone he says is likely false.
Themes
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Then, the Knight invokes Aslan’s name while begging Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum to set him free. His words align with one of the signs Aslan asked Jill to memorize, so the group collectively decides to free him from the chair. Once the Knight is free, he picks up a sword and cuts the chair in half because it is the source of the enchantment he is under. Then the Knight introduces himself as Rilian, Prince of Narnia.
Finally, Jill spots one of Aslan’s signs (the fact that she has been asked to do something in Aslan’s name) and decides to place her trust in it, which pays off. The destruction of the silver chair symbolizes Rilian’s release from the Queen of the Underworld’s clutches. His mind is now free, and the Queen’s temptations and illusions no longer trouble him.
Themes
The children and Puddleglum bow to Rilian and tell him that they came to the Underland to rescue him. Rilian asks about King Caspian and how long he has been in the Underland. Puddleglum and the children inform him that his father is quite old now and that he has lived in the Underland for a decade. Before they can talk further, they hear the sound of Earthmen returning to the room. Rilian tells the others that he will fool them and then throws open the door to let the Earthmen in.
Despite several missteps along the way, the children and Puddleglum have completed the first half of their task. However, they still must return Rilian to the Overland, and they no longer have Aslan’s signs to guide them. As such, they must rely on Rilian’s knowledge of the Underland and their own bravery to guide them back to the surface.
Themes
