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Chapter 11
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
Two Earthmen walk through the door, followed by the Queen of the Underland. When the Queen sees Rilian free and the silver chair destroyed, she orders the Earthmen out of the room and tells them not to return unless she gives her word. When the Earthmen have gone, Rilian tells the Queen that he remembers his true identity and plans to return to Narnia. He asks that she allow him and his new friends safe passage out of the Underland.
Though Rilian may have been able to fool the Earthmen, he cannot do the same with the Queen, who sees the source of her enchantment in pieces. Left without any other option, Rilian attempts to leverage the Queen’s sense of duty and honor, which seems like a doomed plan. The Queen has kept Rilian in the Underland for a decade and has no reason to let him go now.
Themes
The Queen of the Underland walks over to a fireplace and adds a green powder to the fire. Then, she picks up a mandolin and begins strumming it softly. Everyone else in the room begins to feel sleepy and vulnerable. The Queen repeatedly tries to get them to forget that anything exists outside of the Underworld. Whenever anyone brings up an example to counter her words, she claims that their memories must come from their dreams because the Overworld they speak of does not exist.
Throughout the novel, Lewis associates green with evil and deception. Green is the color of the serpent, as well as the color the Queen of the Underland wears when Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum first meet her on the bridge. Here, the green powder dulls everyone’s sense and makes them open to suggestion and vulnerable to temptation.
Themes
Eventually, Jill, Scrubb, and Rilian all give in to the Queen of the Underland’s trick and agree that nothing exists outside of the Underland. However, Puddleglum has just enough willpower left to march over to the fire and stamp in out. Quickly, the air fills with the smell of burning Marsh-wiggle rather than the smell of the Queen’s soothing powder. Suddenly, everyone snaps to their senses and remembers the truth.
Although everyone has a faint idea of what the Queen of the Underland is doing to them, only Puddleglum has the strength and courage to resist it. Because he sees what the Queen is doing, he is willing to cause himself physical harm to ensure that her plan fails. Because of Puddleglum’s bravery, everyone returns to their senses, ready to once again put up a fight against the Queen.
Themes
The Queen of the Underland transforms into a horrific giant serpent—the same one that killed the Queen of Narnia. After she transforms, she slithers up to Rilian and wraps around him. Luckily, Rilian still has his sword hand free and, with the help of Puddleglum, he manages to kill the serpent, putting an end to the Queen for good. Finally, Rilian feels he has avenged his mother and can prepare to return to the Overland.
Here, the Queen reveals herself to be the source of evil that pervades the entire novel. Although she has metaphorically constricted Rilian for the last decade, here she does so literally. Luckily, Rilian has his sword handy and slays the Queen, which represents his triumph over evil.
Themes
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