Lucy Pevensie: Difference between revisions

Lucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan. Also, of all the humans who have visited Narnia, Lucy is perhaps the one that believes in Narnia the most. She is ultimately crowned Queen Lucy the Valiant, co-ruler of Narnia along with her two brothers and her sister. Lucy is the central character of the four siblings in the novels. Lucy is a principal character in three of the seven books (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), and a minor character in two others (The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle).

Lucy is portrayed by Georgie Henley in the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and she returned to reprise her role in the 2008 film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Georgie's elder sister, Rachael Henley, portrays the older Queen Lucy at the end of the first film. Georgie Henley also reprised her role in the 2010 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is the third of the film series.

The character of Lucy Pevensie was inspired by June Flewett, a devout Catholic London girl evacuated by her convent to The Kilns, Lewis' country home in 1942, and named after Lewis' goddaughter Lucy Barfield, to whom he dedicated The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Lucy is described in the book as being fair-haired: "But as for Lucy, she was always gay and golden-haired, and all princes in those parts desired her to be their Queen, and her own people called her Queen Lucy the Valiant."

Lucy was the most faithful of the four and never stopped believing in Narnia. She and her brothers Peter and Edmund, after dying in a train crash in England, were transported to Aslan's Country with the other Narnians.

Biography

Character

Lucy is the most sensitive and faithful out of all her siblings; which is why she is written as seeing Aslan across the gorge in Prince Caspian and her brothers and sister written as cynical and less inclined to go on blind faith. As a young child in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in a strange house without her mother about, she is also extremely vulnerable and is looking for security, wonder and something to believe in. She is teased mercilessly by Edmund about Narnia, being accused of playing "childish games". Once she knows he also has visited the land in the wardrobe and he still maintains that they were only playing a game, her anguish knows no bounds, as her faith in humanity and the security of her own beliefs about her own siblings are now also under threat.

Lucy loves animals, and makes friends with many creatures; and is devastated in Prince Caspian to discover that not only has Narnia been invaded by the Telmarines; but that they have suppressed the many creatures and divine and semi-divine beings that made Narnia the extraordinary place it was. Her heartfelt night-time roam through the woods, craving to see the tree spirits dance and share in their communion with nature and life once again is one of the very deep moments of love, hope and disappointment that we share with Lucy in her spiritual journey. Lucy also never stops believing in Narnia and is full of courage because of her faith; and is thus more adventurous than her sister Susan. Lucy has a great desire to help others, which is symbolized by the healing cordial that was given to her by Father Christmas for others in need and only with sparing use. The lesson from Aslan on the battlefield in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is to use this power impartially and not dwell on the needs of those she loves most.

Childhood

Lucy Pevensie was born in 1932, the fourth of four children. She grew up in London with her mother, father, eldest brother Peter, sister Susan, and brother Edmund. In 1940, the Blitz began, and Lucy and her siblings were evacuated from London for their safety, taking up a temporary residence in the country manor of an old man known as Professor Kirke.

1940–1941

The siblings discovered that due to magic, their fifteen years in Narnia had taken up no time at all in England, and they were again children in the Professor's house. They told only the professor of their adventure, and he in turn admitted that he, too, had been to Narnia. The children were slightly dismayed to be told that the wardrobe had sealed and would no longer carry them between the worlds. A year later, at the age of nine, Lucy set out for her first year at a girl's boarding school with Susan. While en route to school, all four children felt a peculiar tug, recognized as magic, and were within moments drawn back out of Earth.

1941–1942

In England again, Lucy spent her first year at boarding school. While there, she made several friends. In summer of 1942, she and Edmund were sent to stay with their Aunt and Uncle while their parents went away on a trip.

1942–1949

Afterwards, Lucy grew up fairly normally, eventually becoming one of the self-titled Seven Friends of Narnia, those who had been to the world of Narnia by magic. In 1949, Lucy, Edmund, and Peter were having dinner with Eustace, Jill Pole, Polly Plummer and Digory Kirke, reminiscing about their days in Narnia when a Narnian-dressed figure appeared to them as a specter. The figure did not speak, even when Peter demanded as High King that it do so. After the specter disappeared again, they all felt sure that something was dreadfully wrong in their beloved country, and they needed to find a way to get there on their own.

Remembering the magic rings capable of carrying humans from world to world, the seven set up a plan to get young Jill and Eustace to Narnia. While the rings were retrieved, Lucy and the others got on a train to take Eustace and Jill to school, intending to use the rings on the way. They never made it, as their train crashed on the way, killing all aboard. By all accounts, Lucy and the others died instantly as a result of the crash.

Golden Age of Narnia

The four-part reign lasted fifteen years, and was known as the Golden Age of Narnia. Lucy grew up to become a sweet and beloved queen, dubbed 'Queen Lucy the Valiant' by her people. Not only a lovely lady and an accomplished queen, she was also a fierce warrior, known to ride into battle in times of need. She remained close friends with Mr. Tumnus. In 1014, Narnia's ally of Archenland was under attack. Lucy rode with her brother King Edmund to wage battle for their defense, and helped to win the day. In 1015 NT, Mr. Tumnus brought the news that the magical White Stag had returned to Narnia. Lucy and her siblings set out on a hunt, in the course of which they got lost in the woods. Stumbling through the woods, they found themselves in England again, back on the other side of the magic wardrobe.

Prior story

Lucy was born in 1932 and is 8 years old when she appears in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. By The Last Battle, she is 17 years old.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Lucy's siblings, Peter, Susan and Edmund, do not believe her about Narnia at first, but later they all find their way to Narnia.

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy is the first of the Pevensies to enter Narnia through a magical wardrobe in the Professor's old house, into Narnia in the One Hundred Year Winter, under the rule of the White Witch, the evil self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia. There she meets Mr. Tumnus the Faun and, then later, the Beavers.

While traveling with Peter, Susan and Mr and Mrs Beaver Father Christmas gives them gifts; Lucy is given a vial with magical cordial that can heal almost any injury, and a small dagger with which to defend herself "at great need". Edmund, meanwhile, had tried to betray the Beavers and joined the White Witch; he had first met her and been seduced by promises of power after first entering the wardrobe when trying to follow Lucy on her second entry to Narnia.

She and her companions arrive at Aslan's camp, and later that night, she and Susan comfort Aslan as he walks to his death – although they don't know of his fate at the time. Both girls also witness his sacrifice. While their brothers are going to war, Lucy and her sister see Aslan come back to life and help him wake the creatures in the White Witch's castle, which the White Witch had turned to stone. They meet with their brothers at the end of the battle.

At Cair Paravel, she is crowned as Her Majesty Queen Lucy by Aslan to the throne as co-ruler of Narnia, this marking the fulfilling of the ancient prophecy and the end of the White Witch's reign. During her reign, the people name her Queen Lucy the Valiant. She and her siblings make a Golden Age in Narnia.

Late in the Golden Age, while hunting the white stag through Lantern Waste, she notices the lantern where she met Mr. Tumnus. She stops her siblings and they look and wonder what it is. Lucy, in a dreamy voice, says Spare Oom, Mr. Tumnus's phrase for the land from which they came 15 years earlier, and the children run through the wardrobe into England, where no time has passed and they are children again.

The Horse and His Boy

The events in The Horse and His Boy take place after the siblings are crowned, and before they return to England, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Queen Lucy is a young woman who rides to the aid of Archenland. She is described by Prince Corin as being more like a tomboy, unlike her sister, Queen Susan, who is a "proper lady". She helps King Lune to welcome Aravis to Anvard, and helps to get Aravis's room and clothes ready.

Prince Caspian

Lucy (who is now 9) travels to Narnia again with her three siblings in Prince Caspian. In that book, Lucy is the only one to see Aslan at first, and she has a terrible time convincing her brothers and sister as well as Trumpkin the dwarf that he had returned, echoing her trials early in the first book. However, Edmund believes her and backs her up, due to her being right about Narnia itself existing. Aslan tells her to try again, and says that she must follow him alone if they refuse to come with her. Lucy comments that Aslan has grown larger, but really she is the one that has grown.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

While Susan travels with Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie to America and Peter studies with Professor Digory Kirke, Lucy (age 11), Edmund and their cousin Eustace are drawn into Narnia through a magical painting in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This is very much Lucy's book, written largely from her point of view. However, at the end Aslan firmly tells her and Edmund that they have become, like Susan and Peter, too old to further experience the wonders of Narnia.

The Last Battle

In The Last Battle, she plays a minor part as she returns to Narnia again with her brothers, High King Peter and King Edmund, along with Eustace Scrubb, Jill Pole, Polly Plummer, and Digory Kirke. There, she witnesses the destruction of Narnia and lives in the new Narnia created by Aslan. In the new Narnia, all the people and animals who lived in the previous Narnia during its existence return and join together. Lucy also meets her old friend Mr. Tumnus the Faun again, and Aslan tells her about a railway accident that occurs in England in which she, her brothers, her parents, Polly, Digory, Eustace and Jill die. She and Digory, Polly, Peter, Edmund, Eustace and Jill stay in Aslan's homeland for eternity, however Susan goes back to living on Earth.

Afterlife

Lucy – along with Edmund, Peter, Digory, and Polly – are instantly transported to a great green field with fruit trees and a door that leads to nowhere, clothed in Narnian garb. Several people come in or out of the door, but most seem unable to see the fields or Lucy and her companions. After some time, Eustace, and then Jill, walk through the door, explaining that they had been to Narnia on the other side of it. Once everything in Narnia has been straightened out and many other Narnians had join them, the Friends of Narnia stand by as Aslan brings about the end of Old Narnia.

Then Aslan gave a great roar and began to lead all the remaining Narnians. All run after him up the field, realizing that this is not Narnia, but that the real Narnia and the afterlife of the world they had known. They all run until they reach Cair Paravel, and meet all of their old friends from all of their adventures in the Shadowlands.

Lucy is not quite so happy in the New Narnia as Aslan meant her to be, however. She explains that she is dissatisfied because they (the English Narnians) are so afraid of being sent home. Aslan explains that there had been a train accident back in England, and that in their world, the children are all dead. He explains further that the Real Narnia is his country, and a Narnian equivalent of heaven. Lucy is permitted to live forever with her siblings in the Real Narnia.

Portrayals

• In the 1980s BBC serial, Lucy is portrayed by English actress Sophie Wilcox.
• In Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia films, Lucy is portrayed by English actress Georgie Henley as a child and Rachael Henley (her older sister) as an adult.

Other appearances

Although reviews of The Oz/Wonderland Chronicles issue 0 indicated that Alice, Wendy Darling and Dorothy Gale shared their dorm with Susan Pevensie, a recent review of the now-released issue 1 indicates many fans are believing this is actually meant to be Lucy, and not Susan.

She is spoofed in the 2007 film Epic Movie.

References

• Ford, Paul (2005), Lucy Pevensie (in The Companion to Narnia: A Complete Guide to the Magical World of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia), HarperSanFrancisco, ISBN 0-06-079127-6

External links

• Template:IMDb character
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at Narnia Fans
• NarniaWeb