Prince Caspian

In keeping with the novel’s Christian premise, C. S. Lewis explores sin, forgiveness, and redemption throughout Prince Caspian. Christianity teaches that all people are fundamentally flawed, and for this reason, even the novel’s most sympathetic characters are fallible. For example, Trumpkin constantly dismisses the idea that Aslan exists and even mocks Trufflehunter and the Pevensie children for believing in him: In religious terms, he lacks faith. He also doubts that the Pevensie children could really be useful to Prince Caspian and the Old Narnians. However, Trumpkin’s willingness to admit his mistakes and work to correct them makes him redeemable. For example, he acknowledges that the Pevensie children are more skilled fighters than himself, saying, “My humble duty to your majesties all—humble duty” (1191).

In return, the Pevensie children are quick to forgive Trumpkin. This is the appropriate response, the novel suggests, not least because it mirrors God’s own mercifulness. Aslan, God’s incarnation in Narnia, easily forgives Trumpkin after setting him on the right course with a gentle shake: “Son of Earth, shall we be friends?” (1724). Lewis underscores the connection between God’s forgiveness and human compassion when Lucy forgives Susan for dismissing her sightings of Aslan. While Lucy is angry at first, she finds she is no longer upset after she refocuses on following Aslan: “Lucy went first, biting her lip and trying not to say all of the things she thought of saying to Susan. But she forgot them when she fixed her eyes on Aslan” (1658). This suggests that Aslan’s loving presence helps Lucy overcome her anger toward Susan and soften her own behavior. Susan later apologizes to Lucy and receives Aslan’s pardon as well, suggesting that divine forgiveness is always available to those who seek it.

It is through Prince Caspian, however, that the novel most closely parallels Christian notions of sin and redemption. Prince Caspian is a sympathetic character who treats others fairly; he does not personally have much to apologize for. Nevertheless, he carries an inherited burden of guilt, ashamed of his Telmarine ancestors’ violent actions. This symbolically resembles “original sin,” or the predisposition to sin that is passed down through generations as a result of humanity’s fall. Christianity teaches that Jesus’s sacrificial death is what redeems people from this fallen state, so it is appropriate that Aslan assuages Caspian’s anxieties about his heritage. In fact, when Caspian confesses his worries, Aslan explicitly alludes to the story of humanity’s fall: “You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve, […] And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content” (2434). The propensity to sin may be a constant, Aslan suggests, but one can be “content” knowing that God’s mercy is available to all.