The White Witch

Lore & Background

Jadis was born on an unknown date long before the creation of Narnia. In The Magician's Nephew, she is introduced as the last Queen of Charn, a city in an entirely different world from Narnia. She fought a bloody war of rebellion against her sister and, on the point of defeat, spoke the Deplorable Word, a powerful spell which destroyed all life on Charn except her own. She then cast a spell of enchanted sleep upon herself.

Many years later, a 12-year-old Digory Kirke and his friend Polly Plummer arrive in the ruins of Charn and awaken her. She is transported with them to London in the year 1900, then to the world of Narnia at the moment of its creation by the lion Aslan. She attacks Aslan with a rod of iron torn from a London lamp post; when this has no effect, she flees. She eats an apple from the garden on a mountain west of Narnia, which bleaches her skin white and causes her eternal misery. She stays to the north of Narnia, working to develop her magic.

Reader's Guide

Jadis is served by various races including Wolves (who make up her secret police), Black Dwarves, Giants, Werewolves, Tree Spirits that are on her side, Ghouls, Boggles, Ogres, Minotaurs, Cruels, Hags, Spectres, People of the Toadstools, Incubi, Wraiths, Horrors, Efreets, Orknies, Sprites, Wooses, Ettins, Poisonous Plant Spirits, Evil Apes, Giant Bats, Vultures, and creatures that are "so horrible that if I told you, your parents probably wouldn't let you read this book."

Her magic is powerful, and with her wand she can turn enemies to stone. Many good Narnians who have objected to her rule have ended up being captured and turned into stone in the courtyard or interior of her castle. By the time the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia, Jadis has ruled for 100 years, although a mere 40 years have passed on Earth since she first arrived in Narnia. In Prince Caspian, 1,300 years after the Witch's death, a black dwarf (Nikabrik), a hag, and a wer-wolf plan to resurrect Jadis to fight for them, but they are killed in a melee.

Did You Know?

• She killed Aslan at the Stone Table with a stone knife, but Aslan was revived by a deeper magic from before Narnia's founding.
• The stone knife she used to kill Aslan appears in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader on Ramandu's island, where it causes three lords to fall into an enchanted sleep.