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The Silver Chair
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The Chronicles of Narnia: Book 6

The Silver Chair (1953) (edit title/settings)

by C. S. Lewis (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Two English children, Jill and Eustace, undergo hair-raising adventures as they go on a search and rescue mission for the missing Prince Rilian, who is held captive in the underground kingdom of the Emerald.

Summary edit see section history

Jill pole attended a co-ed school. One that let the kids do whatever they pleased with no consequences. This school was called 'Experiment House'.
Eustace tells Jill about another world that him and his 2 cousins were magically whisked away to during the holidays.
With Jill he tries to... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Jill pole attended a co-ed school. One that let the kids do whatever they pleased with no consequences. This school was called 'Experiment House'.
Eustace tells Jill about another world that him and his 2 cousins were magically whisked away to during the holidays.
With Jill he tries to get back there, by standing side by side, arms in front of them, palms down, facing East. Then they chanted.
They didn't get a chance to complete their chant though because They came looking for Jill, and Eustace and Jill made a mad dash from the approaching voices. When they came upon the wall that surrounded the school and let no one out, they ran for the only door in the wall, which had been open only once before. Risking everything they tried their luck at the handle and the door opened! What they saw made them stop, because what they were looking into was somewhere else, it was That Place that Eustace had been talking about. Eustace grabbed her hand and pulled her in.

They ended up in a forest. When they reached a cliff's edge, Jill thought she'd be brave and walk to the very edge. Eustace freaked out and tried to pull her back, but she wrenched herself free of him, making him lose his balance and topple over the cliff's edge. That's when a lion came rushing to the edge and started blowing at the fallen form that was Eustace. The form started to float and he was floated off into the distance, 'til Jill could no longer see him.

Shocked and confused she starts to chant that she's dreaming and then decides that what happened with Eustace was not her fault and then she breaks down crying. Eventually she started to feel thirsty and heard the sound of water and followed the noise that led her to a steam, where the lion was resting. Too scared to move, she just stared at the lion, until it spoke.

The lion said Eustace is safe and that he was blown to Narnia. Then he gives Jill a task of finding the missing prince, and she is not to return until she has brought him back to his father's house or died or goes back to her own world.

He tells her there will be four signs that will guide her.
1. Eustace will meet an old and dear friend that he is to greet.
2. Journey out of Narnia to the North, until you come to the ruined city of the ancient giants.
3. In the ruined city their will be a stone with writing on it, they must follow what it says.
4. The prince will be known to them because he will be the first person to ask them to do something in the lion's name, the name of Aslan.

Then Aslan proceeds to blow Jill to Narnia, as he did Eustace. But, before that, he leaves her with a warning: That when she gets to Narnia the air will thicken and she is to be careful it does not confuse her mind.

Eustace and Jill are reunited.

The king gives a speech to his subjects (which consists of humans, animals and others that are unknown in the human world) before he departs on his journey. While this is going on, Jill tries to tell Eustace about Aslan, and what he needs to do. But, Eustace informs her that he doesn't know anyone there and that he has never been to Narnia before.
An owl approaches them wondering who they are and how they flew. They tell the owl and he gets all befuddled, telling them they must speak to the Lord Regent, a dwarf (who's almost deaf). In the end, they are invited back to the castle. After getting cleaned up the two talk amongst each other Eustace mentions how Caspian, the king was an old friend but he did not notice him because he had aged so much. They have already messed up the first sign.

Glimfeather came to Jill in the night saying that if she was serious about her task, that she and the boy had to leave at once. He brought them to a tower where the Parliament of Owls was held and once Eustace was able to tell they were on the King's side and not up to something treacherous, they explained to him of what happened to the lost Prince. He went missing 10 years ago, when him and his mother went out riding. His mother, the Queen, was stung in the hand by a serpent and died. Taking his mother's death very hard, every day he went out searching for the serpent that stung his mother so as to kill it and avenge her. But it appeared later on that he forgot about the snake and still continued on his horse everyday because he had seen the most beautiful thing ever! One day, Lord Drinian accompanied him on the ride to witness what the prince had seen. He saw a beautiful lady, a lady in green, one that struck him as evil. The next day the Prince never returned from his ride out alone.
When the owls finished telling the story they offered them a ride as far as the Marsh-wiggles.

They were dropped off at Puddleglum's place in the Marsh-wiggle, where they were to spend the night. The next morning they ate and Puddleglum told them her was to accompany them on their journey (he's a very negative person).
They must head across Ettinsmoor in order to get to the Ruined City. They all figure out what they'll be doing, go to sleep and set out in the morning.

At 9am they set out along the Shribble river and encounter the giants playing their morning game. On their walk they came across a bridge, when they crossed it, approaching them on the other side was a knight and a lovely lady on a horse.

She directs them to Harfang, where the gentle giants dwell.
Puddleglum did not trust her and did not want to go, but the children were enchanted by her beauty and flowery voice and voted against him. So, Puddleglum agreed only on the condition that they not mention to any of the giants where they came from and what their task is.
Finally they reached Harfang, but not without difficulties and they were invited in by the giants and shown into the throne room. They eventually got cleaned up, ate and were put to bed. That night Jill had a dream, Aslan came to her, asking her to repeat the signs and she cried because she couldn't. So, he picked her up and carried her to the window and written across the sky were the words, "Under me." And when she woke, she could not remember that she had dreamed.
Puddleglum and Scrubb came to visit her the next day and they all went to sit on the windowsill, and its then they noticed the words and the city. They all apologized about their behaviour before and went on with their quest. They needed to look for the Prince under the city.
But before they may do that, they must figure out a way to get out of the Gentle Giant King's home - they decide they will get out by being Gay.
Later while eating , they find out they are eating a Talking animal, which is like murder in Narnia. Then they learn they are to be the delicacy at the Autumn Feast!
They find a way to escape but end up in a hill. They cannot see and end up falling.
Hurt but having no broken bones, they are exhausted and do not move, even though they are thirsty. When out from the darkness another voice speaks.

The voice came from the leader of the Earthmen, that live in the Deep Realm. They brought the 3 travelers to the Queen of the Deep Realm. When they arrive the Queen is not there and while the Earthmen were planning on keeping them in the prison until she returned, His Highness descended and invited the children to come and see him. It turns out he was the Knight by His Lady's side.

He tells them he is under an enchantment. And every night for an hour, he changes. He tells them he must leave because his hour is coming and that they may come back once he had been tied and bound to a silver chair.
While it seemed he was raving mad, he screamed out Aslan's name and the children took it as the 4th sign, therefore letting him go. The man then took up his sword and sliced the enchanted chair in two! Freeing him.

A few minutes later the Queen entered, and tried once more to enchant them all, but Puddleglum saves the day. Enraged, the Queen turns into a green serpent and attacks. All 3 men defeated the snake by chopping off her head, therefore also avenging his mother's death.

Now, they needed to plan their escape from the Underworld. While trying to figure out what they'll be doing, they hear noises from outside. It appears the Witch has cast a spell on her world, so as when she is killed, her world and everyone in it will be killed as well!

They took 2 horses and rode out, heading toward the red light. On their way they captured an Earthman and he was terrified. The Prince explained to him how he killed the Queen and the Earthman was very grateful. Saying that they were their friends and not enemies then, and he will tell them all he knows.

It appears all the Earthmen had been enchanted as well.
Also, the red light is a chasm that opened up to other lands that are below them. Golg, the gnome they captured told them how to get out, and they followed the path until the lights went out. Walking about blindly, Eustace spotted a light above them.

Jill got on Puddleglum's shoulders in order to get a better look at the light and told everyone it was a hole. She went out and realized she was in Narnia, and their were many Narnia's celebrating The Great Snow Dance. She called for help and they came to her aid, then they gathered up everyone that they could to dig the others out. It was a joyous occasion, because Prince Rilian had been found.

In the morning, Prince Rilian left before the children to go and meet his father. The children were bestowed a great honor by being allowed to ride on Centaurs to get them to Cair Paravel.

When the ship arrived, the king had to be carried down by 4 knights. After the King saw his son, he passed on. Then Aslan made an appearance to the children congratulating them on completing their task.
The kids ask to go home and the Lion grants them that wish. But not before bringing them back to the Mountain of Aslan and bringing Caspian back to life (a young life).

They all went back to their world for 5 minutes. Then they scared everyone and the police thought they were crazy and should do some more research into Experiment House. Then after that, Aslan and Caspian left, and changed everything back to the way it was.
After, Experiment House changed and became a good school, and Eustace and Jill remained friends always.

Characters edit see section history

Show all 21 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.”
    Aslan
  • “The bright side of it is that if we break our necks getting down the cliff, then we're safe from being drowned in the river.”
    Puddleglum
  • “Reshpeckobiggle.”
    Puddleglum
  • “Don't you mind. There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant king caused the letters to be cut, and he knew already all things that would come of them; including this.”
    Puddleglum
  • “Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.”
    Puddleglum
  • “My royal mother is avenged. This is undoubtedly the same worm that I pursued in vain by the fountain in the forest of Narnia, so many years ago. All these year's I have been the slave of my mother's slayer. Yet I am glad, gentlemen, that the foul Witch took to her serpent form at last. It would not have suited well either with my heart or with my honor to have slain a woman.”
    Rilian
  • “By all fears and all loves, by the bright skies of Overland, by the great Lion, by Aslan himself, I charge you-”
    Rilian
  • “"And in the inquiry all sorts of things about Experiment House came out, and about ten people got expelled. After that, the Head's friends saw that the Head was no use as a Head, so they got her made an Inspector to interfere with other Heads. And when they found that she wasn't much good even at that, they got her into Parliament where she lived happily ever after."”
  • ““Why, Son of Adam, don’t you understand? A Centaur has a man-stomach and a horse stomach. And, of course, both want breakfast. So first of all he has porridge and pavenders and kidneys and bacon and omelette and cold ham and toast and marmalade and coffee and beer. And after that he attends to the horse part of himself by grazing for an hour or so and finishing up with a hot mash, some oats and a bag of sugar. That’s why it’s such a serious thing to ask a Centaur to stay for the weekend. A very serious thing, indeed.””
    Orruns
  • “There is no denying it was a beast of a day”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

  • England: The home of Eustace and Jill.
  • Experiment House: A 'modernistic' school, where Jill and Eustace are students.
  • Narnia: A land of magic.
  • Ettinsmoor: A moor upon which the northern Giants live.Also called Ettinsmuir.
  • Shribble: A river flowing between the Marsh-wiggles' homes and Ettinsmoor.
  • City Ruinous: The ruined city of the Giants.
  • Harfang: A city of giants.
  • Underland: An underground kingdom.
  • Bism: The deep lands below Underland, home of the Earthmen, where living, edible gold and jewels grow.
  • Aslan's country: Land of Aslan's origination.

First Sentence edit see section history

It was a dull Autumn day and Jill Pole was crying behind the gym.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Behind The Gym
2. Jill Is Given A Task
3. The Sailing Of The King
4. A Parliament of Owls
5. Pluddleglum
6. The Wild Waste Lands Of The North
7. The Hill Of The Strange Trenches
8. The House of Harfang
9. How They Discovered Something Worth Knowing
10. Travels Without The Sun
11. In The Dark Castle
12. The Queen Of Underland
13. Underland Without The Queen
14. The Bottom Of The World
15. The Disappearance Of Jill
16. The Healing Of Harms

Glossary edit see section history

  • forbore: kept back
  • fusty: stale smell, mold
  • nosegay: a bouquet.
  • peppery: irritable
  • grubby: dirty
  • victual: food supplies or provisions.
  • alighted: to stay after descending
  • tarry: to wait.
  • dingy: shabby
  • quay: a landing place
  • bivouacked: to rest or assemble in such an area; encamp.
  • cairn: a heap of stones set up as a landmark, monument, tombstone, etc.
  • turret: a small tower
  • uncanny: uncomfortably strange
  • funked: feared.
  • ford: a place where a river is shallow enough to be crossed by wading.
  • shoals: a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow.
  • biped: having two feet.
  • eddies: a current.
  • banneret: banner.
  • hols: holidays
  • bastioned: a fortified place.
  • currying favor: to seek to advance oneself through flattery or fawning
  • scullery: a small room or section of a pantry in which food is cleaned, trimmed, and cut into cooking portions before being sent to the kitchen.
  • balustrade: a railing.
  • bulwark: the thick sides of a ship above the upper deck.
  • march: border country.
  • bobaunce: boasting.
  • cock-shies: a game where the players throw stones at a target.
  • puttees: coverings for the lower legs.
  • posset: a drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or the like, often sweetened and spiced.
  • comfit: a candy containing a nut or piece of fruit.
  • strait: tight, confined.
  • leech: an archaic word for a doctor, from their use of leeches to draw blood.
Show all 34 glossary entries

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • The Medieval Planets: (The Moon) The moon, being the boundary between the perfect and ordered Heavens, and the flawed and uncertain Earth, produces doubt, waywardness, and lunacy, all of which are prevalent in The Silver Chair. Doubt is confronted in a major way at book's climactic confrontation with the Lady of the Green Kirtle. The children and Puddleglum are constantly forgetting the signs and straying from their goals. The lost prince, when found, suffers a nightly period of insanity, which turns out to be his only moments of lucidity. Silver, the metal of the moon, is present in the book's title. The moon was also considered a watery planet, and wetness is a motif present from the very beginning, when Jill cries behind the gym. The entire book is infused with a melancholy and a bittersweet longing, as of a moonlit night.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 6 of 7 in The Chronicles of Narnia. (standard series)

Preceded by The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and followed by The Last Battle.

This is book 22 of 216 in Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011). (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. C. S. Lewis (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Geoffrey Bles
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 1953
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 202

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Recommended for children + 10 and also for Young Adults

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • The Horse and His Boy

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  • The Horse and His Boy

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