AN ANALYSIS ON THE MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES IN C.S. LEWIS’ THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

Abstract

The Chronicles of Narnia are children fiction novels which contain several mythological elements in it. One of the mythological elements is reflected through the creatures. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is one of seven series which has many mythological creatures in it. Therefore, the writer wants to analyze the mythological creatures in the novel. The aims in analyzing it through this thesis are (1) to explore the mythological creatures that reflected in the novel (2) to discuss the characters of mythological creatures. The analysis is done by firstly provides the preview about the mythologies. It gives the views and explanations about which mythologies that are used as the background of the creatures. Not all of the creatures in the novel are included in the analysis, it just narrows to the mythological creatures. The mythology sources as the mythological creatures’ background in the novel are come from Greek, Roman and Norse mythology. The second is by comparing the mythological creatures both in the mythology and in the novel. It gives the descriptions about the characters of the mythological creatures. Through the analysis, it can be seen that not all of the creatures’ character from the mythology are completely same with the novel. The creatures that based on Greek mythology are Centaurs, Nymphs and Satyrs. Fauns are come from Roman mythology, while Dwarfs and Giants are based on Norse mythology. Centaurs are creatures that have the upper body as human and lower body as horse. Most of Centaurs in Narnia are wild and have bad habits, while in Narnia, all of the Centaurs are wise and kind. Nymphs according to Greek mythology are nature spirits that live on mountain, in river, among trees, etc. There are two kinds of Nymphs in Narnia: tree nymphs (Dryad and Hamadryad) and river nymphs (Naiad). Satyrs are mythological creatures that are half human and half goat. They are similar with the Roman’s Faun, except that Satyrs are wilder, less patient and more goat-alike. Fauns in Narnia are described have faces as mournful and merry at the same time. They are really like dancing, usually with nymphs and dwarfs. Dwarfs are small creatures who live underground. Both in Norse mythology and in Narnia, they are described as marvellous smiths and workers. Giants are creatures that have big size and strength of body. In mythology, they are often depicted as the enemy of the gods, while in Narnia, their personalities are more various.