125:
515:, which would destroy all life except the one who spoke it, though the word itself was a mystery. Although her ancestors had bound themselves and their descendants with oaths never to seek knowledge of this spell, Jadis had sought it out and learned the word "in a secret place and paid a terrible price to learn it." Her sister knew Jadis had discovered the Deplorable Word but did not think Jadis would use it. Facing defeat, Jadis spoke the Deplorable Word, which annihilated all life under the sun apart from herself.
469:
benevolent but degenerated into a cruel, tyrannical empire. The early
Emperors and Empresses of Charn were kind and wise, but over centuries, for unexplained reasons, their lineage devolved into one of malevolence, corruption, evil, and despair, seeing their subjects only as a means to an end. Evidently, their hunger for power was insatiable and they conquered several other realms, as Jadis gloats that "many great kings" attempted to stand against Charn, but were defeated and their names lost to history.
1309:
1319:
789:
620:"Not yet. But you are growing more like it. It is not certain that some wicked one of your race will not find out a secret as evil as the Deplorable Word and use it to destroy all living things. And soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis. Let your world beware. That is the warning."
187:
66:
25:
447:, Charn was once the greatest city of her unnamed world, "the wonder of the world, perhaps of all worlds." It was a magnificent civilization ruled by a line of magically adept emperors and empresses, of whom Jadis was the last. However, by the time the protagonists enter, the world is now a cold and desolate wasteland with no life to be seen anywhere, and the city is on the brink of collapse.
501:
Jadis was responsible for the eradication of all life on Charn but blamed the destruction on her sister. Jadis and her sister fought a civil war for the throne, which Jadis eventually lost. She claimed she had offered to spare her sister's life if she surrendered, so the resulting destruction was the
468:
The Hall of Images displays the regal history of Charn, showcasing lifelike portraits of past rulers who are depicted as tall, beautiful, and powerful figures seated upon their thrones. The sequence of these images, through the expressions on their faces, tells a story of a civilization that was once
427:
When visited briefly by Digory and Polly, the protagonists of the novel, the city is totally deserted, lifeless, and crumbling under a dying sun. However, according to Jadis, the sun had been that way for eons, likely predating the dynasty, the city, and the civilization of the world itself. Rivers
505:
According to Jadis's own account, her sister had started a long and murderous civil war. There was a solemn oath between her and the unnamed sister that neither side would use magic, a pact broken by the sister, who gained the advantage as a result. Jadis recounts that during the civil war, she
488:
When the children finally see the full extent of the city from the balcony of the royal palace, it extends as far as the eye can see in any direction, as if covering the entire world. It is described as being full of pyramids, bridges, palaces, and towers, with a great river that had long since
489:
turned to dust. Jadis recalls viewing the city while it was full of life, quoting: "It is silent now. But I have stood here when the whole air was full of the noises of Charn; the trampling of feet, the creaking of wheels, the cracking of the whips and the groaning of slaves, the thunder of
634:, which had been spreading abroad. Aslan's statement that before the protagonists grow old, their world, which is our world, "will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than Empress Jadis", might be a reference to
480:
As Jadis leads the children through the decaying palace, she describes the cruelty of Charn and its leaders. She points out dungeons and torture chambers to them and recounts that her great-grandfather once invited seven hundred nobles to a
988:
978:
506:"poured out the blood of her armies like water," but was eventually defeated. In the final battle, which was fought in the city itself over three days, the sister defeated the last of Jadis' forces.
1026:
579:, Aslan shows them that the puddle leading to Charn is dried up, as the empty world has been destroyed. Jadis entered Narnia with the humans from Earth, and 900 years later appears as the
542:, and they had explored the deserted royal palace. In the room where Jadis slumbered with life-sized images of her royal ancestors, Kirke succumbed to temptation after having read a verse:
76:
983:
1043:
943:
493:, and the sacrificial drums beating in the temples. I have stood here (but that was near the end) when the roar of battle went up from every street and the river of Charn ran red."
972:
1033:
458:, Digory's magician uncle, as a petty conjurer without a drop of real magic blood in his veins, saying, "Your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago."
1020:
1012:
1002:
936:
920:
428:
have dried up, and neither weeds nor insects live. All life in the world of Charn had been destroyed by Jadis through an evil magic spell known as the
925:
88:
1343:
211:
of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be
1289:
1038:
601:," a repository for human skeletal remains. The hall of the figures of the rulers of Charn, inspired by the underground grotto of mummies in
1348:
1057:
996:
905:
963:
605:, shows a progression illustrating the decline and fall of the city and its world, reflecting a view of history described by
408:
477:. The last queen of Charn was Jadis, although the numerous empty thrones after hers suggest a premature end to the dynasty.
435:
During their visit, Digory accidentally wakes Jadis from suspended animation, and she is able to leave the world with them.
1294:
930:
852:
644:
585:
454:
for transportation. Their use was apparently limited to the nobility, who inherited inborn magical powers. Jadis disdained
1353:
1007:
502:
unnamed sister's fault. Jadis obliterated her kingdom and all its people rather than relinquishing her power over them.
616:
In the last chapter of the book, Polly asks Aslan if humanity has yet grown as corrupt as Charn, to which he replies:
1312:
950:
711:
300:
282:
168:
146:
106:
52:
263:
139:
1284:
822:
589:, ruling that land for 100 years until Aslan returned and defeated her with the aid of the four Pevensie children.
432:. In the novel, the city stands as an example of the dead end that can result if a civilization succumbs to evil.
235:
571:
Charn and the realm in which it resided ceased to exist entirely after Jadis and the children left. Later, when
866:
772:
747:
560:. When Digory asks Jadis about the star's appearance, she asks him about his world's Sun. When informed that
242:
208:
613:, which many feared would bring about the destruction of the world at the time when the novel was written.
1180:
610:
1358:
1080:
794:
249:
204:
630:
In this paragraph, Lewis may have been alluding to the tyranny, despotism, and corruption, including
565:
220:
1125:
887:
832:
392:
335:
322:
133:
485:
and slaughtered them all, "before they had drunk their fill," for "they had rebellious thoughts."
231:
602:
576:
539:
150:
38:
703:
1165:
880:
356:
815:
402:
197:
800:
8:
519:
1261:
216:
518:
After this, she put herself into an enchanted sleep in the Hall of Images. During her
1322:
1271:
768:
743:
736:
707:
696:
465:
were also once abundant in Charn and in the service of the royal and noble families.
212:
873:
606:
455:
421:
256:
1279:
1185:
1100:
894:
808:
511:
474:
429:
522:, all water in Charn dried up and the once-magnificent city crumbled into ruin.
1241:
1195:
1190:
1145:
1110:
859:
84:
450:
Magic may have been widely used in Charn; Jadis referred to the common use of
1337:
1200:
1150:
1130:
1075:
598:
535:
509:
Within the ruling family of Charn, there was knowledge of an evil spell, the
1095:
1090:
649:
639:
531:
451:
413:
1246:
1225:
837:
635:
580:
444:
417:
397:
379:
346:
1220:
1205:
1170:
1155:
44:
660:
89:
explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective
1120:
631:
568:
she remarks with sudden interest, "Ah, so yours is a younger world."
557:
1251:
1215:
1085:
1160:
1135:
566:
yellow, brighter, smaller, and "gives off a good deal more heat,"
490:
482:
470:
203:
Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing
788:
763:
Lewis, C. S. (1984). "The
Mythopoeic Gift of H. Rider Haggard".
625:
Lewis, C. S. (1955). The
Magician's Nephew. London: Bodley Head.
1210:
1175:
1065:
462:
1140:
1105:
1070:
572:
1115:
830:
561:
702:. Wheaton, Illinois: Harold Shaw Publishers. pp.
609:. The "deplorable word" is most likely a metaphor for
75:
describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily
742:(Revised and Expanded ed.). HarperSanFrancisco.
784:
735:
695:
652:, portrays Digory as the elderly Professor Kirke.
944:Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader
416:, are the birthplace of Jadis, also known as the
1335:
729:
727:
725:
723:
390:is a fictional city appearing in the 1955 book
816:
720:
642:. This is further suggested by the fact that
16:Fictional dying world in the Narnia universe
496:
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
823:
809:
412:. Charn, and the world of which it is the
530:The spell that bound Jadis was broken by
301:Learn how and when to remove this message
283:Learn how and when to remove this message
169:Learn how and when to remove this message
107:Learn how and when to remove this message
132:This article includes a list of general
693:
546:Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
1336:
525:
1344:Fictional elements introduced in 1955
804:
762:
409:The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
973:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
937:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
853:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
733:
678:
645:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
586:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
552:What would have followed if you had.
548:Strike the bell and bide the danger,
180:
118:
59:
18:
13:
1349:The Chronicles of Narnia locations
550:Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
138:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
1370:
473:was once common in Charn, as was
34:This article has multiple issues.
1317:
1308:
1307:
787:
185:
123:
64:
23:
1318:
42:or discuss these issues on the
1021:The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
867:The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
756:
687:
672:
420:, who later seizes control of
396:, the sixth book published in
1:
665:
592:
556:Charn's star is described as
538:had arrived on Charn via the
575:and the children are in the
198:general notability guideline
7:
1181:Seven Great Lords of Narnia
694:Sammons, Martha C. (1979).
655:
611:weapons of mass destruction
597:The name "Charn" suggests "
10:
1375:
1354:Fictional populated places
795:Speculative fiction portal
438:
406:, written as a prequel to
205:reliable secondary sources
194:The topic of this article
1303:
1270:
1234:
1056:
962:
913:
904:
844:
375:
367:
362:
352:
342:
330:
320:
315:
196:may not meet Knowledge's
1126:Lady of the Green Kirtle
833:The Chronicles of Narnia
765:Of This and Other Worlds
497:The destruction of Charn
323:The Chronicles of Narnia
577:Wood between the Worlds
540:Wood between the Worlds
363:In-universe information
153:more precise citations.
734:Ford, Paul F. (2005).
698:A Guide Through Narnia
648:, which is set during
628:
554:
926:1979 animated special
888:The Magician's Nephew
881:The Horse and His Boy
681:The Magician's Nephew
618:
544:
393:The Magician's Nephew
336:The Magician's Nephew
931:1988–1990 BBC series
679:C.S., Lewis (1955).
603:King Solomon's Mines
558:red, large, and cold
403:Chronicles of Narnia
738:Companion to Narnia
526:The waking of Jadis
520:suspended animation
1166:Ramandu's daughter
357:Children's fantasy
200:
1359:Fictional empires
1331:
1330:
1290:Magical creatures
1052:
1051:
385:
384:
311:
310:
303:
293:
292:
285:
267:
195:
179:
178:
171:
117:
116:
109:
57:
1366:
1321:
1320:
1311:
1310:
951:The Silver Chair
911:
910:
874:The Silver Chair
825:
818:
811:
802:
801:
797:
792:
791:
779:
778:
760:
754:
753:
741:
731:
718:
717:
701:
691:
685:
684:
676:
626:
607:G. K. Chesterton
456:Andrew Ketterley
331:First appearance
313:
312:
306:
299:
288:
281:
277:
274:
268:
266:
225:
189:
188:
181:
174:
167:
163:
160:
154:
149:this article by
140:inline citations
127:
126:
119:
112:
105:
101:
98:
92:
68:
67:
60:
49:
27:
26:
19:
1374:
1373:
1369:
1368:
1367:
1365:
1364:
1363:
1334:
1333:
1332:
1327:
1299:
1280:Deplorable Word
1266:
1230:
1101:Edmund Pevensie
1048:
958:
900:
895:The Last Battle
840:
829:
793:
786:
783:
782:
775:
761:
757:
750:
732:
721:
714:
692:
688:
677:
673:
668:
658:
627:
624:
595:
551:
549:
547:
528:
512:Deplorable Word
499:
475:human sacrifice
441:
430:Deplorable Word
307:
296:
295:
294:
289:
278:
272:
269:
226:
224:
202:
190:
186:
175:
164:
158:
155:
145:Please help to
144:
128:
124:
113:
102:
96:
93:
85:help rewrite it
82:
69:
65:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1372:
1362:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1325:
1315:
1304:
1301:
1300:
1298:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1276:
1274:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1242:Narnia (world)
1238:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1196:Susan Pevensie
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1146:Peter Pevensie
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1111:Eustace Scrubb
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1062:
1060:
1054:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1030:
1029:
1017:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1005:
997:Prince Caspian
993:
992:
991:
986:
981:
968:
966:
960:
959:
957:
956:
955:
954:
947:
940:
928:
923:
921:1967 TV serial
917:
915:
908:
902:
901:
899:
898:
891:
884:
877:
870:
863:
860:Prince Caspian
856:
848:
846:
842:
841:
828:
827:
820:
813:
805:
799:
798:
781:
780:
773:
755:
748:
719:
712:
686:
670:
669:
667:
664:
657:
654:
622:
594:
591:
527:
524:
498:
495:
440:
437:
383:
382:
377:
373:
372:
369:
365:
364:
360:
359:
354:
350:
349:
344:
340:
339:
332:
328:
327:
318:
317:
309:
308:
291:
290:
193:
191:
184:
177:
176:
131:
129:
122:
115:
114:
73:This article
72:
70:
63:
58:
32:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1371:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1341:
1339:
1324:
1316:
1314:
1306:
1305:
1302:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1277:
1275:
1273:
1269:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1237:
1233:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1151:Polly Plummer
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1131:Lucy Pevensie
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1028:
1025:
1024:
1023:
1022:
1018:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
1000:
999:
998:
994:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
976:
975:
974:
970:
969:
967:
965:
961:
953:
952:
948:
946:
945:
941:
939:
938:
934:
933:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
918:
916:
912:
909:
907:
903:
897:
896:
892:
890:
889:
885:
883:
882:
878:
876:
875:
871:
869:
868:
864:
862:
861:
857:
855:
854:
850:
849:
847:
843:
839:
835:
834:
826:
821:
819:
814:
812:
807:
806:
803:
796:
790:
785:
776:
770:
766:
759:
751:
745:
740:
739:
730:
728:
726:
724:
715:
713:0-87788-325-4
709:
705:
700:
699:
690:
682:
675:
671:
663:
662:
653:
651:
647:
646:
641:
637:
633:
621:
617:
614:
612:
608:
604:
600:
599:charnel house
590:
588:
587:
582:
578:
574:
569:
567:
563:
559:
553:
543:
541:
537:
536:Polly Plummer
533:
523:
521:
516:
514:
513:
507:
503:
494:
492:
486:
484:
478:
476:
472:
466:
464:
459:
457:
453:
452:magic carpets
448:
446:
443:According to
436:
433:
431:
425:
423:
419:
415:
411:
410:
405:
404:
399:
395:
394:
389:
381:
378:
374:
370:
366:
361:
358:
355:
351:
348:
345:
341:
338:
337:
333:
329:
325:
324:
319:
314:
305:
302:
287:
284:
276:
265:
262:
258:
255:
251:
248:
244:
241:
237:
234: –
233:
229:
228:Find sources:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
199:
192:
183:
182:
173:
170:
162:
152:
148:
142:
141:
135:
130:
121:
120:
111:
108:
100:
90:
86:
80:
78:
71:
62:
61:
56:
54:
47:
46:
41:
40:
35:
30:
21:
20:
1256:
1096:Lord Drinian
1091:Digory Kirke
1019:
995:
971:
949:
942:
935:
893:
886:
879:
872:
865:
858:
851:
831:
764:
758:
737:
697:
689:
680:
674:
659:
650:World War II
643:
640:World War II
629:
619:
615:
596:
584:
570:
555:
545:
532:Digory Kirke
529:
517:
510:
508:
504:
500:
487:
479:
467:
460:
449:
442:
434:
426:
414:capital city
407:
401:
391:
387:
386:
334:
321:
297:
279:
270:
260:
253:
246:
239:
227:
165:
156:
137:
103:
97:October 2011
94:
74:
50:
43:
37:
36:Please help
33:
1247:Aslan's How
1226:White Witch
964:Film series
906:Adaptations
838:C. S. Lewis
636:World War I
581:White Witch
461:Apparently
418:White Witch
398:C. S. Lewis
347:C. S. Lewis
209:independent
151:introducing
77:in-universe
1338:Categories
1221:Mr. Tumnus
1206:Telmarines
1186:Shasta/Cor
1171:Reepicheep
1156:Puddleglum
1058:Characters
1027:soundtrack
1013:video game
1008:attraction
1003:soundtrack
989:video game
984:attraction
979:soundtrack
914:Television
774:0006265456
749:0060791276
666:References
593:Commentary
343:Created by
243:newspapers
217:redirected
159:March 2016
134:references
39:improve it
1262:Underland
1121:Jill Pole
1044:Accolades
1034:Cast list
767:. Fount.
632:Communism
534:. He and
273:July 2020
207:that are
45:talk page
1313:Category
1295:Religion
1252:Calormen
1216:Trumpkin
1086:Coriakin
656:See also
623:—
491:chariots
326:location
1323:Outline
1272:General
1161:Ramandu
1136:Maugrim
1081:Caspian
704:110–111
661:Númenor
562:the Sun
483:banquet
471:Slavery
463:dragons
439:History
257:scholar
232:"Charn"
221:deleted
147:improve
83:Please
1235:Places
1211:Tirian
1176:Rilian
1066:Aravis
771:
746:
710:
422:Narnia
259:
252:
245:
238:
230:
213:merged
136:, but
1257:Charn
1191:Shift
1141:Miraz
1106:Emeth
1071:Aslan
1039:Music
845:Books
573:Aslan
445:Jadis
388:Charn
380:Jadis
376:Ruler
353:Genre
316:Charn
264:JSTOR
250:books
219:, or
79:style
1285:Food
1201:Tash
1116:Hwin
1076:Bree
769:ISBN
744:ISBN
708:ISBN
638:and
371:City
368:Type
236:news
836:by
583:in
564:is
400:'s
87:to
1340::
722:^
706:.
424:.
215:,
48:.
824:e
817:t
810:v
777:.
752:.
716:.
683:.
304:)
298:(
286:)
280:(
275:)
271:(
261:·
254:·
247:·
240:·
223:.
201:.
172:)
166:(
161:)
157:(
143:.
110:)
104:(
99:)
95:(
91:.
81:.
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.