Several years ago, my local library hosted a series of “Readers’ Days.” A standout feature was a panel interview with authors, where they were often asked, “What was your favorite book as a child?” Unsurprisingly, many mentioned The Chronicles of Narnia. However, some confessed to feeling shocked or even betrayed upon realizing, as adults, how much Christian imagery C.S. Lewis incorporated into the series.
This puzzled me because, as a child, I was always aware of the Christian symbolism. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a Christian household or the influence of my friend, whose father was a Baptist minister. At around 11 or 12 years old, I even used Narnia as a guide, reading it alongside the Bible. What startled me as an adult was discovering the other influences Lewis drew upon, including pagan and Muslim elements. Initially, I thought, “I thought these were Christian books!” But as I grew older, I understood that C.S. Lewis was a well-read scholar who blended various influences into his fantasy world. Today, I’d like to explore some of these diverse sources and how they manifest in Narnia.
Classical Mythology and Ovid’s Metamorphoses
C.S. Lewis populated Narnia with creatures like dryads, fauns, centaurs, and giants, borrowing heavily from Greek and Roman mythology. For instance, Bacchus and his wild girls, along with old Silenus on his donkey in Prince Caspian, are right from classical mythology. I suspect Ovid’s Metamorphoses was a significant source, as it’s rich with stories about such mythological beings. There’s even a Pan-like god called Vertumnus in Metamorphoses—a clear inspiration for Mr. Tumnus, although Tumnus is far friendlier!
In The Magician’s Nephew, the creation of animals by Aslan, with them emerging from bubbling ground, mirrors the spontaneous birth of animals from mud described in Metamorphoses.
Medieval Romance
The human elements in Narnia draw from medieval romance with its knights, ladies, quests, and castles. The tradition of hunting the White Stag and Queen Susan’s magic horn come from this lore. The Silver Chair is perhaps the most medieval of the Narnia books, following a quest to rescue Prince Rillian. The story of Rillian’s mother’s death and his subsequent disappearance is akin to the medieval poem Sir Orfeo, a version of the Orpheus legend. Just as Sir Orfeo must rescue his wife from the King of Fairies, Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum must venture into the Underworld to save Prince Rillian.
The Thousand and One Nights
The land of Calormen and the tale of The Horse and His Boy clearly show the influence of The Thousand and One Nights. The Calormenes’ formal style of speech is similar to the way characters speak in Richard Burton’s 19th-century translation of the Nights, which Lewis likely read as a child. The exotic Arabian culture depicted in the Nights influenced Lewis’s portrayal of Calormen. Hints of The Thousand and One Nights appear earlier in the series too. The White Witch’s descent from Adam’s first wife Lilith, one of the Jinn, and Aslan’s Turkish name for “lion” are examples.
Victorian and Edwardian Fantasy
Beyond ancient sources, Victorian and Edwardian fantasy writers also shaped the Narnia books. These authors were pioneers of the fantasy genre and influenced many, including C.S. Lewis.
George MacDonald
We know George MacDonald, author of The Princess and the Goblin, At the Back of the North Wind, Phantastes, and Lilith, had an impact on Lewis. Lewis described reading Phantastes as a transformative experience. In Phantastes, a hero enters the fairy world via his father’s writing desk, much like characters enter Narnia through various means. The book features talking trees, knights, and messages of encouragement similar to those found in Narnia. Lilith is darker and includes characters like Adam, Eve, and Lilith, another reason Jadis, the White Witch, may have been inspired by this figure.
William Morris
Known for leading the Arts and Crafts Movement and writing fantasy fiction, William Morris authored works like The Wood Beyond the World, The Well at the World’s End, and The Water of Wondrous Isles. The Lady enchantress with a Dwarf servant in The Wood Beyond the World resembles characters in Narnia, such as Prince Rillian’s captivity.
Lord Dunsany
Although it’s uncertain if Lord Dunsany influenced Lewis, his imaginative and often melancholic fantasy stories align with Narnia’s ethos. Dunsany’s tales often transition from familiar settings to mysterious worlds, similar to how Narnia is accessed from ordinary places like wardrobes and railway stations. One particularly evocative story, “The Wonderful Window,” features a window looking out onto a different world, paralleling the magical picture in Voyage of the Dawn Treader that transports Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace back to Narnia.
This is not an exhaustive list, so feel free to share any additional books and stories you think might have influenced the enchanting world of Narnia.
