Some other fantasy lands might have room for cowardly lions, but not Narnia. Prince Caspian defines its characters by the courage they possess. Whether they stand up or sit down, these heroes will fight, fight, fight. Even the heroes who don't wield a blade display courage—remember Lucy's courage to believe she saw Aslan when none of the others did? The villains are also defined by their courage, or rather, lack thereof. Miraz is a warrior, but he confuses courage with the willingness to fight. And the lords Glozelle and Sopespian stab a guy in the back, so 'nuff said, right? Point is: every character has some type of relationship with the ideal of courage, making it a super-ultra-mega important theme.
Questions About Courage
- Who is the most courageous character in the story? Why do you think this, and how does their courage affect your reading of this theme?
- Who are the cowardly characters? How are these characters characterized, and how does this characterization advance the theme of courage?
- Aslan: courageous lion or cowardly lion? Neither? Both? What do you think about this enigmatic character?
- How do you think the themes of "Courage" and "Principles" connect? Do they go hand-in-hand? Are they completely separate? Something in-between?
Chew on This
Courage is not about what the characters do in Prince Caspian. It's about why they do it.
No one is taught courage in Prince Caspian. You either are or you aren't.