Jadis is the main antagonist of ''
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' (1950) and ''
The Magician's Nephew
''The Magician's Nephew'' is a fantasy children's novel by C. S. Lewis, published in 1955 by The Bodley Head. It is the sixth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). In recent editions, which sequence the books ...
'' (1955) in
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...
's series, ''
The Chronicles of Narnia
''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven high fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' has been adapted for radio, telev ...
''. She is commonly referred to as the White Witch in ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', as she is the Witch who froze Narnia in the Hundred Years Winter.
Some recent editions of the books include brief notes, added by later editors, that describe the cast of characters. As Lewis scholar Peter Schakel points out, the notes' description of Jadis and the Queen of Underland (the main antagonist of ''
The Silver Chair
''The Silver Chair'' is a children's fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1953. It was the fourth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956); it is volume six in recent editions, which are seq ...
'') "states incorrectly that the Queen of Underland is an embodiment of Jadis". Beyond characterising the two as "Northern Witches", Lewis's text does not connect them. See ''
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main antagonist in ''The Silver Chair'' by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the ''Green Lady'' (on analogy with Jadis, the ''White Lad ...
'' for further discussion.
Character history
Jadis was born on an unknown date long before the creation of Narnia. In ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' she is identified by a character as a descendant of giants and
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
's first wife (
Lilith
Lilith ( ; he, Wiktionary:לילית, לִילִית, Līlīṯ) is a female figure in Mesopotamian Mythology, Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, Judaic mythology, alternatively the first wife of Adam and supposedly the primordial she-demon. ...
):
(This reference to Lilith is a tribute to the
fantasy novel with this title by
George MacDonald
George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll. I ...
, a literary hero of C.S. Lewis.) Jadis died in battle in Narnian year
1000, meaning that she lived for well over 1,000 years.
''The Magician's Nephew''
In ''
The Magician's Nephew
''The Magician's Nephew'' is a fantasy children's novel by C. S. Lewis, published in 1955 by The Bodley Head. It is the sixth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). In recent editions, which sequence the books ...
'', Jadis is introduced as the last Queen of
Charn
Charn is a fictional city appearing in the 1955 book ''The Magician's Nephew'', the sixth book published in C. S. Lewis's ''Chronicles of Narnia'', written as a prequel to ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe''. Charn, and the world of which ...
, a city in an entirely different world from Narnia. She was the last of a long line of kings and queens, who were good in the beginning but grew evil over many generations and conquered the entire world of Charn, ruling it as despots. Jadis, a powerful sorceress, fought a bloody war of rebellion against her sister. On the point of defeat, Jadis chose not to submit, but instead spoke the
Deplorable Word The Deplorable Word, as used by author C. S. Lewis in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', is a fictional magical curse which ends all life on a world except that of the one who speaks it.
Background
In ''The Magician's Nephew'', the children who are th ...
, a powerful spell which destroyed all life on Charn except her own. She then cast a spell of enchanted sleep upon herself to await someone who could rescue her from Charn.
Many years later, a 12-year-old
Digory Kirke
Professor Digory Kirke is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis' fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia.'' He appears in three of the seven books: ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', ''The Magician's Nephew'', and '' The Last Battle''.
...
and his friend
Polly Plummer
Polly Plummer (1889-1949) is a major fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. She appears in two of the seven books: ''The Magician's Nephew'' and '' The Last Battle''.
Biography
In ''The Magician's ...
arrive in the ruins of Charn through Digory's uncle's magic. The children find the bell that Jadis left to break the spell. Despite Polly's warning not to ring the bell, Digory does so. Jadis is awakened and by holding on to them is transported with them back to London in the year 1900. She initially aims to conquer the world to which she is transported, but finds that her magic does not work there. Digory, seeking to correct his mistake, attempts to transport her back to Charn, but they end up instead in the world of Narnia at the moment of its creation by the lion
Aslan
Aslan () is a major character in C. S. Lewis's ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' series. Unlike any other character, he appears in all seven chronicles of the series. Aslan is depicted as a talking lion, and is described as the King of Beasts, the ...
. As Aslan approaches, she attacks him with the rod of iron she has torn from a London lamp post with her great physical strength; when this has no effect, she flees.
Jadis makes her way to the garden on a mountain west of Narnia, where she eats an apple that she believes will make her immortal and give her eternal life. However, this supposed immortality comes at a cost: her skin is bleached white, and the evil in her heart causes her eternal misery. She cannot stand the sight of the tree that Aslan has Digory plant in Narnia from the fruit of the garden, and she thus stays to the north of Narnia, working to develop her magic.
Meanwhile, the land of Narnia remains the domain of animals (chosen animals are given the ability to speak, and become pillars of society) and is not troubled by the Witch nor any other enemy for many hundreds of years.
''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe''
In ''
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', set 1,000 Narnian years after the events of ''The Magician's Nephew'', the tree that kept Jadis at bay has died, and Jadis has usurped power over Narnia. She is now known as the White Witch, and is served by various races including
Wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
(who make up her
secret police
Secret police (or political police) are intelligence, security or police agencies that engage in covert operations against a government's political, religious, or social opponents and dissidents. Secret police organizations are characteristic of a ...
), Black
Dwarves,
Giant
In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...
s,
Werewolves
In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely ...
,
Tree Spirits
A tree deity or tree spirit is a nature deity related to a tree. Such deities are present in many cultures. They are usually represented as a young woman, often connected to ancient fertility and tree worship lore.Heinrich Zimmer, ''Myths and Sy ...
that are on her side,
Ghoul
A ghoul ( ar, غول, ') is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid. The concept originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion, associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. Modern fiction often uses the term to label a cert ...
s,
Boggles,
Ogre
An ogre ( feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the wor ...
s,
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( , ;. grc, ; in Latin as ''Minotaurus'' ) is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "pa ...
s, Cruels,
Hag
HAG is a Swiss maker of model trains. The company was founded by Hugo and Alwin Gahler on 1 April 1944 in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
The Gahler brothers originally manufactured model trains in O scale but due to competition, particularly by Märk ...
s,
Spectre
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
s, People of the Toadstools,
Incubi
An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in ...
,
Wraiths, Horrors,
Efreets, Orknies,
Sprites, Wooses,
Ettins, Poisonous Plant Spirits, Evil
Ape
Apes (collectively Hominoidea ) are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and as well as Europe in prehistory), which together with its sister g ...
s, Giant
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...
s,
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
s, and creatures that (as Lewis writes) are "so horrible that if I told you, your parents probably wouldn't let you read this book."
The Witch's magic is now powerful, and with her wand she can turn
enemies to stone. Many good Narnians who have objected to her rule have ended up being captured by the Witch and her forces and turned into stone in the courtyard or the interior of her castle, which stands isolated between two hills in the north of Narnia. Stories of this grim fate has spread around Narnia from the few Narnians who were lucky enough to be taken in there and who were released or managed to escape.
She styles herself "Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia,
Chatelaine of
Cair Paravel
Narnia is a fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as the primary location for his series of seven fantasy novels for children, ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. The world is named after the country of Narnia, where much of the ''Chronicles'' takes ...
, Empress of the
Lone Islands
Narnia is a fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as the primary location for his series of seven fantasy novels for children, ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. The world is named after the country of Narnia, where much of the ''Chronicles'' takes ...
", and she casts Narnia into an
endless winter
"Endless Winter" is a 2020 crossover event in DC Comics publications. Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz, the story follows the Frost King's efforts to cause an eternal global winter and the Justice League's efforts to stop him. The story appear ...
with no
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
. She fears a prophecy that four humans – two sons of
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
and two daughters of
Eve
Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
– will bring about the end of her reign and ultimately her life, and orders all Narnians to bring any human they come across to her.
By the time the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia, Jadis has ruled for
100 years, although a mere 40 years have passed on Earth. The children were staying as wartime evacuees at the country home of Digory Kirke, now an ageing professor.
She first meets
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' series. He is a principal character in three of the seven books (''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', '' Prince Caspian'', and ''The Voyage of the Da ...
while riding on her sledge through the land of Narnia, enchants him with magical
Turkish delight
Turkish delight or lokum ( ota, لوقوم) is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often f ...
, and tempts him to betray his siblings by offering to make him her heir. She wants all four of them, although at this stage only Edmund and his sister Lucy have been in Narnia. The four Pevensie children arrive together in Narnia soon afterwards, and Edmund strays to the Witch after he and the other children are taken in by Mr and Mrs Beaver. While he understands now that the "Queen of Narnia" (as she had introduced herself) and the White Witch are one and the same, he is still determined to taste more Turkish Delight – and remains convinced that the Witch would keep her promise to make him heir to her throne. In the meantime, her Secret Police had captured Tumnus the faun, who had harboured Lucy on her first visit to Narnia, after discovering that he had disobeyed the Witch’s orders to hand over any humans to her.
But with the approach of Aslan, her magical winter thaws. Edmund receives a hostile reception from the White Witch upon arriving at her castle without his siblings, who is even angrier when he informs her that Aslan has arrived in Narnia. The harshness of the Witch's winter makes Edmund realise that he has been wrong in thinking that her side was the right side, and he realises the full extent of her evil when he witnesses her angrily turning a party of creatures into stone after their revelation that
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the personification of Christmas. Although now known as a Christmas gift-bringer, and typically considered to be synonymous with Santa Claus, he was originally part of a much older and unrela ...
had been in Narnia.
A wolf eventually reaches Jadis and informs her that Edmund's siblings have reached Aslan's camp and that one of them killed
Maugrim
Maugrim is a fictional character in the 1950 novel '' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' by C. S. Lewis. A Narnian wolf, he is the Captain of the White Witch's Secret Police. In early American editions of the book, Lewis changed the name to ...
. Jadis sends the wolf off to rally her army as speedily as they can, as she prepares to kill Edmund as a traitor. Aslan's army advances to rescue Edmund as Jadis uses a spell to conceal herself and her dwarf.
Jadis then arrives at the Stone Table, and meets Aslan for a parley, and insists on her right, as the first to rebel against Aslan, to take the life of Edmund as a traitor. She accepts Aslan's offer of his own life as substitute, knowing that without him the Pevensies cannot stand against her. Aslan keeps this pact secret from his followers. Jadis has Aslan bound at the Stone Table, and an ogre shaves his mane. She tells him that his sacrifice won't save Edmund and that he has given her Narnia forever. Then she kills him with a stone knife. Susan and Lucy, who followed Aslan from their encampment, witness his death from bushes nearby.
Jadis is unaware, however, of a deeper magic from before Narnia's founding. As a willing innocent victim who has offered his life in a traitor's stead, Aslan is revived. He then heads to her castle and restores all her statues to life. He brings them as reinforcements to the battle at Beruna against the witch's army, who are already battling against Aslan’s followers. Her army is defeated, and Aslan himself kills Jadis. Most of her followers are killed and the remnants of her army who do not surrender flee and are later killed by Aslan's followers.
References and comparisons in other Narnia books
In ''
Prince Caspian
''Prince Caspian'' (originally published as ''Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia'') is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1951. It was the second published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of N ...
'', 1,300 years after the Witch's death, Narnia has been conquered by the
Telmarines, a human race who believe they have wiped out Narnia's population of mythical beings and talking animals. The old Narnians, however, are still very much alive and have been driven into hiding, and they rebel under the leadership of the disinherited Telmarine heir, Prince Caspian.
When their fight against the Telmarines gets off to a bad start, a black dwarf (Nikabrik), a hag, and a wer-wolf (to use Lewis's spelling) plan to resurrect Jadis to fight for them, as they consider her a lesser evil than the current ruler,
King Miraz
Miraz is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. He is the main antagonist in the book ''Prince Caspian'', and is the uncle of the book's protagonist.
Miraz killed his brother, Caspian IX, allowin ...
, despite Caspian’s insistence that the Witch was far worse than Miraz, and his tutor’s insistence that the Witch is dead.
They are then killed in a melee which involves Caspian, his tutor Dr Cornelius, and Peter and Edmund, who have been recalled to Narnia after Caspian blows Susan's horn. On the orders of Aslan and the newly-crowned King Caspian, Narnia is now a land in which humans and talking animals are encouraged to integrate and have equal rights.
Jadis does not appear in ''
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'' is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1952. It was the third published of seven novels in '' The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). Macmillan US published a ...
'', though the stone knife she used to kill Aslan at the Stone Table has been found on
Ramandu
Ramandu is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'', part of the series ''The Chronicles of Narnia''.
About
He appears as an old man with a silver beard that comes down to his bare feet, dressed in a robe tha ...
's island by three of the
Seven Great Lords of Narnia
The Seven Great Lords of Narnia are fictional characters in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. They are briefly mentioned in ''Prince Caspian'' and are central to the plot in ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'', the second and third published ...
who had been banished there several years earlier. Disagreeing on what course to take, one of them takes up the knife to use against the other two, whereupon all three fall into an enchanted sleep. The knife may be intended as an analogy to the
Holy Lance
The Holy Lance, also known as the Lance of Longinus (named after Saint Longinus), the Spear of Destiny, or the Holy Spear, is the lance that pierced the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross during his crucifixion.
Biblical references
The l ...
, the spear used to pierce
Jesus Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, according to the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
.
In ''
The Silver Chair
''The Silver Chair'' is a children's fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1953. It was the fourth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956); it is volume six in recent editions, which are seq ...
'', 1,356 years after her death, Jadis is described as one of the "Northern Witches", along with the
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main antagonist in ''The Silver Chair'' by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the ''Green Lady'' (on analogy with Jadis, the ''White Lad ...
- a new enemy to the good animals and humans who now inhabit Narnia. Glimfeather the Owl speculates that the Green Lady may be "of the same crew" as the White Witch. This has led to speculation by some readers that Jadis and the Lady of the Green Kirtle may be the same person. Lewis's text does not support this (See ''
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main antagonist in ''The Silver Chair'' by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the ''Green Lady'' (on analogy with Jadis, the ''White Lad ...
'' for further discussion). Lewis never clarifies the Green Lady's origins, or what connection she has to the White Witch.
The "Green Lady" had first entered Narnia in serpent form and killed the wife of King Caspian, and later re-emerged in human form to lure away Caspian's son Rilian and place him under an enchantment in the underworld. Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole reach the underworld with their guide,
Puddleglum
Puddleglum is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' by C. S. Lewis. Puddleglum appears as a principal character in ''The Silver Chair'', and is mentioned briefly at the end of '' The Last Battle''. Pud ...
the marshwiggle, and rescue Rilian - who kills the Green Lady before they return to Narnia.
Characteristics
An extraordinarily beautiful, tall, and imposing woman, Jadis enchants
Digory Kirke
Professor Digory Kirke is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis' fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia.'' He appears in three of the seven books: ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', ''The Magician's Nephew'', and '' The Last Battle''.
...
,
Andrew Ketterley and
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' series. He is a principal character in three of the seven books (''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', '' Prince Caspian'', and ''The Voyage of the Da ...
on first encounters. She is seven feet tall, as were all members of the Royal Family of Charn. After eating the fruit of eternal life, her skin becomes as white as paper.
A natural-born sorceress and a cunning strategist, Jadis is arrogant and cruel, considering herself above all rules and viewing others as tools to be used or obstacles to be demolished. After she eats the Fruit of Everlasting Life, selfishly and against the written admonition on the gate, she discovers that her sense of inner power and life is amplified. Her callousness and sense of entitlement are most clearly demonstrated when she uses the
Deplorable Word The Deplorable Word, as used by author C. S. Lewis in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', is a fictional magical curse which ends all life on a world except that of the one who speaks it.
Background
In ''The Magician's Nephew'', the children who are th ...
in Charn to vanquish her sister, even though the Word would eradicate all life in that world but her own. She prefers to destroy that entire world than submit to her sister's authority and shows afterward a remorseless pride in her actions.
Though her magic disappears when she leaves Charn, she manages to build it up again in Narnia's world, exercising both her previous experience and her privilege to witness a new world's dawning to become again a sorceress of formidable power, though she is still outclassed by Aslan. She eventually usurps the throne of Narnia, using her magic to cast the land into perpetual winter. Her most feared weapon is her wand, whose magic is capable of turning people into stone. The petrified remains of her enemies decorate the halls of her castle. For the brief time that Jadis is on Earth, she has no magical power but retains her phenomenal strength. This is demonstrated when she battles with Metropolitan Police in London, wielding the cross-bar she wrenched from a lamp post. The same cross-bar is taken into the new world that would become Narnia and grows into the full lamp post encountered by Lucy Pevensie many years later.
Portrayals
Radio
The voice of Jadis was provided by
Elizabeth Counsell
Elizabeth Counsell (born 7 June 1942) is an English actress, best known for starring in the BBC television series ''Brush Strokes'', and for her work in classical theatre.
Career
She played Lady Macbeth to Michael Gambon's Macbeth at the Foru ...
in
Focus on the Family's radio drama versions of ''
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' and ''
The Magician's Nephew
''The Magician's Nephew'' is a fantasy children's novel by C. S. Lewis, published in 1955 by The Bodley Head. It is the sixth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). In recent editions, which sequence the books ...
''. Counsell also made a cameo appearance as a lamb in ''
The Last Battle
''The Last Battle'' is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by The Bodley Head in 1956. It was the seventh and final novel in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). Like the other novels in the series, it was illustr ...
''. The distribution rights to this version were later purchased by the BBC.
In an earlier 1988 BBC radio version, she was played by
Rosemary Martin
Rosemary Martin (17 December 1936 – 14 August 1998) was an England, English actress, born in Birmingham. She appeared in dozens of films from 1964 to 1998 and is also known for television roles including Mrs. Partridge in ''Last of the Summe ...
.
Television
* The White Witch was played by
Elizabeth Wallace
Elizabeth Wallace is an American television writer. She was married to Art Wallace.
Positions held
''All My Children''
*Writer (1981–1989)
Awards and nominations
Wallace has been nominated for five Daytime Emmy awards for her work on ''All ...
in the 1967 British TV series ''
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe''.
* In the sixth episode of ''
The Young Ones'', during a game of hide-and-seek, Vyvyan attempts to hide in a wardrobe. He ends up in Narnia, and meets the White Witch, portrayed by actress
Justine Lord
Justine Lord (born Jennifer Schooling; 8 March 1937) is an English actress, active on television throughout the 1960s.
She began her acting career in repertory theatre, and in the 1960s made guest appearances in “Live Now Pay Later” (1962 ...
. She approaches him much the same way as with Edmund in the book, but Vyvyan is uninterested, and tries to hide in an empty tree that leads back to the apartment, against her protests.
* American actress
Beth Porter
Beth Jane Porter (born May 23, 1942) is an American stage, film and television actress and writer, who has worked in Britain for most of her career. She became a British citizen in 2014.
Early life
Beth Porter made her first professional appea ...
provided the voice of the White Witch for the
1979 animated television adaptation of ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'' (for the British release,
Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
's voice was dubbed in). In that version, Aslan lunges towards the White Witch and she disappears in a cloud of smoke upon her defeat.
* English actress
Barbara Kellerman
Barbara Rose Kellerman (originally spelt Kellermann; born 30 December 1949) is an English actress, known for her film and television roles. She trained at Rose Bruford College.
Kellerman was born in Manchester, Lancashire. Her Jewish fath ...
played the White Witch in the 1988
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, characters from the second and fourth Narnia novels). After her wand is broken, she runs up the ravine, only for Aslan to arrive with reinforcements and roar enough for the ground to shake and the White Witch to lose her balance and fall to her death. In the original novel, it is stated that Jadis is half-
and half-giant.
. Swinton's performance won particular acclaim among fans and critics. BBC film critic Stella Papamichael wrote:
Jadis is viewed as significantly more psychopathic and malevolent, possessing an instinctively violent streak and the expressed disregard for the lives of others - during the Battle of Beruna, she declares that no prisoners are to be taken simply since she has no interest in taking any. She is also hinted to have a cynical, dry sense of humour.
Tilda Swinton was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her performance as the White Witch in ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', but lost to
''.
Swinton reprised her role as the White Witch in the 2008 Disney Movie sequel ''
''. In a departure from the novel, Nikabrik and his fellow conspirators (a hag and werewolf) use the White Witch's retrieved wand to conjure an apparition of Jadis within a mystical wall of ice. She tries to coax Caspian and then Peter into offering her a drop of their blood so that she can come back to life, promising to lend her powers to their fight against King Miraz once she is made whole. However, Edmund shatters the ice, and the apparition vanishes.
Swinton reprised White Witch again in the 20th Century Fox film adaptation of ''
'', only as a manifestation of the Dark Island preying on Edmund's fears, a mental test that Edmund overcomes as he manages to kill the Dark Island's
, a manifestation of his fear. The apparition disappears, screaming in defeat.
Swinton has expressed interest in returning to the role once more in a
''.
''.
In 2011, the White Witch was one of eight British magical figures, which included the wizards
.