The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe summary

Entering the Magical World

In C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, we find ourselves in the ordinary life of the four Pevensie siblings, sent to live in a professor’s country house to escape wartime London. The youngest, Lucy, stumbles upon a magical world inside a wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek. This world, known as Narnia, being enchanted by the White Witch, is in a state of eternal winter.

Lucy befriends a faun named Mr. Tumnus, who under the influence of the Witch, initially plans to hand her over to her, but instead ends up comforting Lucy and returning her safely back outside the wardrobe. Lucy shares her discovery with her siblings, but with no physical proof of her adventure, they do not believe her.

The Truth Unveiled

Lucy's second trip to Narnia soon follows, this time accompanied by Edmund, who independently meets the White Witch. Seduced by her promises of power and an endless supply of Turkish delight, Edmund becomes dangerously loyal to her. The older siblings, Peter and Susan, become aware of Narnia's existence when all four siblings end up in the magical world, confirming Lucy's tales.

The Pevensies learn from Mr and Mrs Beaver about the prophecy of two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve ruling Narnia and that Aslan, the great lion and the true king of Narnia, has returned to break the Witch's spell. Fearful for their lives, they also discover Edmund has gone to the White Witch, meaning he betrayed them.

The Return of Aslan

Upon reaching Aslan’s camp, the children are confronted by the majesty of the lion Aslan. They tell him about Edmund's betrayal. Aslan assures them he will do all he can to save Edmund. Edmund, rapidly disillusioned by the false charm of the Witch, is rescued by Aslan’s forces just as the Witch decides to kill him to prevent the prophecy from coming true.

Despite saving Edmund, Aslan looks somber, later revealing he made a deal with the Witch to spar Edmund's life. In a heart-wrenching scene, Aslan sacrifices himself on the Stone Table in Edmund's place, as the Witch and her followers jeer. Following Aslan's selfless act, Susan and Lucy, who had followed him, are about to return to camp when they hear a great crack. Returning to the Stone Table, they find it broken and Aslan revived. Aslan, by Deeper Magic, has come back to life because he was innocent and willingly took a traitor's place.

The Battle for Narnia

Aslan breathes magical life into the petrified creatures in the Witch's courtyard, forming a new, larger army. He leads this new army to the battlefield where Peter and Edmund are fighting what seems like a losing battle against the White Witch. Aslan joins the battle, killing the White Witch and thus ending her reign of terror.

Aslan crowns the children as Kings and Queens of Narnia. They rule wisely and well for many years, turning Narnia into a peaceful and prosperous kingdom. The story concludes as the adult Pevensies, while out hunting a magical stag, stumble upon the wardrobe again and tumble back into Professor's house as children with no time having passed. Back in their true world but profoundly changed, they remember Narnia fondly with a promise of return.