Aristotle in Narnia:
Virtue and Character in C. S.
Lewis’ Voyage of the Dawn
Treader
David H. Calhoun
Gonzaga Socratic Club
December 5, 2007
plan of argument
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consider Lewis’ objectives in writing the
Narnia stories
sketch out classical account of virtue
explain adaptation of classical virtue
theory by Christian thinkers
show how Lewis’ Narnia, as a Christianinspired fantasy world, frames questions
of goodness in terms of virtue
specific cases of Christian virtue: Caspian,
Eustace, Lucy, Reepicheep
Lewis’ Christian Vision
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J. K. Rowling: “I adored [the Chronicles of
Narnia] when I was a child. I got so caught up I
didn’t think C. S. Lewis was especially preachy.
Reading them now I find that his subliminal
message isn’t very subliminal at all” (2001
interview)
Narnia books are clearly Christian (especially
LWW), and the fact that they are children’s
books might suggest that Lewis means them as
evangelistic propaganda (cp. Philip Pullman)
Lewis’ Objective: Enjoyment,
Adoration, Enchantment
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“I wrote the books I should have liked to read if
only I could have got them. That’s always been
my reason for writing. People won’t write the
books I want, so I have to do it for myself”
(Green and Hooper, C. S. Lewis: A Biography,
169)
“when the old poets made some virtue their
theme they were not teaching but adoring, and .
. . what we take for the didactic is often the
enchanted” (Preface to “Paradise Lost,” v)
Narnia and Christian Virtue
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since his stories are Christian stories,
Christian virtue and principles play a
central role
since they are stories of fantasy and
adventure, a subset of the virtues,
including such virtues as as courage and
faith, looms particularly large
since the main characters are children, the
processes of character formation are
central to the narrative
Classical Virtue Theory
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commonly shared Greek and Roman ideas
about ethical goodness
appears, with variations, in many cultures
found in works of literature, history,
drama, and philosophy (e.g., Homer’s
Iliad, Thucydides’ History, Sophocles’
Antigone, Plato’s Republic, Cicero’s
Tuscalan Disputations, Plutarch’s Lives)
classic articulation in Aristotle (384-322
BC), Nicomachean Ethics
classical virtue theory: Aristotle
arete: excellence of character, virtue
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proper exercise of reason over appetite,
desire, and feelings
product of choices, actions, and habits
involves disposition to act in a particular
way in the future
consists in a mean state of character
distinguished from vices of excess and
defect
Aristotle on Virtue: Courage
SCOPE
VICE OF
DEFECT
VIRTUOUS
MEAN
VICE OF
EXCESS
feelings of
confidence
in danger
(contrast:
feelings of
fear)
cowardice:
irrational
lack of
confidence
in the face
of danger
courage /
fortitude:
properly
rational
confidence
in the face
of danger
rashness:
irrational
overconfidence
in danger
Importance of Virtue Ethics
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actions are important insofar as they
constitute character states
character states in turn dispose one to act
in specific ways
in childhood and youth, the stress should
be on actions, since actions constitute
character qualities
in adulthood, focus on actions stresses the
symptom over the cause
Christian Virtue Ethics
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in early Christian thought classical
concepts of virtue were melded with the
Jewish wisdom tradition to forge a
distinction Christian view of goodness and
character
classical virtues, especially the cardinal
virtues (courage, wisdom, temperance,
and justice) linked with theological virtues
of faith, hope, and charity; supplemented
with other character qualities from biblical
texts
Biblical Sources for Virtue
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“as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and
forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all
these virtues put on love, which binds them all together
in perfect unity”. (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face
trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing
of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must
finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything”. (James 1:2-4, NIV)
Character & Action, Tree & Fruit
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“Watch out for false prophets. . . . By their
fruit you will recognize them. Do people
pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? Likewise every good tree bears
good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit”
(Matthew 7:15-17, NIV)
replicates the Aristotelian link between
character and action, and the priority of
character
Fruit of Sin vs Fruit of Spirit
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The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry
and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of
rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn
you, as I did before, that those who live like this
will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:19-23, NIV)
Medieval Virtue Ethics
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Botticelli, Fortitude (Uffizi)
systematic catalogues of
Christian virtues
reenergized by the
rediscovery of Aristotle’s
works in the Latin West
common feature in art
key element of late
medieval philosophy and
literature (Lewis’ academic
specialty)
King Caspian: Good but Flawed
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Caspian manifests a number of the virtues:
prudence: willingness to accept counsel from
trusted friends and advisors (Lord Bern, Drinan);
strategy for dealing with the near-mutiny on
Ramandu’s island
generosity and humility: willingness to share his
ship cabin with his guests
loyalty: honoring the bond of his father with the
missing Lords
courage: willingness to face danger, as when
asserting authority over the Lone Islands
Caspian’s Vices
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despite the fact that Caspian is overall an
admirable character, he has clear flaws:
greed: temptation of great wealth by the
magic pool on Deathwater Island
pride?: desire to go with Reepicheep to
the end of the world
in both cases he is somewhat open to
counsel from others, but requires the
rebuke of Aslan to fully repent
Lucy: Faith & Hope as Virtue
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Lucy manifests a number of the virtues:
compassion: concern to help Eustace as soon as
she realizes the the dragon is him
courage: willingness to enter the magician’s
house on the Island of the Dufflepuds
faith & hope: in the moment of despair in the
supernatural darkness, she calls on Aslan for
help
BUT: envy and eavesdropping in reading the
Magician’s book (both challenged only by Aslan’s
intervention)
Eustace: the Vicious Person
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at the beginning of the story Eustace is
thoroughly unlikeable and marked by a
number of character flaws:
quarrelsomeness, cowardice, spitefulness,
bullying
these flaws are partially due to the
conditions under which Eustace has been
formed (parents, school): “Eustace had
read none of the right books” (VDT 84)
Eustace: Character
Transformation
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given the appropriate circumstances,
Eustace is capable of being awakened to
see himself and his condition
“He realized that he was a monster cut off
from the human race” (VDT 92)
improvement of character was gradual but
clear; such improvement requires time
and repeated action
evidence: courage with the Sea Serpent
Reepicheep the Odd
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Reepicheep the Chief Mouse is a truly odd
character: courageous but militarily of
limited value, hyper-courtly but small and
almost ridiculous, grave sense of honor
but seems overly proud
often acts in ways that seem imprudently
confident in danger, and therefore
viciously rash
often acts in ways that seem overly
concerned with formality, and therefore
viciously vain
Aristotle on Magnanimity
megalopsychia: magnanimity or “having a
great soul”; concerned with honors
SCOPE
attitude
toward
great
honors
VICE OF
DEFECT
humility:
underestimation of one’s
moral worth
VIRTUOUS
MEAN
magnanimity:
right
judgment of
one’s moral
worth of the
honors due to
one
VICE OF
EXCESS
vanity:
overestimation of
one’s
moral
worth
Aristotle on Magnanimity
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“the one who thinks himself worthy of great
things and is really worthy of them”
(4.3.1123b2-3)
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self-confident, discriminating concerning honors,
fearlessly committed to the great cause, transparency,
admits no moral superior, completely virtuous
“Magnanimity, then, would seem to be a sort of
adornment of the virtues; for it makes them
greater, and it does not arise without them.
That is why it is difficult to be truly
magnanimous, since it is not possible without
being fine and good” (NE 4.3.1123b30-31;
1124a1-4)
Magnanimity: Christian Virtue?
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it would seem that magnanimity, which makes a
virtue out of pride, would be inconsistent with
Christian virtue and the value placed on humility
St. Thomas: “Further, no virtue is opposed to
another virtue. But humility is apparently
opposed to the virtue of magnanimity, which
aims at great things, whereas humility shuns
them. Therefore it would seem that humility is
not a virtue.” (ST II, II, Q161, Obj 3)
Magnanimity as Christian Virtue
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St. Thomas: “Humility restrains the appetite
from aiming at great things against right reason:
while magnanimity urges the mind to great
things in accord with right reason. Hence it is
clear that magnanimity is not opposed to
humility: indeed they concur in this, that each is
according to right reason.” (ST II, II, Q161, Repl
Obj 3)
a lowly estimation of oneself is not in itself
virtuous; what is virtuous is right estimation
Reepicheep: Magnanimous
Mouse
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while Reepicheep is courtly and formal, everyone
recognizes that his attitudes and actions are in
keeping with his personality
is he excessive?
Dark Island: “So far as I know we did not set
sail to look for things useful but to seek honor
and adventure. And here is as great an
adventure as ever I heard of, and here, if we
turn back, no little impeachment of all our
honors.” (VODT 179)
Reepicheep’s Goal
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Reepicheep on the End of the World: “ ‘Yes, yes,’ cried
Reepicheep, clapping his paws together. ‘That’s just how
I’ve always imagined it—the world like a great round
table and the waters of all the oceans endlessly pouring
over the edge. The ship will tip up—stand on her
head—for one moment we shall see over the edge—and
then, down, down, the rush, the speed—’
“ ‘And what do you think will be waiting for us on
the bottom, eh?’ said Drinian.
“ ‘Aslan’s country, perhaps,’ said the Mouse, its eyes
shining. ‘Or perhaps there isn’t any bottom. Perhaps it
goes down for ever and ever. But whatever it is, won’t it
be worth anything just to have looked for one moment
beyond the edge of the world.’” (15, 230-31)
Reepicheep: Supernatural Thirst
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Aristotle: “the excellent person labors for his friends and for
his native country, and will die for them if he must; he will
sacrifice money, honors, and contested goods in general, in
achieving the fine for himself. For he will chose intense
pleasure for a short time over slight pleasure for a long time;
a year of living finely over many years of undistinguished life;
and a single fine and great action over many small actions.
This is presumably try of one who dies for others; he does
indeed choose something great and fine for himself” (NE
9.9.1169a19-27)
Lewis: “the essence of religion, in my view, is the thirst for an
end higher than natural ends; the finite self’s desire for, and
acquiescence in, and self-rejection in favor of, an object
wholly good and wholly good for it” (“Religion without
Dogma”)
Lewis’ Narnia: Moral Education
as Enchantment
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“when the old poets made some virtue their
theme they were not teaching but adoring, and .
. . what we take for the didactic is often the
enchanted” (Preface to “Paradise Lost,” v)
“Since it is so likely that [children today] will
meet cruel enemies, let them at least have
heard of brave knights and heroic courage.
Otherwise you are making their destiny not
brighter but darker” (“Experiment in Criticism,”
31)