Portrayed By
Background
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also known as the Queen of Underland or the Emerald Witch, is the main antagonist of The Silver Chair, the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia (by publication order). She is a powerful and mysterious sorceress who rules the underground realm of Underland and ensnares Prince Rilian, keeping him captive under her spell for ten years.
Though never explicitly confirmed, the Lady of the Green Kirtle is often theorized to be connected to Jadis, the White Witch, or at least a similar type of being. She exhibits similar powers of deception, magic, and tyranny, though her methods are more manipulative and seductive rather than purely authoritarian.
She is one of the most enigmatic villains in Narnian history, known for her hypnotic magic, shape-shifting abilities, and psychological manipulation. Her rule over Underland represents the oppression of truth and reason by illusion and deception, making her one of C.S. Lewis’s most philosophically rich antagonists.
Personality
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is charming, intelligent, and utterly deceptive. Unlike the White Witch, who rules through fear and brute force, the Lady ensnares her victims through persuasion and psychological control.
- Manipulative and Cunning – She never directly threatens her enemies, instead using subtle persuasion and enchantment to control them.
- Seductive and Alluring – She often speaks in a soft, mesmerizing tone, which puts her victims at ease before trapping them in her web of lies.
- Cold and Merciless – Despite her outward charm, she has no real empathy or remorse, as seen in how she enslaves Prince Rilian and deceives an entire kingdom.
- Highly Intelligent – She is a master strategist, playing the long game by kidnapping Narnia’s heir and planning an eventual conquest of the surface world.
Her preferred method of control is enchantment, whether through her magical mist, her soothing voice, or her poison-laced reasoning, which she uses to make others doubt reality itself.
Role in the Story
The Kidnapping of Prince Rilian
The Lady of the Green Kirtle’s greatest act of deception is her abduction of Prince Rilian, the only son of King Caspian X and Queen Liliandil.
After Liliandil is killed by a mysterious green serpent, Rilian—consumed with grief and vengeance—begins searching for the creature that took his mother’s life. During his quest, he encounters the Lady of the Green Kirtle, a beautiful and enchanting woman dressed in green.
She pretends to comfort him, luring him into her trap. Over time, she seduces him with sweet words and magic, making him forget his identity and past. She brings him to Underland, where she binds him with an enchantment, keeping him under her control for ten years.
During this time, she convinces him that he is destined to rule her underground kingdom and that the Overworld (Narnia) is nothing but a dream. Every night, when he briefly regains his true mind, she binds him to a silver chair, ensuring that he never escapes her grasp.
Encounter with Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is not present for most of The Silver Chair, as her influence works from the shadows. She first appears in the Overworld, when Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, and Puddleglum are searching for Prince Rilian.
She deceptively directs them toward Harfang, the castle of the man-eating giants, knowing full well that the children will be in grave danger. This encounter demonstrates her ability to manipulate events without direct conflict—a stark contrast to villains like Miraz or the White Witch, who rely on force.
The Enchantment Scene – Attempt to Erase Reality
The Lady’s most chilling moment comes when Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum finally discover Prince Rilian in Underland. At first, he is under her complete control, believing that he is a prince of the underground realm.
However, when his daily enchantment wears off, he regains his true identity. In a desperate attempt to manipulate the heroes, the Lady enters the room and casts a powerful enchantment over them.
Using a combination of soothing speech and magical incense, she begins to erase their memories, convincing them that the Overworld, the Sun, and even Aslan himself do not exist. She nearly succeeds in brainwashing them into accepting Underland as the only reality.
- She claims that the Sun is merely a delusion created from their memories of Underland’s lamps.
- She argues that Aslan is nothing more than an imaginary projection based on a housecat.
- She soothes them into submission, making them feel foolish for ever believing in Narnia.
This scene is one of the most psychologically intense moments in The Chronicles of Narnia, as it showcases the power of deception and how easily one’s mind can be manipulated.
Defeat and Death
The Lady’s spell is only broken when Puddleglum, the Marsh-wiggle, resists her magic, stamping out the fire with his foot and declaring:
“Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things—trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones.”
This declaration of faith in something greater breaks the spell, and Rilian finally kills the Silver Chair, freeing himself from her control.
In a final act of desperation, the Lady transforms into a massive green serpent, revealing her true nature. She fights fiercely but is ultimately slain by Prince Rilian and the others, bringing an end to her reign over Underland.
Notable Quotes
The Lady’s dialogue is calm, persuasive, and eerie, making her one of the most manipulative villains in the series:
-
“There is no land called Narnia.”
(Attempting to erase the heroes’ memories.) -
“There never was any world but mine.”
(Using gaslighting to make them doubt reality.) -
“The Sun is but a lamp, a bigger and better sort of lamp, but after all, it is only a lamp.”
(Twisting logic to erase belief in the Overworld.)
These lines emphasize her ability to control minds, making her one of the most terrifying villains in Narnia.
Analysis & Symbolism
The Power of Deception
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is a master manipulator, embodying the danger of slow, subtle corruption. Unlike the White Witch, who dominates through fear, the Green Lady ensnares through persuasion, making her victims willing prisoners.
She represents the seductive nature of evil, how it can disguise itself as something beautiful and comforting before revealing its true nature.
Gaslighting and Psychological Manipulation
Her most terrifying weapon is not brute strength but mind control. She effectively gaslights the protagonists, making them question their own memories, faith, and experiences.
This aligns with Lewis’s theme of faith vs. doubt—that belief in something greater must often be maintained even when logic and fear suggest otherwise.
The Connection to the White Witch
Many readers speculate that the Lady of the Green Kirtle may be:
- A reincarnation of the White Witch.
- A different but related sorceress of similar origins.
Either way, she carries on the legacy of deceptive evil, making her one of the greatest threats Narnia has ever faced.
Legacy in Narnia
Though she is defeated in The Silver Chair, the Lady’s attempt to corrupt Narnia’s future king nearly succeeds.
- Her enslavement of Rilian nearly destroys Caspian’s bloodline.
- Her influence over Underland shows how easily people can be deceived.
- Her defeat marks the triumph of faith over illusion, reinforcing one of Narnia’s core themes.
The Lady of the Green Kirtle remains one of Narnia’s most chilling and intelligent villains, proving that evil does not always roar—it often whispers.
Be the first to comment