The character of the Head of State in 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' serves as a symbol of power and authority in the magical land of Narnia. The Head of State, in this case, is the White Witch, who rules over Narnia with an iron fist. Throughout the book, the White Witch is portrayed as a cruel and oppressive ruler, who uses fear and manipulation to maintain her control over the creatures of Narnia. She is seen as the ultimate authority figure, with the power to enforce her will through magic and intimidation. The main idea behind the inclusion of the Head of State character is to explore the themes of power and tyranny. The White Witch represents the corrupting influence of power and the dangers of unchecked authority.
“But, Father, couldn’t you make whichever you like to be the next King?”
It would be nice to end the story by saying that after that the two brothers never disagreed about anything again, but I am afraid it would not be true. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is about the question of whether the Queen is the rightful ruler of Narnia or a usurper; much of the action of the book is political intrigue at the wake of her overthrow and the securing of the Pevensie children as rightful rulers.
The White Witch represents the corrupting influence of power and the dangers of unchecked authority. The characters in the story, particularly the Pevensie children, must challenge and ultimately overthrow the Head of State in order to bring freedom and justice back to Narnia. The Head of State also serves as a contrast to the true ruler of Narnia, Aslan the Lion.
Pittsburgh's Prime Stage heads to Narnia with 'Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe'
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Rehearsals for Prime Stage Theatre’s production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” are about to enter what stage manager Britt Kolek said is the best but also the most difficult phase.
“We’re starting the really heavily technical rehearsals,” said Kolek, 24, of Freeport, who has been working at Prime Stage for a year and a half and will be managing her third show with the company. “We have amazing designers who’ve put everything together, and now we get to put it all into the theater space.”
C.S. Lewis’ story of the four Pevensie children and their trip through a wardrobe into the magical world of talking animals and evil witches has captured the imagination of millions and was made into a film trilogy in the mid-2000s.
For Penn Township native Caitlin Young, being enveloped by the fantastical is nothing new: she spent the past seven years working at Walt Disney World in Florida after graduating from Duquesne University in 2015.
“When you work there, you can audition for the choir in their annual Christmas show, and I got to do that for two years,” Young said. “I got to sing with some really cool people like Neil Patrick Harris and Whoopi Goldberg.”
In “Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe,” Young will have an acting challenge she hasn’t faced before — playing the anthropomorphized animal Mrs. Beaver.
“I had to really think about the physicality of it, and the way that a beaver would behave compared to a human,” she said. “For me, it’s been figuring out things like: how would she walk? How would she react to things?”
Eight of the 14 actors in the show are transformed by makeup and costumes into Narnia’s inhabitants. Kolek said putting those pieces together with the lighting, the sets and the rest of the production makes the run-up to opening night a big challenge.
“That’s the hardest part, but it’s also the most rewarding,” she said. “You’ve seen all of these things in models, digital renderings, but now we get to see it all onstage. Actors can find that final piece of their character because they’re now in this world.”
That’s the case for Young, she said.
“I’m definitely one of those people where it feels real once you have the costumes, props and set pieces,” she said. “I’m a big fan of technical theater, and we have an amazing team working on this show. The stuff they’re putting together really makes me believe it more as an actor, and that belief really helps.”
The show will be directed by Prime Stage co-founder and producing artistic director Wayne Brinda. It opens Saturday, and opening night will also include a post-show Q&A discussion with David von Schlichten, dean at Seton Hill University’s School of Humanities.
The show will be at 8 p.m. March 4, 10 and 11, with 2:30 p.m. matinee performances March 5, 11, and 12. March 11 will be a sensory-inclusive performance, and March 12 will include an American Sign Language interpreter and audio description. The show will take place at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
Tickets are $8-$50 and are available at NewHazlettTheater.org/events. For more, see PrimeStage.com.
That brief summary does justice to each of the stories while highlighting the political realities in the books. Narnia is about what it means to lead well and what it means to follow well. While you will not find much of today’s right-left tension in Narnia—the social problems in fairyland and Arthurian romance are not exactly the same as ours—you will find throughout Narnia a calling to the centre of what it meant to be an ethical political leader.
Aslan represents a benevolent and wise leader, who governs with love and compassion. His arrival and subsequent defeat of the White Witch symbolize the restoration of rightful authority and the triumph of good over evil. In conclusion, the character of the Head of State in 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' serves as a representation of power and tyranny. The White Witch, as the ultimate authority figure, exemplifies the dangers of unchecked power, while also setting the stage for the eventual overthrow and restoration of a just ruler..
Reviews for "The Head of State and the Formation of Alliances in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"
1. John - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "Head of state in The Lion Witch Wardrobe". I felt like the storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and it was difficult to connect with any of them. I also found the pacing to be incredibly slow, making it hard to stay engaged. Overall, I didn't enjoy this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1/5
"Head of state in The Lion Witch Wardrobe" was a complete letdown. The writing was subpar, riddled with grammatical errors and awkward sentences. The plot was convoluted and didn't make much sense. I found myself struggling to finish the book because it was so uninteresting. The characters were forgettable and lacked development. I wouldn't waste my time reading this book again.
3. David - 2/5
I had high hopes for "Head of state in The Lion Witch Wardrobe" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The writing style was uninspiring and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The plot meandered and never seemed to come to a satisfying conclusion. The world-building was lacking, leaving me with more questions than answers. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and wouldn't recommend it to others.