Jadis

Jadis is the proper name of the White Witch, the primary antagonist in C. S. Lewis's series The Chronicles of Narnia, first appearing in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). The origin of the name is debated: Lewis may have derived it from the French word jadis, meaning "long ago" or "of old," or from the Persian jādū (جادو), meaning "magic" or "witch." Both possibilities suit a character associated with ancient evil and sorcery.

Character History

According to Lewis's backstory, Jadis was born long before the creation of Narnia. She appears in The Magician's Nephew (1955) as the empress of a dying world called Charn, where she unleashed a curse that destroyed all life except herself. She is later transported to the newly created Narnia, where she eats a magical apple that grants her immortality and cruel strength. Over centuries, she establishes herself as the self-styled Queen of Narnia, plunging the land into a hundred-year winter without Christmas.

Cultural Significance

Jadis is a archetypal figure of snowy tyranny and enchantment. Some literary critics have interpreted her as a representation of original sin or Satanic temptation, but Lewis himself denied any one-to-one allegory. Scholars such as Peter Schakel have noted that later edition notes wrongly conflate Jadis with the Queen of Underland from The Silver Chair. Despite this, Jadis remains one of the most memorable villains in fantasy literature.

• Meaning: "long ago" (French) or "magic/witch" (Persian)
• Origin: Invented by C. S. Lewis for The Chronicles of Narnia
• Type: Fictional character name
• Usage: Literature