The Role of the Zealot

The zealot serves as a beacon of idealism and an activist for a cause. From the perspective of the zealot, compromise, consideration of counterviews, even a moment of hesitancy is a sign of weakness or non-belief. Thus, Elijah can declare to Ahab the King of Israel without discussion and without negotiations (Kings 1 17:1): by the life of God that there will be no rain, but on my word.

However, the role of the zealot is a precarious one. The danger of being entrapped by the snare of hypocrisy is immense and the greater the zeal the more devastating any non idealistic demonstration. To live as a zealot is to live on the point of a very sharp sword for rare indeed is the man who can live up to his own ideals. A true zealot, however, can serve as an inspiration in the face of gloom, a beacon of light in the midst of darkness, and a reservoir of hope when all appears lost.

Hence the prominence of Elijah in Jewish lore. He was the greatest of zealots for he lived up to his own ideals. So much so, that when it appeared that he failed, that despite famine and miracles, he was unable to convince the Jews to repent from their evil ways, he asked God for death. While such a request is anathema to Jewish law and culture, Elijah’s particular situation is understandable. His goal was clear, his method uncompromising, and when faced with failure, he put the ideal, not himself, first, and judged himself just as harshly as he would have anyone else.

Reepicheep too displays this sort of zealotry. When Eustace first joins the expedition of the Dawn Treader, Reepicheep offers him no grace or mercy. Eustace’s understandable surprise at meeting a talking mouse and complete unpreparedness for being on a ship in a fantasyland makes no difference. Yet, despite the importance Reepicheep places in his own honor, Reepicheep puts the honor of Aslan and Narnia first. Hence, when Eustace is lost, he insists that the search must go on, for not doing so would compromise the

The properly placed zealotry of Elijah and Reepicheep is what makes them appropriate representatives to usher in the End of Days. Who was more condemning than Elijah? And thus, who is most unlikely to grant immunity? If Elijah, of all people, were to say the time for redemption there is no doubt it must be so. Similarly, if Reepicheep invited you into the Garden there is no doubt the invitation is deserved.

Reepicheep the Zealot

In our last post we demonstrated the parallels between Reepicheep’s entry into Aslan’s country, as portrayed in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, with the ascendance of Elijah the prophet in a whirlwind to Heaven. However, this final parallel serves only to emphasize that Lewis modeled Reepicheep (at least partly) after the great prophet. Along with valiance, it is Reepicheep’s similarity to Elijah that provides insight into his character and actions throughout the Chronicles of Narnia.

What trait characterizes Elijah? Elijah himself answers that question when he asserts (Kings 1 19:10), “I have acted zealously for the Lord.” Elijah the Zealot is unafraid of taking on the 200 prophets of Ba’al on Mount Carmel. Elijah the Zealot doesn’t blink when threatened with arrest and imprisonment (or worse) by a phalanx of 50 soldiers, and it is Elijah the Zealot who can be, as it were, more zealous than God, appropriating for himself the power to withhold rain from the Kingdom of Israel (Kings 1 17:1).

Is Reepicheep a zealot? Merriam-Webster defines ‘zealous’ as, “fervent partisanship for a person, a cause, or an ideal,” and a ‘zealot’ as a “zealous person, especially a fanatical partisan.” While no form of the word zeal appears anywhere in the Chronicles, the description seems appropriate for Reepicheep. Reepicheep is a fanatical partisan for Narnia, the country of Aslan. Our first glimpses already demonstrate this zeal loyalty to his king and his people. He is immediately at Caspian’s disposal, and, by suggesting storming Miraz’s castle as soon as possible, demonstrates his zeal of reviving Old Narnia. At the Battle of Beruna he and his mice storm into the heart of the battle. Reepicheep’s need to crush pirates, defeat dragons, battle unknown mermen, experience adventure, and achieve glory come not only from bravery or even valiance. Rather, because is a Narnian zealot.

How dare Terebinthian pirates attack the ship of the King of Narnia, such is a blasphemous act! A merman offers a challenge, how could the representative of Aslan turn away, it would suggest Aslan is weak! A taunt of a Telmarine dares to question Aslan’s assertion, Reepicheep will march his mice into another world to stand for the truth. Turn away from a Dark Island? Not explore all that could be explored? That would brand Narnia, and Aslan, as fearful and scared.

Zealots however, sometimes receive undue criticism for lack of mercy and an inability to connect with the common man. Perhaps there is truth to that, but both Elijah and Reepicheep show mercy and understanding to those in need. 

More in our next post.

Reepicheep and Elijah

I’ve often wondered whether the characters in the Chronicles are modeled after biblical personalities. Of course, they might be modeled after Christian New Testament characters of whom I know little about. So, reformulating, are Narnian characters modeled after any biblical characters found in the Jewish bible. Can we identify King Caspian the 10th with King David, who started the Judean dynasty? Or maybe with King Josiah, who found a book of the law after apparent loss of the essence of Judaism for so many years?

Usually I find the answer to be no. There are too many fundamental differences to really compare Peter, or even a repentant like Eustace, to anyone specific. Perhaps with one exception: Reepicheep. To me Lewis based Reepicheep after none other than Elijah the Prophet, both in terms or his role in Narnia proper, and his role in death and the afterlife. For now let’s start with the latter.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader tells how Reepicheep achieves his ultimate, destined goal: to reach the Utter East. He does this by sailing in the Dawn Treader as far east as she can go. When she can go no further he goes into the boat with Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace. When that too runs aground, he sails in his coracle high over a standing wave separating the Narnian world and Aslan’s country, with only his three final companions watching, From that point on, no one again sees Reepicheep.

Let’s compare this to the death of Elijah (Kings 2 2). Elijah, accompanied by his faithful student Elisha, starts his journey in Gilgal (likely near Nablus) and travels down to Bethel. From there he travels east to Jericho, and then further east to the Jordan river. At each stop apprentice prophets alert Elisha that his master will be taken away from him. Elisha acknowledges this and continues to accompany Elijah. At the Jordan the apprentice prophets stand afar while Elijah splits the Jordan allowing himself and Elisha to pass through. On the eastern bank of the Jordan they continue to walk until reaching a chariot and horses of fire. Elijah enters the chariot and goes up to the heavens in a great storm.

Note the parallels: (1) Elijah (who retraces the steps of Joshua’s conquest of what was then the land of Canaan) and Reepicheep continuously travel east. (2) While there are those who accompany Elijah and Elisha, they run aground at the Jordan River leaving on Elisha to see Elijah’s ascension to heaven. (3) Elijah and Reepicheep both travel upwards in a vehicle traversing the separation between the human inhabited world and some sort of Godly abode. (4) Neither Reepicheep nor Elijah (at least not in the bible) are seen again though it is never stated that either of them die.

The next time we do see Reepicheep is in the “Last Battle” after the end of time. For it is Reepicheep who welcomes those who have recently died into the walled garden. So to Elijah is the one who will announce the coming of the Messiah who will transform the world into one of peace and prosperity for all of its inhabitants.

Why does Lewis parallel Reepicheep’s death and ‘life after death’ on the prophet Elijah? No doubt because of their respective actions and roles during their lifetimes. We’ll explore that more closely in our next post.