Aravis: Difference between revisions

{{about|for-multi|the mountain range in France|Aravis Range|the military vehicle|Nexter Aravis}}

{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2017}}

| family = [[List of characters in The Chronicles of Narnia#K|Kidrash Tarkaan]] (father)<br>Two brothers, unnamed<br>Rishti Tarkaan (grandfather)<br>Kidrash Tarkan (great-grandfather)<br>Illsombreh Tisroc (great-great-grandfather)<br>Ardeeb Tisroc (great-great-great-grandfather)<br>[[Tash (Narnia)|Tash]] (claimed ancestor)<br>[[List of characters in The Chronicles of Narnia#L|King Lune]] (father-in-law)<br>[[List of characters in The Chronicles of Narnia#C|Corin]] (brother-in-law)

'''Aravis''' is a [[fictional character]] in the 1954 novel ''[[The Horse and His Boy]]'' by C. S. Lewis.

Aravis is a young [[Tarkheena]], a female member of the ruling nobility of [[Calormen]]. With her horse, [[Hwin]], who is eventually revealed to be a talking beast from the land of [[Narnia (country)|Narnia]], she flees from her home, in order to escape an arranged marriage with Ahoshta Tarkaan. Aravis is a strong character whose confidence, bravery, and loyalty are offset by arrogance and self-centeredness. She is also said to be an amazing [[storytelling|storyteller]], which is partly the result of her upbringing: the art of telling stories forms part of the education of the nobility. On their journey north to freedom in Narnia, they fall into company with the talking stallion, [[Bree (Narnia)|Bree]], and the boy [[Shasta (Narnia)|Shasta]]. Aravis overhears a plot by the Calormenes to invade [[Archenland]] and Narnia, and with this [[Intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]], the four companions are able tocan warn the Archenlanders in time to thwart the invasion. In the process of their adventures, through a series of "lessons" and encounters, Aravis's character is transformed, and she acquires humility and sensitivity. Her companion, Shasta, is discovered to be the lost heir to the kingdom of Archenland, and, upon reaching adulthood, he and Aravis marry, and rule as king and queen. They are the parents of [[List of characters in The Chronicles of Narnia#R|Ram the Great]], the "most famous of all the kings of Archenland".

In ''[[The Horse and His Boy]]'', C. S. Lewis describes Aravis as "the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Illsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc, who was descended in a right line from the god Tash."

Aravis has spent her youth in the heart of Calormen, presumably in Calavar, the province over which her father is lordLord. Her mother died of unknown causes, and her older brother, to whom she was devoted, was killed fighting rebels in "the western wars"." Her father has recently married an unkind woman, who makes no attempt to disguise her dislike for her stepdaughter. Aravis also has a younger brother who is "but a child". Her already difficult home life is rendered impossible when her father announces her engagement to [[Ahoshta]] [[Tarkaan]], a wealthy and powerful but loathsome courtier whom she despises. In response, she decides to commit [[suicide]]. However, her mare, [[Hwin]], reveals herself as a Talkingtalking Horsehorse from [[Narnia (country)|Narnia]] and persuades her to flee to Narnia instead.

As they near the border of Archenland, they are chased by a [[lion]] who slashes Aravis' back. Her wounds force her to remain with the [[Hermit]] of the Southern March while Shasta goes alone to complete the mission. She watches the battle through the Hermit's magic pool, appalled at the danger that Shasta faces. While in the Hermit'shermits home, Aravis encounters Aslan, an event that changes her, as Aravis also learnedlearns that Aslan was the lion who slashed her in the back in retribution for the punishment administered to her slave-maid (whom Aravis dosed with a sleeping draught in order to escape).

Shasta is recognized as Cor, the eldest son of [[King Lune]] of Archenland, and Aravis comes to live at the castle of Anvard with the royal family. Many years later, Cor and Aravis marry, and she becomes queenQueen of Archenland and mother of Ram the Great.

The character Aravis, last appears in the book ''[[The Last Battle]],'' attending the Great Reunion in Aslan's Country along with her husband, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and son.

Several writers, including [[Philip Pullman]],<ref name="Ezard">{{cite news|last1=Ezard|first1=John|title=Narnia books attacked as racist and sexist|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/03/gender.hayfestival2002|access-date=26 March 2015|publisherwork=The Guardian|date=3 June 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208163207/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/03/gender.hayfestival2002|archive-date=8 February 2015}}</ref><ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4347226.stm Pullman attacks Narnia film plans]" ''[[BBC News]]'', 16 October 2005</ref> [[Kyrie O'Connor]],<ref name="OConnor">Kyrie O'Connor, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20051214153306/http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20051201%2FLIVING%2F512010303%2F1007 5th Narnia book may not see big screen]" IndyStar.com, 1 December 2005</ref> and [[Gregg Easterbrook]],<ref>October 2001 of The Atlantic</ref> consider the use of Calormene characters as villains to be evidence of [[racism]]. Aravis is often presented as a counterexample to this (along with [[Emeth]], who is accepted in Aslan's country for good deeds worthy of Aslan), since she is sympathetically portrayed as a largely virtuous Calormene heroine.