-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [NABOKV-L] Narnia and Hamadryads in the movies
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2014 10:16:52 -0300
From: Jansy Mello <jansy.nabokv-L@AETERN.US>
Reply-To: <jansy.nabokv-L@AETERN.US>
To: 'Vladimir Nabokov Forum' <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>

 
Dryads (also referred to as "Wood Nymphs", "Wood Gods", "Wood Goddesses",
"Hamadryads", "Tree People", and "Silvans") were spirits of Narnian trees.
They were able to assume physical bodies similar to human form, and the same
size as normal humans, and they could go in and out of their trees like
blossom petals. Male Dryads lived in Oak, Elm, Holly, and Rowan trees, while
female dryads lived in Beech, Silver Birch, Larch, and Willow trees.
Each individual dryad was spiritually tied to one tree and if that tree was
cut down or destroyed, the dryad tied to it would fall down, die, and
disappear. In the The Magician's Nephew: Dryads were mentioned coming out of
the trees, along with fauns, satyrs, and dwarfs. Aslan summoned the dryad of
an oak tree to be a member of the council. In The Lion, the Witch, and the
Wardrobe, Dryads were mentioned by Mr. Tumnus as one of the participants in
the Bacchanalian festivals in Narnia before the usurpation of the White
Witch. Tumnus also mentioned that some Dryads were on the Witch's side and
posed as spies while in their tree forms. Dryads were seen amongst the
members of Aslan's camp and served as harpists along with Naiads. Both were
later seen running away in fear when the wolf Maugrim came into the camp in
attempt to kill the Pevensies. Dryads were also amongst the stone prisoners
of the White Witch in her castle and were freed by Aslan. In Prince Caspian,
when Narnia was invaded by the Telmarines, they began to cut down trees,
resulting in the dryads falling asleep within their trees for centuries.Lucy
Pevensie saw them waking and dancing sleepily, shifting back and forth from
treeish to human-like form; this happened because Aslan was nearby in the
clearing. Some time later they were fully awakened by Aslan and dance about
him, Lucy, and Susan Pevensie, paying adoration to Aslan by crying out his
name...The next day they set off to Aslan's How, and during the battle that
ensued, they swooped in on the Telmarines, using the branches and roots of
their trees to swing them around, strangle them, and destroy their weapons.
During the celebration of the Old Narnians victory, different types of soils
were dug up for them to eat. Some Holly dryads were mentioned drinking wine,
and they became very chatty. In The Silver Chair a dryad maiden with
willowy-looking hair was mentioned looking after Jill during her stay at
Cair Paravel. After Jill, Eustace, Puddleglum and Rilianescaped the
Underland, dryads were seen performing the Snow Dance with fauns, dwarfs and
other woodland animals. In The Last Battle, a beech dryad left her tree and
warned King Tirian of how the trees in Lantern Waste were being felled by
Calormene, and the dryads were being slain. She then fell down, died, and
vanished into thin air because her tree had been chopped down.
http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Dryad

Dryad: Tree Nymphs are capable of leaving their trees and assuming a
physical body almost identical to human form. If a tree is cut down, the
Dryads will die and enter Aslan's Country.
Hamadryad: Wood spirits were similar to Dryads, but use their own trees to
assume a body resmbling a human form, Lewis describes a birch hamadryad as
having "a soft, showery voice and would look like a slender girl, with hair
blown all about her face, and fond of dancing" and an oak hamadryad as
looking like "a wizened, but hearty old man with a frizzled beard and warts
on his face and hands, and hair growing out of the warts". A whole swarm of
hamadryads dance sleepily around Lucy and Aslan when they are reunited in
Prince Caspian.
http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Spirit

After the world of Narnia was made, the Hamadryads came out of the trees
where they gather around their creator. Aslan gave in the speech to the
hamadryads, that travelers will be guided if they get lost, and hamadryads
will assist them. The hamadryads returned to their trees, from every land in
the world. Hamadryads appear to be beautiful women with delicate features
seemingly made of soft wood. Their hair appears to be made of leaves and
foliage that changes color as the seasons change. During the spring and
summer months, the hair of a dryad is lush and green, while during autumn it
turns red and eventually brown in the winter.

Hamadryads prefer to live away from civilization, delighting in the savage
wilderness away from those that would seek to cut their trees. They live
with respect to nature and will accept the company of those that do so as
well. Not like Dryads, all Hamadryads are born and bonded to a specific
tree. These trees serve as the nymph's life force and home. However, if the
tree dies (either been burnt or cut down), the hamadryad associated with it
will die as well. Hamadryads are also allowed to leave the vicinity of their
trees, and can move far away at any place. They have an excellent sense of
direction, and are able to return to their rightful trees.
http://confanon.wikia.com/wiki/Hamadryad



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