Grande figure de Narnia
Reepicheep
The noble mouse, about thirty centimeters tall, with a sword at his side and a scarlet feather, who dreams of sailing to the land of Aslan.
Repères
- Espèce
- Speaking Mouse
- Nom original
- Reepicheep
- Autre traduction
- Reepicheep
- Autres noms
- Chief of the Narnians · Knight of Narnia
- Titres
- Grand Mouse · Knight of the Order of the Lion
- Origine
- Home
- Nationalité
- Narnia
- Allégeance
- Aslan, Caspian
- Famille
- Peepsic / Peepsic (his lieutenant, then successor)
- Première apparition
- Chapter 6
- Âge
- In brief
En bref
« As long as I can, I will sail east on the *Dawn Treader*. »
While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader.
— Ripichip, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, ch. 16
Personality
Courageous to the point of recklessness, touchy, chivalrous, generous, Reepicheep possesses all the qualities of a knight, even those that verge on the ridiculous. His true essence is a burning desire : to go to Aslan, no matter what.
Look and analysis
Reepicheep embodies Sehnsucht, the German word Lewis used to describe a longing for “something other” that nothing in this world can satisfy. His departure to the world’s end is one of the most beautiful moments in the Chronicles. Lewis manages to make noble and touching a character he first made comic.
Relations
- Peter : his brother, who is always kind to him.
- Susan : his sister, who is always kind to him.
- Edmund : his brother, who is always kind to him.
- Lucy : his sister, who is always kind to him.
- Caspian : his king, whom he serves with a knight’s panache.
- Shift : the ape who tricks him into wearing a lion costume.
- Puzzle : the donkey who is fooled by Shift.
- Eustace : first his tormentor (he swings him by the tail), then his friend when he is a dragon.
- Aslan : who restores his tail out of love for his people.
- Pripicik : his lieutenant, to whom he entrusts the mice before his departure.
Name and translations
Reepicheep in English, “Reepicheep” in French translations. The name imitates a tiny squeak.
Notable quotes (paraphrased)
- A dryad sang to him at his birth that he would find at the world’s end all that he seeks.
- He declares that if the ship cannot go farther, he will swim, then walk on the water in his coracle, and that he will die facing the rising sun.
Symbolism
Reepicheep embodies the burning desire for the “world of Aslan,” the Sehnsucht so dear to Lewis. The tiny knight has the greatest courage.
Dans les livres
Son histoire dans les livres (révèle l’intrigue)
En brief
Reepicheep is a talking mouse, larger than an ordinary mouse : just over a foot, or about thirty centimeters, when he stands on his hind legs. He carries a slender rapier, a scarlet feather held by a gold band, and has the manners of a chivalrous knight. Chief of the Narnian mice, he has an exaggerated sense of honor, gets offended easily, and fears no danger. He is often laughed at, but always ends up being admired.
The story
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Reepicheep and his mice join the Pevensie children with enthusiasm. They become part of the royal court at Cair Paravel.
Prince Caspian
Reepicheep and his mice enthusiastically join Caspian. In the final battle, he is gravely wounded and loses his tail. Lucy’s cordial heals him, but his tail does not regrow. He then makes his case before Aslan with comic dignity : a tail is the honor of a mouse. His companions prepare to cut off their own tails in solidarity, and Aslan, moved more by their love than by Reepicheep’s pride, restores his tail.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Reepicheep is aboard the Dawn Treader, and it is here that he becomes unforgettable. A dryad’s prophecy, heard at his birth, promised that he would find at the world’s end all that he seeks. He challenges Eustace to a duel, then becomes the only one to comfort him when he is turned into a dragon. He urges the crew to sail to the Dark Island. Upon reaching the world’s end, he leaves the ship, paddles alone in his little coracle, and disappears beyond the last wave, into the world of Aslan. Before departing, he casts his sword into the sea.
Lieux liés
- Sur la carte
Objets liés
Peuples liés
Galerie
Ripitchip debout, rapière dégainée 
Ripitchip et ses souris saluent Caspian 
Ripitchip combat dans la mêlée 
Ripitchip blessé, porté sur une civière 
Ripitchip plaide devant le Lion 
Ripitchip provoque un garçon pâle sur le pont 
Ripitchip console un dragon la nuit 
Ripitchip affronte un serpent de mer 
Ripitchip boit l'eau douce de la mer d'argent 
Ripitchip pagaie seul dans son petit coracle 
Ripitchip lance sa rapière dans la mer 
Ripitchip accueille les amis au seuil d'un jardin 
Ripitchip assis sur l'épaule de Lucy au crépuscule 
La souris dans la neige, plume rouge vive
Dans le même groupe
Archives de l’ancien site
Reepicheep
Ripitchip is a talking mouse from the world of Narnia who fought bravely in the Great Battle of Beruna and later sailed with Prince Caspian to the ends of the world. Ripitchip is quite large for a mouse (when standing on his hind legs). With a cheerful character and a sword at his side, Ripitchip is afraid of nothing and no one ! Caspian gave him the title of Knight of the Order of the Lion.
Presentation in the book
*"He had ears that were almost as long (though thicker) as a rabbit’s. He was a mouse called Reepicheep ; and he was going to fight like a mouse in the battle." (Prince Caspian, p. 86)*
Appearances in the books
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
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