Giants

Giants are allies in Narnia’s war effort, appearing in the relief force that reaches Anvard and helps defeat Rabadash’s invading army. Their six-member contingent is visually imposing, but the account gives them a specific military role: they equip themselves for battle and advance on the enemy’s right as the allied forces converge on the besiegers.

Place in the Allied Army

Six Giants march at the rear of the Narnian army on its way to Anvard, among a force that also includes human soldiers, Talking Horses, centaurs, bears, dogs, and other allies. Their presence is initially startling to Shasta, who is not accustomed to seeing them; the narrator notes that some things take time to get used to. The Giants are nevertheless presented as allies, not enemies: the account explicitly observes that there are good giants in Narnia.

Equipment and Deployment

As the army prepares for battle, the Giants are assigned the right flank. Before taking their positions, they set down what they have been carrying on their backs and put on heavy, spiked boots that reach their knees. They then shoulder their clubs and march to their battle position. This sequence distinguishes their preparation from that of the other troops and makes their equipment part of the scene’s practical military arrangement: the army is forming its lines, with the Giants placed on one side and the archers, led by Queen Lucy, behind.

Role in the Battle of Anvard

When the Narnian relief force rides down toward the castle, Rabadash’s men turn from attacking the gate to face the approaching allies. The battle is later reported to the watchers by the Hermit, who describes the Giants closing in from the right while the Cats attack from the left and King Lune’s force presses the enemy from the rear. As the Calormenes are forced into a smaller group fighting back to back, the Giants help complete the pressure on their flank. The account places their advance within the combined effort that ends with the Calormenes defeated and the siege relieved.

Narrative Significance

The Giants’ role is practical and collective rather than individualized: the story identifies their number, equipment, and position, but does not name or distinguish any member of the contingent. Their arrival also broadens Shasta’s view of the force defending Anvard. What first appears unfamiliar becomes part of a coordinated allied army, in which different kinds of Narnian fighters occupy distinct places in the battle and contribute to the same victory.