Narnia Meets Middle-Earth: The Friendship Of Lewis And Tolkien

Contact Your Elected Officials
desiringGod

ABSTRACT:ย C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were united through a common university (Oxford), a common writersโ€™ group (the Inklings), and many common interests (mythology, philology, and theology). From the late 1920s on, their many similarities forged a friendship that would deeply influence both men and, through their writings, millions more. Without Lewis, Tolkien would never have finishedย Lord of the Rings; without Tolkien, Lewis may never have become a Christian and written Chronicles of Narnia. Their honest, faithful, realistic affection for each other tells the story of one of the worldโ€™s great literary friendships.

On December 3, 1929, C.S. Lewis began a letter to Arthur Greeves, his boyhood friend from Belfast. Having just turned 31 and in his fourth year as an Oxford don, Lewis described how he had gotten โ€œinto a whirlโ€ as he always did near the end of the term.

โ€œI was up till 2:30 on Monday,โ€ Lewis wrote, โ€œtalking to the Anglo Saxon professor Tolkien who came with me to College from a society and sat discoursing of the gods and giants and Asgard for three hours, then departing in the wind and rain. . . . The fire was bright and the talk good.โ€1

This was Lewis pre-conversion and Tolkien beforeย The Hobbit, two men virtually unknown outside their small circle at Oxford. Years later inย The Four Loves, Lewis would note how great friendships can often be traced to the moment two people discover they have a common interest few others share โ€” when each thinks, โ€œYou too? I thought I was the only one.โ€2ย For Lewis and Tolkien, it was a shared interest in old stories.

Beginning of a Friendship

The two had met for the first time three and a half years earlier at an English faculty meeting. Not long afterward, Tolkien invited Lewis to join the Kolbitar, a group that met to read Icelandic sagas together. But Lewisโ€™s suggestion that Tolkien come back to his rooms at Magdalen on that blustery December night marked a pivotal step in their friendship.

During their late-night discussion, Tolkien came to see that Lewis was one of those rare people who just might like the strange tales he had been working on since coming home from the war, stories he previously considered just a private hobby. And so, summoning up his courage, he lent Lewis a long, unfinished piece called โ€œThe Gest of Beren and Luthien.โ€

Several days later, Tolkien received a note with his friendโ€™s reaction. โ€œIt is ages since I have had an evening of such delight,โ€ Lewis reported.3 Besides its mythic value, Lewis praised the sense of reality he found in the work, a quality that would be typical of Tolkienโ€™s writing.

At the end of Lewisโ€™s note, he promised that detailed criticisms would follow, and they did โ€” fourteen pages where Lewis praised a number of specific elements and pointed out what he saw as problems with others. Tolkien took heed of Lewisโ€™s criticisms, but in a unique way. While accepting few specific suggestions, Tolkien rewrote almost every passage Lewis had problems with. Lewis would later say about Tolkien, โ€œHe has only two reactions to criticism: either he begins the whole work over again from the beginning or else takes no notice at all.โ€4

And so began one of the worldโ€™s great literary friendships.

By Devin Brow

Read Full Article on DesiringGod.org

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Remember Epsteinโ€™s โ€œLittle Black Booksโ€?

Image of Bill Clinton getting a massage from Jeffrey...

On the Major Leagueโ€™s periphery: A major trip through the minors

For Nick Dunn, the trek through the minors is a trifecta of physical, mental, and organizational hurdles filled with politics, roster volatility, and injuries.

Private Citizens are Now Looking into Epstein Client List

Most Americans have never felt so betrayed and confused by a president and his admin as they are by the Trump admin over the Epstein client list issue.

Peace In Ukraine Wonโ€™t End The Westโ€™s Hybrid War On Russia

The Westโ€™s Hybrid War on Russia to follow peace in Ukraine is inevitable due to neoconservatives and liberal-globalists in its decision-making ecosystem.

Epstein Case Closed?

The DOJ and FBI announced on Sunday evening of the July 4th holiday weekend that Jeffry Epstein had no client list and didnโ€™t kill himself in prison.

Federal Judge Blocks Trumpโ€™s Birthright Citizenship Order After Supreme Court Ruling

Judge barred Trump admin from enforcing EO limiting birthright citizenship, after Supreme Court restricted judges from issuing nationwide injunctions.

California Might Stop Making Necessary Debt Payments for 2 Years

California State Legislature met the budget submission deadline and it was signed by the governor, but they still need to cut $12 billion in spending.

MP Materials Secures Rare Earths Deal With DOD, Shares Surge 50 Percent

MP Materials Corp. announced a public-private partnership with the DOD to build out rare earth magnet supply chain and reduce dependency on China.

Ex-CIA Director Brennan Says DOJ Hasnโ€™t Contacted Him About an Investigation

Former CIA Dir Brennan said he hasn't been contacted by DOJ, FBI, or CIA following reports he and former FBI Dir. Comey are under investigation.

RFK Jr. Bans Illegal Immigrants From Government-Funded Programs

HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is rescinding a 1998 interpretation of a law that allowed illegal immigrants to access certain government-funded programs.

Rubio Set to Visit Malaysia for ASEAN Meetings Amid Tariff Tensions

A delegation including U.S. Sec. of State Marco Rubio will travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for series of high-profile meetings between July 11 and 12.

US Will Collect More Than $300 Billion in Tariff Revenues This Year, Treasury Secretary Says

U.S. is on track to potentially raise โ€œwell over $300 billionโ€ in tariff income by end of the year, Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent said during WH Cabinet meeting.

Senate Panel Advances Trumpโ€™s CDC Director Nominee

A Senate committee on July 9 voted to advance the nomination of Susan Monarez to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
spot_img

Related Articles