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- Lewis (8)
- Tolkien (4)
- Anderson (3)
- C.S.—Characters—Andrew Ketterley; Lewis (2)
- Mythopoeic Society—History and personal reminiscences (2)
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- Adolf; Lewis (1)
- Affirmation of images; Lewis (1)
- Allegory; Lewis (1)
- Anima in George MacDonald; Jungian analysis of George MacDonald; MacDonald (1)
- Anima in fantasy; Jungian analysis of fantasy; Lewis (1)
- Animals—Jungian interpretation; Animals—Symbolism; Animals in C.S. Lewis; Lewis (1)
- Appolonius of Tyana; Byron (1)
- Arthurian myth in C.S. Lewis; Grail (legend) in the Chronicles of Narnia; Lewis (1)
- Baron—Characters—Manfred; Hitler (1)
- Baum (1)
- C.S. Chronicles of Narnia; Seven deadly sins in the Chronicles of Narnia (1)
- C.S. Chronicles of Narnia; Tolkien (1)
- C.S. Prince Caspian; Lewis (1)
- C.S. Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet (1)
- C.S. Space Trilogy—Joy in (1)
- C.S. That Hideous Strength (1)
- C.S. That Hideous Strength—Sources (1)
- C.S. The Great Divorce—Editions; Lewis (1)
- C.S. The Great Divorce—Influence of The Divine Comedy; Lewis (1)
- C.S. The Great Divorce—Moral and religious aspects (1)
- C.S. The Great Divorce—Sources; Medieval dream vision—Relation to The Great Divorce; Tolkien (1)
- C.S. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1)
- C.S. —Characters—Hnau; Lewis (1)
- C.S.— Biography; Lewis (1)
- C.S.—Attitude toward death (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 46
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Utter East, Eugene Warren
A Short Bibliography Of Narnia Criticism, Mythopoeic Society Staff
A Short Bibliography Of Narnia Criticism, Mythopoeic Society Staff
Mythcon Proceedings
No abstract provided.
Narnia As Myth, Peter Kreeft
Narnia As Myth, Peter Kreeft
Mythcon Proceedings
Considers various definitions of myth and shows how literary myths deliberately created by an individual differ from myths that develop organically within a society. Concludes the truth within myth is what is important. Includes an extensive quotation from The Last Battle.
A Comparison Of The Calormenes With The Arabs, Turks, And Ancient Babylonians, David Ralph
A Comparison Of The Calormenes With The Arabs, Turks, And Ancient Babylonians, David Ralph
Mythcon Proceedings
Notes some of the parallels between Lewis’s Calormenes and traditional Arabian society and government, Babylonian religion, Turkish military dress and tactics, and general Middle Eastern geography and architecture.
Lord Of The Beasts: Animal Archetypes In C.S. Lewis, Nancy-Lou Patterson
Lord Of The Beasts: Animal Archetypes In C.S. Lewis, Nancy-Lou Patterson
Mythcon Proceedings
Explores Lewis’s use of talking animals in the Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy (and even his childhood writings about “clothed animals”). Traces the use of animals in religious and spiritual imagery from prehistoric times through pagan religions and fairy tales and discusses critical theories of Jung, Eliade, and other writers. Finds a parallel between a passage from Carlos Casteneda’s Teachings of Don Juan and Aslan’s post-resurrection romp with Lucy and Susan.
Narnia And The Seven Deadly Sins, David Hulan
Narnia And The Seven Deadly Sins, David Hulan
Mythcon Proceedings
Theorizes that each book in the Chronicles is centrally concerned with one of the medieval Seven Deadly Sins; that in each book, a character commits one of these sins, and generally no other sins are foregrounded in that volume. The author’s theory equates LWW with gluttony, PC with Envy, VDT with Avarice, SC with Sloth, HHB with Lechery, MN with Pride, and LB with Anger. The author feels this was not planned as a major structural theme but was mainl y coincidental.
Lilith In Narnia, Glen Goodknight
Lilith In Narnia, Glen Goodknight
Mythcon Proceedings
After examining the history of the figure of Lilith in Judeo-Christian myth, Jungian psychology, and Western literature, this paper discusses the three major Lilith-characters in the Narnia series—the White Witch, the Lady of the Green Kirtle, and Jadis, Queen of Charn.
‘Which Way I Flie Is Hell', Gracia Fay Ellwood
‘Which Way I Flie Is Hell', Gracia Fay Ellwood
Mythcon Proceedings
Taking as its starting point Milton’s portrait of a Satan who creates deeper and deeper hells within himself as he continually rejects heaven, Ellwood demonstrates how a number of characters in the Chronicles of Narnia similarly deceive themselves and become—literally, in the case of some—blind and deaf to reality and the chance of salvation. Among them are Edmund, Eustace, Uncle Andrew, and the Dwarves in the Stable in The Last Battle.
Arthurian Themes In The Narnia Books, Bruce Mcmenomy
Arthurian Themes In The Narnia Books, Bruce Mcmenomy
Mythcon Proceedings
Locates parallels to the broad outlines of Arthurian myth in the character of Prince Caspian, in his conflicted path to his rightful throne, his advisor Cornelius, and his rejuvenation in Aslan’s country. Also considers Reepicheep’s quest for Aslan’ s country as a parallel to the Grail quest.
What Is Narnia?, Laura A. Ruskin
What Is Narnia?, Laura A. Ruskin
Mythcon Proceedings
ompares the geography of Middle-earth, Narnia, and Oz, their inhabitants’ contrasting isolationist or exploratory attitudes, and the accessibility of these worlds to outsiders. Concludes by listing several factors that make Narnia unique among fantasy worlds, including the passage of time, the importance of humans from our own world in its history and prophecy, and the centrality of Aslan in all his implications.
An Introduction To Middle Earth And Narnia, Doris Robin
An Introduction To Middle Earth And Narnia, Doris Robin
Mythcon Proceedings
Brief introduction to The Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia, comparing the level of detail in both created worlds, the authors’ main themes, and their styles.
An Introductory Paper On Dorothy Sayers, Christe Ann Whitaker
An Introductory Paper On Dorothy Sayers, Christe Ann Whitaker
Mythcon Proceedings
Considers Sayers as the Inkling-related author who best articulates the theme of man as sub-creator. Finds this theme manifest in the Lord Peter Wimsey novels—the criminal plotting the crime and the detective re-creating it are both practicing sub-creativity—as well as more explicitly in her religious plays. Also discusses the themes of academic and intellectual honesty essential to the novel Gaudy Night.
The Broken Sword Reforged, Joe R. Christopher
The Broken Sword Reforged, Joe R. Christopher
Mythcon Proceedings
Analyzes changes made in the second edition of The Broken Sword, published in 1971, from the original 1954 edition. Comparisons of a number of passages show Anderson maturing in his technical ability as a writer and his psychological understanding of his characters, though Christopher regrets the occasional loss of a certain “lyric intensity” and hints of the “dark backward and abysm of time” found in the original.
Living With Fantasy & Illusion: Some Thoughts Inspired By Poul Anderson's The Queen Of Air And Darkness, Dale Ziegler
Living With Fantasy & Illusion: Some Thoughts Inspired By Poul Anderson's The Queen Of Air And Darkness, Dale Ziegler
Mythcon Proceedings
Meditation on archetypes and fantasy rather than a scholarly paper, this piece considers messages about the human longing for the fantastic embodied in Anderson’s novel, and the dangers of allowing archetypes to be taken as more than the illusions they actually are. Reproduces several lengthy passages from the novel, in particular the ballad of the ranger Arvid.
The Triumph Of Love: Interpretations Of The Tarot In Charles Williams' The Greater Trumps, Nancy-Lou Patterson
The Triumph Of Love: Interpretations Of The Tarot In Charles Williams' The Greater Trumps, Nancy-Lou Patterson
Mythcon Proceedings
Extended study of Tarot imagery in Williams’ The Greater Trumps, with examination of Eliot’s possible influence on Williams through his earlier use of Tarot symbolism in The Waste Land. A substantial portion traces the history of Tarot and the evolution of its symbolism through several important decks, then looks at Williams’s interpretation in his novel. Also examines the Roman triumph ceremony and the figure of the Fool for their surprisingly rich interconnections with the Tarot and The Greater Trumps.
Panel: "The Making Of Fantasy Worlds", Poul Anderson, Robert Silverberg, Katherine Kurtz, Ruth Berman, Larry Niven
Panel: "The Making Of Fantasy Worlds", Poul Anderson, Robert Silverberg, Katherine Kurtz, Ruth Berman, Larry Niven
Mythcon Proceedings
A panel of science fiction and fantasy authors discusses how they develop their worlds, the differences between fantasy and science fiction, and some classic works of fantasy.
Myth In The Modern World, Poul Anderson
Myth In The Modern World, Poul Anderson
Mythcon Proceedings
Fantasy author Anderson discusses definitions of myth and how literature becomes mythopoeic, particularly by catching or reflecting cultural needs. Includes an example of a modern historical novel incorporating myth, Jensen’s The Fall of the King and its use of symbolism from the Norse “Song of Grotte.”
The Grail Quest Theme In That Hideous Strength, Karen Bailey
The Grail Quest Theme In That Hideous Strength, Karen Bailey
Mythcon Proceedings
Postulates that while Ransom is the most obvious candidate for the Fisher King in THS, Jane Studdock is cast as a Grail quester in spite of her gender and the fact that she is married, and in effect achieves the Grail at the end.
The Decline And Fall Of The Osgiliathian Empire, James D. Allan
The Decline And Fall Of The Osgiliathian Empire, James D. Allan
Mythcon Proceedings
Taking Tolkien’s statement that hobbits lingered in “the North-West of the Old World” as its basis, this paper examines the fauna, organization of human culture, development of armor and so on in Middle-earth to place it in the “heroic age” of Europe and to identify Gondor with Rome. The author further identifies the function of the Elves and their protected kingdoms with the monasteries that preserved cultural memories through the Dark Ages. Consideration is given to the nonmedieval culture of the Shire, the fact that Aragorn does not map precisely onto any particular ruler of this period, and what these …
Are These Myths True?, Mary Mcdermott Shideler
Are These Myths True?, Mary Mcdermott Shideler
Mythcon Proceedings
Discusses the nature of myth, mythopoeic play, and the “realness” of mundane and created worlds in her Guest of Honor address. Appended are audience questions.
Selected Materials From A Study Of The Worm Ouroboros, Ian Myles Slater
Selected Materials From A Study Of The Worm Ouroboros, Ian Myles Slater
Mythcon Proceedings
After a brief précis of Eddison’s life, the author discusses the genre of The Worm Ouroboros, basing most of his arguments on Frye’s Anatomy of Criticism. Following is an examination of the tale’s sources, most notably elements from the Norse sagas, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, and Orlando Furioso.
Introducing C.S. Lewis: Sincerity Personified, Kathryn Lindskoog
Introducing C.S. Lewis: Sincerity Personified, Kathryn Lindskoog
Mythcon Proceedings
An overview of C.S. Lewis’s life, primarily based on Surprised by Joy and Letters, covering the entire period from his birth to death with special emphasis on his education and conversion. Includes personal reminiscences of the author’s own meeting with him in 1956. This is the first chapter of Lindskoog’s biography of Lewis.
Closing Session, Jim Carleton
The Return To The Past In Williams & Eliade, Gracia Fay Ellwood
The Return To The Past In Williams & Eliade, Gracia Fay Ellwood
Mythcon Proceedings
Compares the use of displacement in time in the plots of Charles Williams’s Descent Into Hell and Mircea Eliade’s novella Nights at Serampore. Both stories involve protagonists interacting with violent events taking place in the past of their presentday location. Williams’s principle of exchange makes Pauline’s experience a joyful and numinous one; Eliade’s story ends more ambiguously, with the participants deriving no spiritual meaning from their experience other than a sense of the illusory nature of what is experienced through the senses. Ellwood goes on to examine real -world stories of similar retrocognitive events and finds recorded examples of …
The Heroic In Middle-Earth, Robert Foster
The Heroic In Middle-Earth, Robert Foster
Mythcon Proceedings
Gives examples of several types of heroism: the survival-hero, whose heroism is a reaction to a hostile environment; the destiny-hero, who has been chosen to fulfill a task beyond his normal capabilities; the honor-hero, motivated by a desire for reputation and fame; and the ethic-hero, whose self-respect demands he act when circumstances arise that require it. Describes the moral framework of Middle-earth as one that constantly presents opportunities for heroic action, which in turn influences and supports later heroic actions through providing examples to emulate, clues to effective action, or heirloom objects that assist later heroes. In this framework, all …
Considering The Great Divorce (Parts Iii, Iv, & V), J. R. Christopher
Considering The Great Divorce (Parts Iii, Iv, & V), J. R. Christopher
Mythcon Proceedings
Part III is a close textual comparison of the English and American editions and the newspaper serialization. Part IV examines the underlying structure, comparing the encounters in Divorce with the organization of The Divine Comedy and concluding that Lewis’s book is not as tightly and hierarchically organized, either artistically or theologically. This section also attempts to categorize Divorce using Northrop Frye’s classification scheme laid out in The Anatomy of Criticism, and concludes with a debate about the merits of “destructive” criticism. Finally, Part V, considers a religious reading of Divorce, and how reading such a work is akin …
Anti-Babels: Images Of The Divine Center In That Hideous Strength, Nancy-Lou Patterson
Anti-Babels: Images Of The Divine Center In That Hideous Strength, Nancy-Lou Patterson
Mythcon Proceedings
Examines the role, sources, and symbolism of the two walled gardens in That Hideous Strength: Bracton Wood and the garden at St. Anne’s. Discusses the psychological, mythical, and religious symbolism of the walled garden across a variety of sources, from Babylonian epic through Freudian psychology, and lists the source material Lewis references in his descriptions of these gardens. Also covers other gardens in Lewis’s works, including the biscuit-tin garden described in his autobiography as his first glimpse of beauty and the garden where Digory plucks the silver apple in The Magician’s Nephew.
Transcending The Images: Archaisms And Alternatives, Glen Goodknight
Transcending The Images: Archaisms And Alternatives, Glen Goodknight
Mythcon Proceedings
Discusses the medieval theological concepts of affirmation of images (romantic, seeking truth reflected in imagery) and rejection of images (mystical, seeking direct access to truth), building on Mary Schildeler’s book on Williams, The Theology of Romantic Love, and liberally quoting from Jung and Lewis. Concludes that Lewis advocated a hybrid concept of transparent images; that ideally one should simultaneously contemplate both the image and the truth behind it, transcending dualism.
Mythcon Report, Bernie Zuber
The White Tree, Glen Goodknight
The White Tree, Glen Goodknight
Mythcon Proceedings
Revision of conference introductory address. Sees many of the problems of the modern world stemming from a deep distrust of the unconscious mind, and with it a distrust of mystical experience and fantasy. Draws primarily on Jung and on Tolkien’s “On Fairy-stories” to make his point that fantasy is necessary to the integration of the conscious and unconscious minds.