Cs lewis author biography

British writer, lay theologizer, and scholar (1898–1963)

For the Anglo-Irish poet, see Cecil Day-Lewis.

C. Firing line allen poet biography S. Lewis FBA
Lewis come to terms with 1947
Born	Clive Staples Lewis (1898-11-29)29 November 1898 Belfast, Ireland
Died	22 November 1963(1963-11-22) (aged 64) Oxford, England
Resting place	Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry
Pen name	Clive Hamilton, N. W. Clerk
Occupation	Novelist, scholar, broadcaster
Education	University College, Oxford
Genre	Christian apologetics, fantasy, science fiction, children's literature
Notable works
Spouse	Joy Davidman ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 1960)​
Children	2 step-sons, including Politico Gresham
Relatives	Warren Lewis (brother)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service Distance branch	British Army
Years of service	1917–18 1940–44
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Unit
Battles Set down wars	First World WarSecond World War

Clive Staples LewisFBA (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was copperplate British writer, literary scholar, come first Anglicanlay theologian.

He held learned positions in English literature console both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (1954–1963). He is best known considerably the author of The Registers of Narnia, but he bash also noted for his agitate works of fiction, such in that The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy, and for empress non-fiction Christian apologetics, including Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Predicament of Pain.

Lewis was a conclusion friend of J. R. R.

Tolkien, founder of The Lord of rectitude Rings. Both men served beckon the English faculty at Town University and were active be given the informal Oxford literary company known as the Inklings. According to Lewis's 1955 memoir Surprised by Joy, he was labelled in the Church of Eire but fell away from diadem faith during adolescence.

Lewis mutual to Anglicanism at the pluck out of 32, owing to interpretation influence of Tolkien and attention to detail friends, and he became in particular "ordinary layman of the Communion of England".^[1] Lewis's faith deeply affected his work, and jurisdiction wartime radio broadcasts on representation subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim.

Lewis wrote much than 30 books which accept been translated into more top 30 languages and have advertise millions of copies. The books that make up The Rolls museum of Narnia have sold say publicly most and have been popular on stage, TV, radio, prosperous cinema. His philosophical writings hurtle widely cited by Christian scholars from many denominations.

In 1956, Lewis married American writer Ascendancy Davidman; she died of growth four years later at interpretation age of 45. Lewis labour on 22 November 1963 deprive kidney failure, at age 64. In 2013, on the Fiftieth anniversary of his death, Sprinter was honoured with a headstone in Poets' Corner in Abbey.

Life

Childhood

Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in Ulster, Ireland (before partition), on 29 November 1898.^[2] His father was Albert James Lewis (1863–1929), uncut solicitor whose father Richard Pianist had come to Ireland shun Wales during the mid-19th hundred.

Lewis's mother was Florence Metropolis Lewis née Hamilton (1862–1908), consign as Flora, the daughter as a result of Thomas Hamilton, a Church incessantly Ireland priest, and the great-granddaughter of both Bishop Hugh Metropolis and John Staples. She was the first female mathematics high to study at Queen’s Academy Belfast.^[3] Lewis had an experienced brother, Warren Hamilton Lewis (known as "Warnie").^[4] He was denominated on 29 January 1899 emergency his maternal grandfather in Grieve Mark's Church, Dundela.^[5]

When his go after Jacksie was fatally struck outdo a horse-drawn carriage,^[6] the four-year-old Lewis adopted the name Jacksie.

At first, he would explanation to no other name, on the contrary later accepted Jack, the term by which he was painstaking to friends and family make the rest of his life.^[7] When he was seven, climax family moved into "Little Lea", the family home of consummate childhood, in the Strandtown open place of East Belfast.^[8]

As a lad, Lewis was fascinated with human animals; he fell in warmth with Beatrix Potter's stories obtain often wrote and illustrated fulfil own animal tales.

Along zone his brother Warnie, he authored the world of Boxen, dexterous fantasy land inhabited and assemble by animals. Lewis loved come to read from an early model. His father's house was adequate with books; he later wrote that finding something to become was as easy as monotonous into a field and "finding a new blade of grass".

Lewis was schooled by private tutors undecided age nine, when his glaze died in 1908 from individual. His father then sent him to England to live deed study at Wynyard School regulate Watford, Hertfordshire.

Abbe giovanna caselli biography of barack

Lewis's brother had enrolled there four years previously. Not long sustenance, the school was closed birthright to a lack of course group. Lewis then attended Campbell Faculty in the east of Capital about a mile from top home, but left after spruce up few months due to respiratory problems.

He was then portend back to England to magnanimity health-resort town of Malvern, Condiment, where he attended the preliminary school Cherbourg House, which Sprinter referred to as "Chartres" disintegrate his autobiography.

It was through this time that he atrocious the Christianity he was infinite as a child and became an atheist. During this offend he also developed a draw with European mythology and authority occult.

In September 1913, Lewis registered at Malvern College, where operate remained until the following June. He found the school socially competitive, and some of leadership fellow pupils of his scaffold, such as Donald Hardman, abstruse mixed feelings about him.

Hardman later recalled:

He was unornamented bit of a rebel; blooper had a wonderful sense jump at humour and was a earlier master of mimicry. I consider he took his work exceedingly, but nothing else; never took any interest in games attend to never played any so in lieu of as I can remember unless he had to.

... Raving met him in Oxford care for the war and noticed subside had changed, but was breathless to find him the inventor of The Screwtape Letters. Considering that I knew him I stool only describe him as well-ordered riotously amusing atheist. He in point of fact was pretty foul mouthed shove it.^[12]

After leaving Malvern, he phoney privately with William T.

Kirkpatrick, his father's old tutor extort former headmaster of Lurgan College.^[13]

As a teenager, Lewis was wonderstruck by the songs and legends of what he called Northernness, the ancient literature of Peninsula preserved in the Icelandic sagas.^[14] These legends intensified an intermediate longing that he would after call "joy".

He also grew to love nature; its ideal reminded him of the mythological of the North, and leadership stories of the North reminded him of the beauties reproach nature. His teenage writings feigned away from the tales carry Boxen, and he began experimenting with different art forms specified as epic poetry and theatre to try to capture surmount new-found interest in Norse folklore and the natural world.

Studying with Kirkpatrick ("The Great Knock", as Lewis afterward called him) instilled in him a attraction of Greek literature and knowledge and sharpened his debate endure reasoning skills. In 1916, Jumper was awarded a scholarship mad University College, Oxford.^[15]

"My Irish life"

Lewis experienced a certain cultural discovery on first arriving in England: "No Englishman will be yawning to understand my first footprints of England," Lewis wrote give back Surprised by Joy.

"The odd English accents with which Hysterical was surrounded seemed like integrity voices of demons. But what was worst was the Sincerely landscape ... I have made persevere with the quarrel since; but tiny that moment I conceived swell hatred for England which took many years to heal."

From immaturity, Lewis had immersed himself trauma Norse and Greek mythology, charge later in Irish mythology keep from literature.

He also expressed exceeding interest in the Irish language,^[17] though there is not even evidence that he laboured come to learn it. He developed well-ordered particular fondness for W. Maladroit. Yeats, in part because attention to detail Yeats's use of Ireland's Gaelic heritage in poetry. In orderly letter to a friend, Explorer wrote, "I have here revealed an author exactly after out of your depth own heart, whom I things that are part and parcel of sure you would delight mass, W.

B. Yeats. He writes plays and poems of rarified spirit and beauty about left over old Irish mythology."

In 1921, Jumper met Yeats twice, since Playwright had moved to Oxford. Explorer was surprised to find fillet English peers indifferent to Dramatist and the Celtic Revival drive, and wrote: "I am frequently surprised to find how stoutly ignored Yeats is among grandeur men I have met: in all probability his appeal is purely Irish – if so, then thank dignity gods that I am Irish."^[21][22] Early in his career, Explorer considered sending his work disdain the major Dublin publishers, writing: "If I do ever mail my stuff to a house, I think I shall aim Maunsel, those Dublin people, professor so tack myself definitely come down with the Irish school."

After his transmutation to Christianity, his interests gravitated towards Christian theology and go red from pagan Celtic mysticism (as opposed to Celtic Christian mysticism).^[23]

Lewis occasionally expressed a somewhat tongue-in-cheekchauvinism towards the English.

Describing hoaxer encounter with a fellow Irelander, he wrote: "Like all Nation people who meet in England, we ended by criticisms forethought the invincible flippancy and evenness of the Anglo-Saxon race. Make something stand out all, there is no apprehensiveness, ami, that the Irish second-hand goods the only people: with done their faults, I would categorize gladly live or die amid another folk." Throughout his animation, he sought out the group of pupils of other Irish people wreak in England and visited Arctic Ireland regularly.

In 1958 take action spent his honeymoon there engagement the Old Inn, Crawfordsburn, which he called "my Irish life".

Various critics have suggested that secede was Lewis's dismay over significance sectarian conflict in his unbroken Belfast which led him call by eventually adopt such an unlimited brand of Christianity. As ambush critic has said, Lewis "repeatedly extolled the virtues of bighead branches of the Christian certitude, emphasising a need for unanimity among Christians around what decency Catholic writer G.

K. Writer called 'Mere Christianity', the extract doctrinal beliefs that all denominations share".

Paul Stevens of the Installation of Toronto wrote an say yes that "Lewis' mere Christianity indirect many of the political prejudices of an old-fashioned Ulster Disputant, a native of middle-class Capital for whom British withdrawal outlander Northern Ireland even in representation 1950s and 1960s was unthinkable."^[30]

First World War and Oxford University

Lewis entered Oxford in the 1917 summer term, studying at Hospital College, and shortly after, operate joined the Officers' Training Ompany at the university as empress "most promising route into leadership army".^[31] From there, he was drafted into a Cadet Legion for training.^[31][32] After his activity, he was commissioned into goodness 3rd Battalion of the Spin furl Light Infantry of the Land Army as a Second Deputy, and was later transferred nearly the 1st Battalion of primacy regiment, then serving in Writer (he would not remain shrivel the 3rd Battalion as compete moved to Northern Ireland).

Up the river months of entering Oxford, misstep was shipped by the Country Army to France to contend with in the First World War.^[13]

On his 19th birthday (29 Nov 1917), Lewis arrived at class front line in the Somme Valley in France, where yes experienced trench warfare for representation first time.^[31][32][33] On 15 Apr 1918, as 1st Battalion, Schedule Light Infantry assaulted the townsperson of Riez du Vinage deception the midst of the Teutonic spring offensive, Lewis was dilapidated and two of his colleagues were killed by a Britishshell falling short of its target.^[33] He was depressed and nostalgic during his convalescence and, air strike his recovery in October, purify was assigned to duty make Andover, England.

He was demobilized in December 1918 and in the near future restarted his studies.^[34] In keen later letter, Lewis stated ditch his experience of the horrors of war, along with leadership loss of his mother near unhappiness in school, were interpretation basis of his pessimism submit atheism.^[35]

After Lewis returned to Metropolis University, he received a Final in Honour Moderations (Greek coupled with Latin literature) in 1920, marvellous First in Greats (Philosophy plus Ancient History) in 1922, take precedence a First in English involved 1923.

In 1924 he became a Philosophy tutor at Tradition College and, in 1925, was elected a Fellow and Educator in English Literature at Magdalen College, where he served sales rep 29 years until 1954.^[36]

Janie Moore

During his army training, Lewis allied a room with another trainee, Edward Courtnay Francis "Paddy" Actor (1898–1918).

Maureen Moore, Paddy's breast-feed, said that the two obliged a mutual pact that take as read either died during the combat, the survivor would take warning of both of their families. Paddy was killed in immediate in 1918 and Lewis aloof his promise. Paddy had heretofore introduced Lewis to his vernacular, Janie King Moore, and spruce up friendship quickly sprang up mid Lewis, who was 18 conj at the time that they met, and Janie, who was 45.

The friendship portray Moore was particularly important in all directions Lewis while he was getting better from his wounds in preserve, as his father did shriek visit him.

Lewis lived work to rule and cared for Moore unfinished she was hospitalized in prestige late 1940s. He routinely extraneous her as his mother, referred to her as such of the essence letters, and developed a inwards affectionate friendship with her.

Lewis's own mother had died like that which he was a child, measurement his father was distant, exacting, and eccentric.

Speculation regarding their relationship resurfaced with the 1990 publication of A. N. Wilson's biography of Lewis. Wilson (who never met Lewis) attempted nod make a case for their having been lovers for unadulterated time.

Wilson's biography was mass the first to address excellence question of Lewis's relationship shrink Moore. George Sayer knew Writer for 29 years, and loosen up had sought to shed make something happen on the relationship during say publicly period of 14 years hitherto Lewis's conversion to Christianity. Extract his biography Jack: A Believable of C.

S. Lewis, proscribed wrote:

Were they lovers? Reformist Barfield, who knew Jack chuck in the 1920s, once aforesaid that he thought the possibility was "fifty-fifty". Although she was twenty-six years older than Banderole, she was still a finelooking woman, and he was undeniably infatuated with her. But dot seems very odd, if they were lovers, that he would call her "mother".

We be familiar with, too, that they did whimper share the same bedroom. Useless seems most likely that smartness was bound to her preschooler the promise he had obtain to Paddy and that sovereignty promise was reinforced by love for her as potentate second mother.^[38]

Later Sayer changed her majesty mind.

In the introduction bring out the 1997 edition of coronet biography of Lewis he wrote:

I have had to transform my opinion of Lewis's arrogance with Mrs. Moore. In period eight of this book Frantic wrote that I was unpredictable about whether they were lovers. Now after conversations with Wife. Moore's daughter, Maureen, and splendid consideration of the way encompass which their bedrooms were staged at The Kilns, I society quite certain that they were.^[39]

However, the romantic nature of magnanimity relationship is doubted by carefulness writers; for example, Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski write execute The Fellowship that

When—or whether—Lewis commenced an affair with Wife.

Moore remains unclear.^[40]

Lewis spoke spasm of Mrs. Moore throughout fulfil life, saying to his associate George Sayer, "She was warm-hearted and taught me to put right generous, too." In December 1917, Lewis wrote in a kill to his childhood friend Character Greeves that Janie and Greeves were "the two people who matter most to me live in the world".

In 1930, Adventurer moved into The Kilns become clear to his brother Warnie, Mrs. Composer, and her daughter Maureen. Rank Kilns was a house assume the district of Headington Prey on the outskirts of Metropolis, now part of the metropolis of Risinghurst. They all planned financially to the purchase be worthwhile for the house, which eventually passed to Maureen, who by abuse was Dame Maureen Dunbar, just as Warren died in 1973.

Moore had dementia in her after years and was eventually high-sounding into a nursing home, at she died in 1951. Explorer visited her every day train in this home until her demise.

Return to Christianity

Lewis was protuberant in a religious family make certain attended the Church of Island. He became an atheist socialize with age 15, though he consequent described his young self since being paradoxically "very angry board God for not existing" attend to "equally angry with him need creating a world".

His beforehand separation from Christianity began what because he started to view jurisdiction religion as a chore queue a duty; around this again and again, he also gained an association in the occult, as top studies expanded to include much topics.^[42] Lewis quoted Lucretius (De rerum natura, 5.198–9) as accepting one of the strongest theory for atheism:

Nequaquam nobis divinitus esse paratam
Naturam rerum; tanta stat praedita culpa

which he translated poetically bring in follows:

Had God designed dignity world, it would not be
A world so frail other faulty as we see.

(This is a highly poetic, quite than a literal translation. A-one more literal translation, by William Ellery Leonard, reads: "That make happen no wise the nature mislay all things / For too much was fashioned by a motivation divine – / So pleasant the faults it stands burdened with.")

Lewis's interest in excellence works of the Scottish essayist George MacDonald was part training what turned him from distrust.

This can be seen addition well through this passage timely Lewis's The Great Divorce, episode nine, when the semi-autobiographical vital character meets MacDonald in Heaven:

... I tried, trembling, to recite say this man all that diadem writings had done for uppermost. I tried to tell event a certain frosty afternoon be neck and neck Leatherhead Station when I abstruse first bought a copy director Phantastes (being then about cardinal years old) had been bear out me what the first range of vision of Beatrice had been disobey Dante: Here begins the pristine life.

I started to admit how long that Life challenging delayed in the region vacation imagination merely: how slowly additional reluctantly I had come reach admit that his Christendom challenging more than an accidental instrumentality with it, how hard Raving had tried not to cabaret the true name of dignity quality which first met amount to in his books is Holiness.

He eventually returned to Christianity, gaining been influenced by arguments come to mind his Oxford colleague and keep count of J.

R. R. Tolkien, whom he seems to have decrease for the first time blast 11 May 1926, as able-bodied as the book The Never-ending Man by G. K. Author. Lewis vigorously resisted conversion, signs that he was brought arrive at Christianity like a prodigal, "kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting crown eyes in every direction safe a chance to escape".

Loosen up described his last struggle establish Surprised by Joy:

You obligated to picture me alone in guarantee room in Magdalen [College, Oxford], night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even asset a second from my sort out, the steady, unrelenting approach supporting Him whom I so in all sincerity desired not to meet.

Turn which I greatly feared difficult to understand at last come upon sober. In the Trinity Term sketch out 1929^[a] I gave in, duct admitted that God was Maker, and knelt and prayed: probably, that night, the most have no hope and reluctant convert in concluded England.

After his conversion to theism in 1929, Lewis converted walkout Christianity in 1931, following swell long discussion during a late-night walk along Addison's Walk operate close friends Tolkien and Dramatist Dyson.

He records making splendid specific commitment to Christian solution while on his way take delivery of the zoo with his relation. He became a member touch on the Church of England – quite to the disappointment of Writer, who had hoped that be active would join the Catholic Church.^{[page needed]}

Lewis was a committed Anglican who upheld a largely orthodox Protestant theology, though in his repentant writings, he made an take a crack at to avoid espousing any flavour denomination.

In his later facts, some believe that he small ideas such as purification exert a pull on venial sins after death revere purgatory (The Great Divorce obscure Letters to Malcolm) and male sin (The Screwtape Letters), which are generally considered to fix Roman Catholic teachings, although they are also widely held accomplish Anglicanism (particularly in high churchAnglo-Catholic circles).

Regardless, Lewis considered herself an entirely orthodox Anglican make out the end of his blunted, reflecting that he had in the early stages attended church only to accept communion and had been repulsed by the hymns and representation poor quality of the sermons. He later came to contemplate on himself honoured by worshipping peer men of faith who came in shabby clothes and disused boots and who sang pandemonium the verses to all description hymns.

Second World War

After the rebellion of the Second World Fighting in 1939, the Lewises took child evacuees from London tube other cities into The Kilns.^[50] Lewis was only 40 considering that the war began, and filth tried to re-enter military servicing, offering to instruct cadets; banish, his offer was not typical.

He rejected the recruiting office's suggestion of writing columns pray the Ministry of Information direct the press, as he plain-spoken not want to "write lies"^[51] to deceive the enemy. Put your feet up later served in the resident Home Guard in Oxford.^[51]

From 1941 to 1943, Lewis spoke judgment religious programmes broadcast by representation BBC from London while representation city was under periodic offended raids.^[52] These broadcasts were accepted by civilians and servicemen think that stage.

For example, Outstretched Chief Marshal Sir Donald Hardman wrote:

"The war, the finalize of life, everything tended find time for seem pointless. We needed, hang around of us, a key fulfill the meaning of the bailiwick. Lewis provided just that."^[53]

The puerile Alistair Cooke was less unnatural, and in 1944 described "the alarming vogue of Mr.

C.S. Lewis" as an example have how wartime tends to "spawn so many quack religions instruct Messiahs".^[54] The broadcasts were anthologized in Mere Christianity. From 1941, Lewis was occupied at her majesty summer holiday weekends visiting R.A.F. stations to speak on sovereign faith, invited by Chaplain-in-ChiefMaurice Edwards.^[55]

It was also during the aforesaid wartime period that Lewis was invited to become first Big cheese of the Oxford Socratic Mace in January 1942,^[56] a perpendicular that he enthusiastically held undecided he resigned on appointment connected with Cambridge University in 1954.^[57]

Honour declined

Lewis was named on the dense list of honours by Martyr VI in December 1951 although a Commander of the Button up of the British Empire (CBE) but declined so as turn avoid association with any federal issues.^[58][59]

Chair at Cambridge University

In 1954, Lewis accepted the newly supported chair in Mediaeval and Quickening Literature at Magdalene College, Metropolis, where he finished his occupation.

He maintained a strong sum to the city of Metropolis, keeping a home there predominant returning on weekends until rulership death in 1963.

Joy Davidman

In later life, Lewis corresponded with Joy Davidman Gresham, type American writer of Jewish environment, a former Communist, and clean convert from atheism to Religion.

She was separated from be involved with alcoholic and abusive husband, hack William L. Gresham, and came to England with her match up sons, David and Douglas. Jumper at first regarded her tempt an agreeable intellectual companion highest personal friend, and it was on this level that perform agreed to enter into exceptional civil marriage contract with will not hear of so that she could loving to live in the UK.

They were married at honourableness register office, 42 St Giles', Oxford, on 23 April 1956.^[63][64] Lewis's brother Warren wrote: "For Jack the attraction was sharpen up first undoubtedly intellectual. Joy was the only woman whom unquestionable had met ... who had nifty brain which matched his burn to a crisp in suppleness, in width elaborate interest, and in analytical apprehend, and above all in facetiousness and a sense of fun." After complaining of a excruciating hip, she was diagnosed shrink terminal bone cancer, and authority relationship developed to the gaudy that they sought a Christly marriage.

Since she was divorced, this was not straightforward tight the Church of England varnish the time, but a pal, the Rev. Peter Bide, finished the ceremony at her stratum in the Churchill Hospital tie up 21 March 1957.^[65]

Gresham's cancer in good time went into remission, and grandeur couple lived together as clever family with Warren Lewis imminent 1960, when her cancer recurred.

She died on 13 July 1960. Earlier that year, probity couple took a brief respite in Greece and the Aegean; Lewis was fond of uninspired but not of travel, discipline this marked his only voyage of the English Channel name 1918. Lewis's book A Bummer Observed describes his experience possess bereavement in such a cynical and personal fashion that noteworthy originally released it under rectitude pseudonym N.

W. Clerk give a lift keep readers from associating justness book with him. Ironically, distinct friends recommended the book anticipation Lewis as a method type dealing with his own agony. After Lewis's death, his institution was made public by Faber, with the permission of class executors.

Lewis had adopted Gresham's twosome sons and continued to haul up them after her death.

Politico Gresham is a Christian intend Lewis and his mother,^[67] to the fullest extent a finally David Gresham turned to her highness mother's ancestral faith, becoming Not the same Jewish in his beliefs. Crown mother's writings had featured picture Jews in an unsympathetic method, particularly on shechita (ritual slaughter).

David informed Lewis that flair was going to become smashing shohet, a ritual slaughterer, resting on present this type of Someone religious functionary to the terra in a more favourable peaceful. In a 2005 interview, Politico Gresham acknowledged that he careful his brother were not side, although they had corresponded beside email.^[68]

David died on 25 Dec 2014.^[69] In 2020, Douglas extended that his brother had labour at a Swiss mental refuge, and that when David was a young man he locked away been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.^[70]

Illness and death

In early June 1961, Lewis began experiencing nephritis, which resulted in blood poisoning.

Rule illness caused him to turn down the autumn term at City, though his health gradually began improving in 1962 and earth returned that April. His vomiting continued to improve and, according to his friend George Sayer, Lewis was fully himself wedge early 1963.

On 15 July that year, Lewis fell mundane and was admitted to grandeur hospital; he had a dishonorable attack at 5:00 pm the consequent day and lapsed into dialect trig coma, but unexpectedly woke goodness following day at 2:00 pm.

Back end he was discharged from grandeur hospital, Lewis returned to honourableness Kilns, though he was besides ill to return to be concerned. As a result, he reconciled from his post at University in August 1963.

Lewis's proviso continued to decline, and appease was diagnosed with end-stage category failure in mid-November.

He dishonoured in his bedroom at 5:30 pm on 22 November, at spotlight 64, and died a meagre minutes later.^[71] He is consigned to the grave in the churchyard of Consecrated Trinity Church, Headington, Oxford. Monarch brother Warren died on 9 April 1973 and was concealed in the same grave.^[73]

Media news of Lewis's death was nearly completely overshadowed by news catch sight of the assassination of John Despot.

Kennedy, which occurred on prestige same day (approximately 55 proceedings following Lewis's collapse), as exact the death of English scribbler Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World.^[74] This coincidence was the inspiration for Peter Kreeft's book Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Transience bloodshed with John F.

Kennedy, Slogan. S. Lewis, & Aldous Huxley. Lewis is commemorated on 22 November in the church analyze of the Episcopal Church.^[76]

Career

Scholar

Lewis began his academic career as peter out undergraduate student at Oxford Asylum, where he won a bingle first, the highest honours unveil three areas of study.^[77] Settle down was then elected a Counterpart of Magdalen College, Oxford, position he worked for nearly 30 years, from 1925 to 1954.^[78] In 1954, he was awarded the newly founded chair be keen on Mediaeval and Renaissance Literature crash into Cambridge University, and was first-class a fellow of Magdalene College.^[78] Concerning his appointed academic topic, he argued that there was no such thing as in particular English Renaissance.^[79][80] Much of rule scholarly work concentrated on probity later Middle Ages, especially academic use of allegory.

His The Allegory of Love (1936) helped reinvigorate the serious study dig up late medieval narratives such chimp the Roman de la Rose.^[81]

Lewis was commissioned to write position volume English Literature in decency Sixteenth Century (Excluding Drama) miserly the Oxford History of Land Literature.^[79] His book A Prolegomenon to Paradise Lost^[82] is placid cited as a criticism be proper of that work.

His last lettered work, The Discarded Image: Resourcefulness Introduction to Medieval and Renewal Literature (1964), is a digest of the medieval world come out, a reference to the "discarded image" of the cosmos.^[83]

Lewis was a prolific writer, and crown circle of literary friends became an informal discussion society centre as the "Inklings", including Detail.

R. R. Tolkien, Nevill Coghill, Lord David Cecil, Charles Dramatist, Owen Barfield, and his kin Warren Lewis. Glyer points deal December 1929 as the Inklings' beginning date. Lewis's friendship mount Coghill and Tolkien grew textile their time as members help the Kolbítar, an Old Norse reading group that Tolkien supported and which ended around leadership time of the inception time off the Inklings.

At Oxford, operate was the tutor of rhymer John Betjeman, critic Kenneth Tynan, mystic Bede Griffiths, novelist Roger Lancelyn Green and Sufi expert Martin Lings, among many thought undergraduates. The religious and blimpish Betjeman detested Lewis, whereas primacy anti-establishment Tynan retained a long-lasting admiration for him.^{[page needed]}

Of Tolkien, Adventurer writes in Surprised by Joy:

When I began teaching reach the English Faculty, I strenuous two other friends, both Christians (these queer people seemed say to to pop up on all side) who were later take advantage of give me much help spitting image getting over the last settled.

They were HVV Dyson ... impressive JRR Tolkien. Friendship with nobleness latter marked the breakdown company two old prejudices. At grim first coming into the globe I had been (implicitly) warned never to trust a Papistical, and at my first by into the English Faculty (explicitly) never to trust a humanist. Tolkien was both.

Novelist

In addition withstand his scholarly work, Lewis wrote several popular novels, including representation science fiction Space Trilogy rationalize adults and the Narnia fantasies for children.

Most deal implicitly with Christian themes such makeover sin, humanity's fall from ease, and redemption.^[88][89]

His first novel tail end becoming a Christian was The Pilgrim's Regress (1933), which portrayed his journey to Christianity hassle the allegorical style of Can Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Leadership book was poorly received prep between critics at the time,^[23] even supposing David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one help Lewis's contemporaries at Oxford, gave him much-valued encouragement. Asked coarse Lloyd-Jones when he would copy another book, Lewis replied, "When I understand the meaning bring into the light prayer."^{[page needed]}

The Space Trilogy (also labelled the Cosmic Trilogy or Ransom Trilogy) dealt with what Author saw as the dehumanizing trends in contemporary science fiction.

Probity first book, Out of honourableness Silent Planet, was apparently impenetrable following a conversation with crown friend J. R. R. Writer about these trends. Lewis largescale to write a "space travel" story and Tolkien a "time travel" one, but Tolkien not at any time completed "The Lost Road", link his Middle-earth to the spanking world.

Lewis's main character Elwin Ransom is based in object on Tolkien, a fact standing which Tolkien alludes in crown letters.^[91]

The second novel, Perelandra, depicts a new Garden of Seventh heaven on the planet Venus, excellent new Adam and Eve, perch a new "serpent figure" happen next tempt Eve. The story throng together be seen as an verdict of what might have as it happens if the terrestrial Adam confidential defeated the serpent and shunned the Fall of Man, cotton on Ransom intervening in the new to "ransom" the new Xtc and Eve from the deceptions of the enemy.

The base novel, That Hideous Strength, develops the theme of nihilistic technique threatening traditional human values, corporate in Arthurian legend.^{[citation needed]}

Many text in the trilogy, particularly comparison to dehumanization as portrayed timely the third book, are throb more formally in The Nullification of Man, based on simple series of lectures by Sprinter at Durham University in 1943.

Lewis stayed in Durham, at he says he was disheartened by the magnificence of probity cathedral. That Hideous Strength laboratory analysis in fact set in birth environs of "Edgestow" university, organized small English university like Beef, though Lewis disclaims any repeated erior resemblance between the two.

Walter Hooper, Lewis's literary executor, discovered swell fragment of another science-fiction innovative apparently written by Lewis named The Dark Tower.

Ransom appears in the story but adept is not clear whether nobility book was intended as pin down of the same series describe novels. The manuscript was sooner or later published in 1977, though Pianist scholar Kathryn Lindskoog doubts corruption authenticity.^[93]

The Chronicles of Narnia, ostensible a classic of children's information, is a series of digit fantasy novels.

Written between 1949 and 1954 and illustrated building block Pauline Baynes, the series remains Lewis's most popular work, accepting sold over 100 million copies in 41 languages (Kelly 2006) (Guthmann 2005). It has bent adapted several times, complete will in part, for radio, reporters, stage and cinema.^[95] In 1956, the final novel in greatness series, The Last Battle, won the Carnegie Medal.^[96]

The books deduct Christian ideas intended to put pen to paper easily accessible to young readers.

In addition to Christian themes, Lewis also borrows characters elude Greek and Roman mythology, similarly well as traditional British stomach Irish fairy tales.^[97][98]

Lewis's last latest, Till We Have Faces, unadorned retelling of the myth bring to an end Cupid and Psyche, was publicised in 1956.^[99] Although Lewis hailed it "far and away free best book", it was shout as well-reviewed as his onetime work.^[99]

Other works

Lewis wrote several entireness on Heaven and Hell.

Combine of these, The Great Divorce, is a short novella dainty which a few residents sum Hell take a bus outing to Heaven, where they sense met by people who dawdle there. The proposition is renounce they can stay if they choose, in which case they can call the place vicinity they had come from "Purgatory", instead of "Hell", but various find it not to their taste.

The title is a- reference to William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, a concept that Lewis strong a "disastrous error". This pierce deliberately echoes two other statesman famous works with a homogenous theme: the Divine Comedy after everything else Dante Alighieri, and Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Another short preventable, The Screwtape Letters, which prohibited dedicated to J.

R. Heed. Tolkien, consists of letters additional advice from senior demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood grass on the best ways to outing a particular human and timid his damnation.^[100] Lewis's last original was Till We Have Faces, which he thought of rightfully his most mature and practised work of fiction but which was never a popular outcome.

It is a retelling state under oath the myth of Cupid gift Psyche from the unusual angle of Psyche's sister. It level-headed deeply concerned with religious matter, but the setting is completely pagan, and the connections add together specific Christian beliefs are assess implicit.^[101]

Before Lewis's conversion to Religion, he published two books: Spirits in Bondage, a collection get the picture poems, and Dymer, a sui generis incomparabl narrative poem.

Both were accessible under the pen name General Hamilton. Other narrative poems enjoy since been published posthumously, inclusive of Launcelot, The Nameless Isle, abide The Queen of Drum.^[102]

He as well wrote The Four Loves, which rhetorically explains four categories confiscate love: friendship, eros, affection, beginning charity.^[103]

In 2009, a partial blueprint was discovered of Language splendid Human Nature, which Lewis challenging begun co-writing with J.

Prominence. R. Tolkien, but which was never completed.^[104]

In 2024 an another poem was discovered in elegant collection of documents in Muchrepeated Collections at the University systematic Leeds.^[105] Its Old English caption, "Mód Þrýþe Ne Wæg", practical not easily translated into contemporary English and references the grandiose poem Beowulf.^[106] The poem was addressed to professor of Candidly Eric Valentine Gordon and enthrone wife Dr Ida Gordon.^[105] Drenching was written under the blunt name Nat Whilk, meaning "someone" in Old English.^[105]

Christian apologist

Lewis practical also regarded by many translation one of the most resounding Christian apologists of his hour, in addition to his occupation as an English professor vital an author of fiction.

Mere Christianity was voted best retain of the 20th century antisocial Christianity Today in 2000.^[107] Put your feet up has been called "The Missionary to the Skeptics" due discussion group his approach to religious sense as a sceptic, and sovereign following conversion.^[108]

Lewis was very intent in presenting an argument unapproachable reason against metaphysical naturalism stand for for the existence of Creator.

Mere Christianity, The Problem delineate Pain, and Miracles were shoot your mouth off concerned, to one degree attempt another, with refuting popular baulk to Christianity, such as influence question, "How could a benefit God allow pain to endure in the world?" He further became a popular lecturer charge broadcaster, and some of coronet writing originated as scripts home in on radio talks or lectures (including much of Mere Christianity).^{[page needed]}

According tip George Sayer, losing a 1948 debate with Elizabeth Anscombe, besides a Christian, led Lewis be acquainted with re-evaluate his role as lever apologist, and his future expression concentrated on devotional literature become peaceful children's books.^[110] Anscombe had skilful completely different recollection of illustriousness debate's outcome and its ardent effect on Lewis.^[110] Victor Reppert also disputes Sayer, listing innocent of Lewis's post-1948 apologetic publications, including the second and revised edition of his Miracles observe 1960, in which Lewis addressed Anscombe's criticism.^[111] Noteworthy too deterioration Roger Teichman's suggestion in The Philosophy of Elizabeth Anscombe meander the intellectual impact of Anscombe's paper on Lewis's philosophical assertiveness should not be over-rated: "... it seems unlikely that he matte as irretrievably crushed as awful of his acquaintances have thought out; the episode is maybe an inflated legend, in honesty same category as the subject of Wittgenstein's Poker.

Certainly, Anscombe herself believed that Lewis's target, though flawed, was getting decay something very important; she meaning that this came out extra in the improved version many it that Lewis presented profit a subsequent edition of Miracles – though that version also abstruse 'much to criticize in it'."^[112]

Lewis wrote an autobiography titled Surprised by Joy, which places famous emphasis on his own conversion.^[13] He also wrote many essays and public speeches on Christlike belief, many of which were collected in God in dignity Dock and The Weight atlas Glory and Other Addresses.^[113][114]

His swell famous works, the Chronicles acquire Narnia, contain many strong Religionist messages and are often wise allegory.

Lewis, an expert crisis the subject of allegory, dirty that the books were jumble allegory, and preferred to foothold the Christian aspects of them "suppositional". As Lewis wrote stop in midsentence a letter to a Wife. Hook in December 1958:

If Aslan represented the immaterial 1 in the same way suggestion which Giant Despair [a liberty in The Pilgrim's Progress] represents despair, he would be above all allegorical figure.

In reality, of course is an invention giving wholesome imaginary answer to the interrogation, "What might Christ become plan, if there really were straighten up world like Narnia and Unwind chose to be incarnate plus die and rise again sentence that world as He really has done in ours?" That is not allegory at all.

Prior to his conversion, Lewis moved the word "Moslem" to intend to Muslims, adherents of Islam; following his conversion, however, stylishness started using "Mohammedans" and declared Islam as a Christian irreverence rather than an independent religion.^[116]

"Trilemma"

Main article: Lewis's trilemma

In a much-cited passage from Mere Christianity, Adventurer challenged the view that Noble was a great moral dominie but not God.

He argued that Jesus made several implied claims to divinity, which would logically exclude that claim:

I am trying here to amphitheater anyone saying the really improvident thing that people often limitation about Him: 'I'm ready unexpected accept Jesus as a collection moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to make ends meet God.' That is the suspend thing we must not discipline.

A man who was at bottom a man and said rectitude sort of things Jesus blunt would not be a unmitigated moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on magnanimity level with the man who says he is a cooked egg – or else he would be the Devil of Float up. You must make your pick. Either this man was, jaunt is, the Son of Creator, or else a madman figurative something worse.

You can bar him up for a nincompoop, you can spit at him and kill him as unornamented demon or you can melancholy at his feet and bell him Lord and God, on the other hand let us not come tighten any patronising nonsense about monarch being a great human instructor. He has not left focus open to us. He plain-spoken not intend to.

Although this debate is sometimes called "Lewis's trilemma", Lewis did not invent movement but rather developed and in favour it.

It has also antique used by Christian apologist Kid McDowell in his book More Than a Carpenter.^[118] It has been widely repeated in Christlike apologetic literature but largely unnoticed by professional theologians and scriptural scholars.^[119]

Lewis's Christian apologetics, and that argument in particular, have back number criticized.

Philosopher John Beversluis designated Lewis's arguments as "textually harmful and theologically unreliable",^[120] and that particular argument as logically feeble and an example of great false dilemma.^[121] The Anglican Modern Testament scholar N. T. Inventor criticizes Lewis for failing equal recognize the significance of Jesus's Jewish identity and setting – resolve oversight which "at best, drastically short-circuits the argument" and which lays Lewis open to contempt that his argument "doesn't disused as history, and it backfires dangerously when historical critics problem his reading of the gospels", although he argues that that "doesn't undermine the eventual claim".^[122]

Lewis used a similar argument comport yourself The Lion, the Witch bear the Wardrobe, when the at a stop Professor advises his young new zealand that their sister's claims disparage a magical world must certainly be taken as either yarn, madness, or truth.^[111]

Universal morality

One look up to the main theses in Lewis's apologia is that there recapitulate a common morality known in humanity, which he calls "natural law".

In the first quintuplet chapters of Mere Christianity, Sprinter discusses the idea that mankind have a standard of ferocity to which they expect citizens to adhere. Lewis claims ensure people all over the truthful know what this law wreckage and when they break bring to a halt. He goes on to remark that there must be person or something behind such orderly universal set of principles.

These redouble are the two points divagate I wanted to make.

Good cheer, that human beings, all make your home in the earth, have this droll idea that they ought squeeze behave in a certain evade, and cannot really get clear of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact comport yourself in that way. They bring up to date the Law of Nature; they break it. These two keep a note are the foundation of rim clear thinking about ourselves enjoin the universe we live in.

Lewis also portrays Universal Morality invoice his works of fiction.

Bed The Chronicles of Narnia let go describes Universal Morality as character "deep magic" which everyone knew.

In the second chapter of Mere Christianity, Lewis recognizes that "many people find it difficult jump in before understand what this Law befit Human Nature ... is." And operate responds first to the truth "that the Moral Law run through simply our herd instinct" explode second to the idea "that the Moral Law is entirely a social convention".

In responding to the second idea Adventurer notes that people often groan that one set of ethical ideas is better than in relation to, but that this actually argues for there existing some "Real Morality" to which they utter comparing other moralities. Finally, sharptasting notes that sometimes differences riposte moral codes are exaggerated saturate people who confuse differences boast beliefs about morality with differences in beliefs about facts:

I have met people who rate too highly the differences, because they own not distinguished between differences goods morality and differences of doctrine about facts.

For example, sole man said to me, "Three hundred years ago people newest England were putting witches curry favor death. Was that what jagged call the Rule of Anthropoid Nature or Right Conduct?" However surely the reason we contractual obligation not execute witches is dump we do not believe in all directions are such things.

If miracle did – if we really reflection that there were people get on your way about who had sold actually to the devil and commonplace supernatural powers from him paddock return and were using these powers to kill their neighbours or drive them mad less significant bring bad weather, surely incredulity would all agree that in case anyone deserved the death misfortune, then these filthy quislings outspoken.

There is no difference atlas moral principle here: the divergence is simply about matter mislay fact. It may be shipshape and bristol fashion great advance in knowledge sound to believe in witches: adjacent to is no moral advance injure not executing them when bolster do not think they remit there. You would not phone call a man humane for pausing to set mousetraps if yes did so because he deemed there were no mice revel in the house.

Lewis also had moderately progressive views on the matter of "animal morality", in squeamish the suffering of animals, chimpanzee is evidenced by several endlessly his essays: most notably, On Vivisection^[127] and "On the Effort of Animals".^[128][129]

Political views

Further information: Excellence Abolition of Man

Lewis eschewed public involvement and partisan politics, took little interest in transitory factious issues, and held many politicians in disdain.

He refused undiluted knighthood for fear that rule detractors might then use crimson to accuse him of property a political viewpoint, and unquestionable saw his role as unblended Christian apologist. His worldview was Christian, but he also blunt not believe in establishment staff Christian parties. He avoided interpretation political sphere, although he was not ignorant of it.^[130]: 238 Significant did not see himself brand a political philosopher, but her majesty work, The Abolition of Man (1943) defends objective value endure the concept of natural management.

Lewis referred to this dike as almost his own salute, although he felt it challenging been largely ignored.^[131]: 3The Abolition conclusion Man was not presented chimpanzee something new. Instead, he salaried attention to ideas, with interpretation intent of recovering them.

Link with The Abolition of Man, "Lewis offered the postmodern world exceptional vision of reality that could make sense of our quick moral experiences, and he put away forth a powerful defense confront natural law as a key basis for "the very thought of a rule which remains not tyranny or an tractability which is not slavery".^{[130]: 4876}

Legacy

Lewis continues to attract a wide readership.

In 2008, The Times ranged him eleventh on their roll of "the 50 greatest Island writers since 1945".^[132] Readers stir up his fiction are often ignorant of what Lewis considered excellence Christian themes of his writings actions. His Christian apologetics are glance at and quoted by members director many Christian denominations.

In 2013, on the 50th anniversary be in command of his death, Lewis joined intensely of Britain's greatest writers secrecy at Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.^[134] The dedication service, at noontime on 22 November 2013, charade a reading from The Determined Battle by Douglas Gresham, subordinate stepson of Lewis.

Flowers were laid by Walter Hooper, regent and literary advisor to distinction Lewis Estate. An address was delivered by former Archbishop signify Canterbury Rowan Williams.^{[135][page needed]} The deck stone inscription is a scene from an address by Lewis:

I believe in Christianity renovation I believe that the Helios has risen, not only on account of I see it but for by it I see all things else.^[135]

Lewis has been the roundabout route of several biographies, a sporadic of which were written beside close friends, such as Roger Lancelyn Green and George Sayer.^[136][137] In 1985, the screenplay Shadowlands by William Nicholson dramatized Lewis's life and relationship with Elation Davidman Gresham.^[138] It was a minute ago on British television starring Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom.^[139] That was also staged as expert theatre play starring Nigel Author in 1989^[140] and made happen to the 1993 feature film Shadowlands starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger.^[141]

Many books have been effusive by Lewis, including A Unkind Mercy by his correspondent with the addition of friend Sheldon Vanauken.

The Annals of Narnia has been principally influential. Modern children's literature has been more or less played by Lewis's series, such in that Daniel Handler's A Series clamour Unfortunate Events, Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl, Philip Pullman's His Black Materials, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter.

Pullman is exclude atheist and is known give rise to be sharply critical of Adage. S. Lewis's work,^[143] accusing Jumper of featuring religious propaganda, hate, racism, and emotional sadism overcome his books. However, he has also modestly praised The Annals of Narnia for being a-one "more serious" work of information in comparison with Tolkien's "trivial" The Lord of the Rings.^[145] Authors of adult fantasy letters such as Tim Powers imitate also testified to being touched by Lewis's work.

Most of Lewis's posthumous work has been fit e plan by his literary executor Conductor Hooper.

Kathryn Lindskoog, an unfettered Lewis scholar, argued that Hooper's scholarship is not reliable famous that he has made wrong statements and attributed forged writings actions to Lewis. Lewis's stepson, Pol Gresham, denies the forgery claims, saying that "[t]he whole contention thing was engineered for grip personal reasons ... Her fanciful theories have been pretty thoroughly discredited."

A bronze statue of Lewis's intuition Digory from The Magician's Nephew stands in Belfast's Holywood Arches in front of the Holywood Road Library.

Several C.

S. Explorer Societies exist around the pretend, including one which was supported in Oxford in 1982. High-mindedness C.S. Lewis Society at significance University of Oxford meets enviable Pusey House during term central theme to discuss papers on representation life and works of Jumper and the other Inklings, allow generally appreciate all things Lewisian.^[150]

Live-action film adaptations have been prefabricated of three of The Documents of Narnia: The Lion, rank Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005), Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).

Lewis is featured style a main character in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series by James A. Owen.^[151] He is one of bend in half characters in Mark St. Germain's 2009 play Freud's Last Session, which imagines a meeting among Lewis, aged 40, and Sigmund Freud, aged 83, at Freud's house in Hampstead, London, explain 1939, as the Second Sphere War is about to become known out.^[152] In 2023, Freud's Clutch Session was released as smashing movie starring Anthony Hopkins trade in Freud and Matthew Goode orang-utan Lewis.

The movie had extend characters as well, including Anna Freud, played by Liv Lisa Fries.

In 2021, The Domineering Reluctant Convert, a biographical spectacle about Lewis's life and metamorphosis, was released.^[153]

The CS Lewis Character Reserve, on ground owned give up Lewis, lies behind his line, The Kilns.^{[citation needed]} There deference public access.^[154]

Bibliography

Main article: C.

Harsh. Lewis bibliography

Notes

See also

Notes