~~~--,-~-~"="~~~=-·~----"-~-~=~,·-~=--~~,~~-~~-~~-,-~~~-=~~==~=-·=1 I I CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE I C. S. LEWIS' "THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA": TOWARDS A DEFINITION OF THE GENRE OF THE CHRISTIAN APOCALYPSE A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English by Peter Wilhelmsson August 23, 1976 The thesis of Peter Wilhelmsson is approved: David M. Andersen Mahlon Gaumer III 1 Stephen ~eid California State University, Northridge l l~~~--~-·-·"~-·-~-~ ...~~~-~·--·~-~~~ .. -·~·~---~~~~--~~~~~·~-~· ~~-·~----~~~ -~---=~-~ ~---~·~ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I give special thanks to Dr. David Andersen who patiently worked with me to see this work completed and to !all my friends who have been to Narnia: Lars, Don, Hal, Ricki, and Niqi. I L_~ ~·«---·-~~~=~-~-"--·,.---~ ~--~~-~~~ ·=~-----~ ·-,.~--~--~"~-~-~--~ ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENT . ii ABSTRACT . iv CHAPTER I Myth and Allegory 1 I I CHAPTER II The Utopian Tradition: The City Of Man ..... 19 ICHAPTER III The Apocalyptic Tradition: The City Of God ..... 44 i l CHAPTER IV The Christian Apocalyptic Vision I 75 ' In "The Chronicles of Narnia" APPENDICES 1-7 . 126 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 144 iii ABSTRACT C. S. LEWIS 1 "THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA": TOWARDS A DEFINITION OF THE GENRE OF THE CHRISTIAN APOCALYPTIC VISION BY Peter Wilhelmsson Master of Arts in English Most of us are familiar with the central theme of utopia in such works as The Republic, Utopia, Looking Backward, and Walden Two; but because the Christian apoca- lyptic tradition has not been defined previously, it is more difficult for the modern reader to see a common thread of prophecy and hope weaving together works such as the Old Testament, the New Testament, Paradise Lost, Pilgrim's Progress and the writings of C.S. Lewis. This thesis pre- sents C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" as one of the most recent of several works in the history of literature which have captured glimpses of "the city of God." Althoug this paper is by no means definitive, it picks up this thread of vision at selected times in literary history in an attempt to give the reader an understanding of------'""'""" the iv -==<=~M'"~=•-~<=ill~~·•~••~==~~""~~=~=o~•==~~W~•=-~-.. o~•·•=•c•==~-"~~-~-~cm~~=~~~===-·~-··-"~'=<n.·•~•~••w=•==~~- meaning and history of the genre of the Christian apocalyp- tic vision. 1l Since this vision is conveyed through myth, I use l Lewis' platonic view of myth to examine the Christian apoca 1 lyptic vision of "The Chronicles of Narnia." Whereas allegory is seen by Lewis as factual analogy, myth is viewed as transcending fact and portraying eternal truth. Myth is defined as a divinely inspired product of the imagination portraying a vision of an unseen super-natural realm. Man's dreams, hopes, and plans for an ideal society constitute the core of the firmly established utopian tradi tion in Western literature. I have identified the kinds of historical utopians as follows: The ideal city-state of 1 the classical period, the ideal nation of the Renaissance, and the ideal world as depicted by writers of the modern )period. With many basic similarities to the visions of the !utopian state, what essentially sets it off is that the Christian apocalyptic kingdom is inspired and established by a revelation of God's divine plan. Fallen man's attempts to establish a perfect environment is seen as futile by the Christian apocalyptic writers, who believe that only God can bring it to pass. C.S. Lewis, John Bun- yan, John Milton and the writers of the Bible all focus Jon "the city of God" as the invading celestial city which I will conquer this earth. I In the seven narratives of "The Chronicles of -~.. ,~~~<•··~~·~·<~,.-.~•·-••"-~"-"'"-•~-··•~----~~"''"-·-··----•~=-~~-~·~.--~·~··~-·~·"•·-·-~~•=-=·-·--·--~··•,.,...1 v arnia," c.s. Lewis reshaped Biblical myths and concepts presented earlier by other Christian apocalyptic writers. Within his imaginative adventure stories is embedded his understanding of God's dealings with and plan for mankind. vi r·~~~~-·~~~·~·••<<•~<•-~~·~"<>>o=c>~~-~~c-"r~"''=--=~-~-~~~-~~~=-·===<=<"--~-~-~~~~-~~·~=<M~===~~W-~~-=~~ CHAPTER I MYTH AND ALLEGORY The theme of the apocalyptic vision in C.S. Lewis' !"The Chronicles of Narnia" can best be discovered, identi­ ! fied, and revealed through an examination of C.S. Lewis' view and use of myth and allegory. This chapter defines, I illustrates, and expands c.s. Lewis' definition of myth and, )allegory. The chapter "On Myth" in his book An Experiment jin Criticism associates myth with the following six points: 1 1) perspective of the "extra-literary," 2) patterns of life that myth mirrors, 3) lack of human sympathy, 4) ele ment of the impossible, 5) tone of solemnity, and 6) in- spiration of awe. The first point maintains that myth stands on its own without the literary frills; it has an "extra-literary" quality. According to Lewis, the value of myth is.in its J information. How the myth is communicated is not lmportan~ There is, then, a particular kind of story which has a value in itself [the myth]--a value indepen- dent of its embodiment in any literary works. The story of Orpheus strikes and strikes deep, of it- self; the fact that Virgil and others have told it 1 in good poetry is irrelevant.l J What is important is that these myths are stories with a - very simple narrative shape--"a satisfactory and inevitabl shape, like a good vase or a tulip." 2 If a myth could be l ~~n:c~ ~-~~.~-~!~~~~~-.~~"~e=e~~-ly-~~~~o:_.~~.::_j 1 2 Lewis said that his aim was not ". to provide criteria by which we can classify stories as mythical or non-mythi- 1 cal ," 3 for he defined myths by their effect upon the reader 1 .I What is myth for one man may be just an exciting 'yarn' for another. One either relates to the truth conveyed in the myth or one relates solely to the pattern of events in a story. Thus, in the "On Myth" chapter Lewis defines two types of myth readers, the "extra-literary" and the "un- literary." For instance, the lover of myth, moved by the myth as long as he lives, receives the substance of the truth conveyed. He is "extra-literary," concerned with content, not form. This myth-lover extracts the truth from the myth, because it is his paramount focus and not the litl erary style of the story. In contrast to the myth-lover, lis what Lewis calls the "unliterary" person who reads half­ lheartedly, expecting to be amused or entertained by events land literary modes to hold his attention to the story. This person, after the initial excitement and curiosityhav left, soon forgets any symbolic meaning extracted from the story. In contrast to both the "extra-literary" and "un- literary" is the literary person whose focus is on style Ialone. I l The second characteristic of myth focuses on a 1 'world reflected by the myth story. Myth introduces us to J """"'-E:-<=-=~=-"""""""""~....,...-=--""=""""'""""'-~-~~-"~-~=~··,··1••••:="""""""~----------""-'="="""'"-""'"""""----- 3 an object of contemplation as Lewis relates in AnExperimen on Criticism: The pleasure of myth depends hardly at all on such usual narrative attractions as suspense or surprise. Even at a first hearing it is felt to be inevitable. And the first hearing is chiefly valuable in intro­ ducing us to a permanent object of contemplation-­ more like a thing than a narration--which works upon us by its peculiar flavor or quality, rather as a smell or a chord does.4 Lewis' conviction that our real, visible world is a shimmerl ing reflection of a more real, invisible world is the basis of h:: :::::Yo::Ym:::~pses of the higher world breaking I in the brush of our finitude, and these glimpses are 1 caught by the imagination. The simple and imagina­ tive narrative re-expression of these glimpses of the core of reality is what Lewis means by myth. Myths are a real, though unfocused gleam of divine univer­ sal truth falling on human imagination.5 Lewis believed great myth to be a vehicle which enables man to express the inexpressible. It is the best embodi- ment of that which transcends fact. Dr. Dabney Hart's !repeated conclusion in her study of Lewis' conception of myth and allegory maintains that he considered myth "the 6 1 embodiment of universal truth." l This understanding of C.S. Lewis' belief concerning lmyth is further strengthened by Gary Friesen's thesis. 1 History focuses on events, myth conveys the essence of 1those events. Myth describes the divine, operating forces 1 I and laws within historical events. According to Friesen, l 'Lewis does not, however, separate fact and truth as distinc L~.~"""""~~--~~~~-~··-~L~............ "'''·····~··"'-~"'·~-.-~"~~·-----~~~·~~---.--~--~·-~·-~·-=·---·····---~·~l 4 F:~~-~!~~~~n~~~;~- !~ h!~t~~-l cate truth. In the space novel written by Lewis, Perelandra, Ransom discovers that it is only on earth that there is a distinction between fact and myth. Lewis says that in the incarnation of Christ is seen on earth the combination of myth and fact. The birth of Jesus is the time when the great myth became Fact. Myth is an expression of reality rather than just fact. In Christ's coming myth and history became one.7 Professor Lewis saw Jesus Christ, for instance, as the "Eternal Reality" and "The Eternal Fact" well able to inte- grate myth and fact.8 Christ claimed to be the Messiah jabout whom the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied, he who fulfilled the scores of prophecies concerning the coming one. I believe the clearest picture of the Messiah in the Old Testament Scriptures is found in the fifty-third chap- ter of the book of Isaiah where he is revealed as God's "suffering servant." Here is a rather complete description of the person and ministry of the anointed one of God. Lewis also saw other glimpses of Christ throughout the myth of the Old Testament Scriptures; Christ's exist- ence was mirrored in the writings of the prophets who received revelations of Him.