‘Further Up and Further In’ Biblical Themes and Imagery in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia Name: James Hannan BA. ID No: 0811181 University: Mary Immaculate College. Award: Master of Arts by Research and Dissertation. Supervisor: Dr. Jessie Rogers. Internal Examiner: Dr. Eamonn Conway. External Examiner: Dr. Michael Howlett. Word Count: 59,358. Submitted to the University of Limerick, September 2013 0 ABSTRACT Clive Staples Lewis is one of the most popular and renowned authors and lay theologians of the twentieth century. Lewis is best known for The Chronicles of Narnia series, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. As a committed Anglican who was well versed in the Bible, Lewis wrote extensively on the subject of Christianity. Lewis’ thoughts on the subject were not confined to just his academic writings; his fictional work which also includes The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy has biblical allusions permeating the narratives. This dissertation comprehensively explores biblical themes in The Chronicles of Narnia. I have identified the allusions throughout the Narnian heptalogy and have catalogued and analyzed them within the overarching themes of Christology, Creationism, the Trinity and Eschatology. This literary study has been enhanced by researching authorial intention in that I have also corroborated Lewis’ theological stance as expressed within his academic writings. In light of the patterns discerned in Lewis’ use of the Bible, I conclude that Lewis uses a Christocentric reading of both Old and New Testaments and that he follows a Christian reading of the canonical biblical metanarrative. Although biblical allusion is pervasive, the primary reason for it is to fill out the figure of Aslan and establish him as the Christ figure in Narnia. i DECLARATION I declare that this dissertation – ‘Further Up and Further In’: Biblical Themes and Imagery in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia - is my own work. All quotations from other sources are duly acknowledged and referenced. _______________________________ James J. Hannan. _______________________________ 13 September 2013. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor Jessie Rogers for her help throughout the writing of this dissertation. Thank you for making yourself so available for meetings and for replying quickly to the hundreds of emails which I inundated you with. For reading through several drafts and guiding me throughout the process. I would also like to thank Dr. Eamonn Conway for his advice and encouragement along the way and providing me with an opportunity for postgraduate study. A huge thank you and all my love to my wife Emily Hannan for giving me the time and the quiet house I needed to read and write and also for her uncompromising support throughout the process. I love you most of all. Also a special thank you to Reverend Michael Biven who as a lifelong follower of the writings of C.S. Lewis, had amassed a large library of his work which he so graciously shared with me. Thank you to my mother in law Janet Ray and my son Fíonn for their love and prayers. My sincerest thanks to all of you, without your assistance and your support this dissertation would have been almost impossible. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... i Declaration................................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1 - Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 - Methodology ................................................................................................................. 2 1.2 - C.S. Lewis as a Reader of Scripture. ............................................................................. 4 1.3 - C.S. Lewis’ Bible ........................................................................................................ 12 1.4 - Literary Allusion ......................................................................................................... 14 1.5 - The Chronicles of Narnia Synopsis ............................................................................. 16 Chapter 2 - Aslan as Jesus: Christological Themes ........................................................... 26 2.1 - Lewis on Aslan as Christ ............................................................................................. 27 2.2 - Symbolic Associations of Lions .................................................................................. 30 2.3 - Aslan as Redeemer ...................................................................................................... 33 2.4 - Brief Appearances of Aslan ........................................................................................ 44 2.5 - Aslan References ......................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 3 - The Chronicles of Narnia and Genesis 1-3 ..................................................... 55 3.1 - Genesis 1-3 .................................................................................................................. 56 3.2 - Lewis on Genesis ........................................................................................................ 60 3.3 - The Creation of Narnia ................................................................................................ 60 3.4 - Narnia and Genesis 3................................................................................................... 70 3.5 - The Influence of Milton’s Paradise Lost .................................................................... 76 Chapter 4 - Echoes of the Trinity in Narnia ....................................................................... 84 4.1 - The Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea..................................................................................... 86 4.2 - The Holy Spirit in Narnia ............................................................................................ 88 4.3 - Father Christmas ......................................................................................................... 91 4.4 - Myself ......................................................................................................................... 95 iv Chapter 5 - Eschatology in Narnia ....................................................................................... 99 5.1 - The Beast and the False Prophet ............................................................................... 100 5.2 - Narnia and the Olivet Discourse ............................................................................... 101 5.3 - Emeth – The Anonymous Narnian ............................................................................ 107 5.4 - The End of Narnia ..................................................................................................... 109 5.5 - Lewis on Purgatory and Heaven ............................................................................... 112 5.6 - Lewis on Eschatology ............................................................................................... 119 Chapter 6 - Minor Themes ................................................................................................. 122 6.1 - Mosaic Themes in Narnia ......................................................................................... 122 6.2 - Remembering Commandments ................................................................................. 129 6.3 - Temptation in Narnia ................................................................................................ 130 6.4 - Communion/Eucharist in Narnia ............................................................................... 135 6.5 - Pride .......................................................................................................................... 138 6.6 - Water Which Quenches Thirst .................................................................................. 142 Chapter 7 – Lewis’ Use of the Bible: Approach, Stance and Filter ................................ 144 7.1 - Approach ................................................................................................................... 148 7.2 - Stance ........................................................................................................................ 159 7.3 - Filter .......................................................................................................................... 161 Chapter 8 - Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 165 8.1 - Patterns Discerned in Lewis’ Use of Scripture. ........................................................ 168 8.2 - Where Lewis Uses the Bible ..................................................................................... 173 8.3 – The Function of the Biblical Allusions .................................................................... 174 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 179 Appendices ..........................................................................................................................