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Scholar speaks on Narnia knowledge
By: Gina Potthoff
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: Campus
C.S. Lewis couldn't hide the secret of "The Chronicles of Narnia" from Michael Ward.
For years scholars have been trying to uncover the underlying theme connecting the seven children's novels written by Lewis, the first of which was published in 1950. While others have suggested the seven deadly sins or even the seven Catholic sacraments, Ward, an author, Anglican priest and scholar from Cambridge University, said he discovered the true answer five years ago while reading another work by Lewis.
The Lewis book series is clearly based on medieval cosmology and that each of the seven books relates specifically to each of the seven cosmos, Ward said.
The author gave a one-hour lecture about his theory in the Union last night to an audience made up of about 70 students and adults.
His book, "Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis," was released Monday by Oxford University Press and has already received good reviews.
In his lecture, Ward explained that Lewis' novels purposely follow the path of the seven cosmos. He said Lewis tells exactly which medieval planet matches which book in the series. For example, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" was themed around the planet Jupiter. The other six novels were based around the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, the sun and the moon.
He also said Lewis never told anyone about this hidden theme so he could communicate to readers' imaginations instead of their intellects.
Lewis wrote to readers' "natural tendency to be oblivious to the obvious" and he wanted each book to convey the message he wanted, Ward said.
He said Lewis considered the seven planets to be spiritual symbols of permanent value, which coincides with the belief the book series was written about Christ.
Ward is touring the United Kingdom and the U.S. from early January to the end of June, making a quick stop in Bowling Green before traveling to Grove City College in Pennsylvania for tomorrow.
For years scholars have been trying to uncover the underlying theme connecting the seven children's novels written by Lewis, the first of which was published in 1950. While others have suggested the seven deadly sins or even the seven Catholic sacraments, Ward, an author, Anglican priest and scholar from Cambridge University, said he discovered the true answer five years ago while reading another work by Lewis.
The Lewis book series is clearly based on medieval cosmology and that each of the seven books relates specifically to each of the seven cosmos, Ward said.
The author gave a one-hour lecture about his theory in the Union last night to an audience made up of about 70 students and adults.
His book, "Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis," was released Monday by Oxford University Press and has already received good reviews.
In his lecture, Ward explained that Lewis' novels purposely follow the path of the seven cosmos. He said Lewis tells exactly which medieval planet matches which book in the series. For example, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" was themed around the planet Jupiter. The other six novels were based around the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, the sun and the moon.
He also said Lewis never told anyone about this hidden theme so he could communicate to readers' imaginations instead of their intellects.
Lewis wrote to readers' "natural tendency to be oblivious to the obvious" and he wanted each book to convey the message he wanted, Ward said.
He said Lewis considered the seven planets to be spiritual symbols of permanent value, which coincides with the belief the book series was written about Christ.
Ward is touring the United Kingdom and the U.S. from early January to the end of June, making a quick stop in Bowling Green before traveling to Grove City College in Pennsylvania for tomorrow.
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