The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain by Sørina Higgins (PDF)

Description

Will King Arthur ever return to England? He already has. In the midst of war-torn Britain, King Arthur returned in the writings of the Oxford Inklings. Learn how J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield brought hope to their times and our own in their Arthurian literature. Although studies of the “Oxford Inklings” abound, astonishingly enough, none has yet examined their great body of Arthurian work. Yet each of these major writers tackled serious and relevant questions about government, gender, violence, imperialism, secularism, and spirituality through their stories of the Quest for the Holy Grail. This rigorous and sophisticated volume studies does so for the first time. This serious and substantial volume addresses a complex subject that scholars have for too long overlooked. The contributors show how, in the legends of King Arthur, the Inklings found material not only for escape and consolation, but also, and more importantly, for exploring moral and spiritual questions of pressing contemporary concern. —Michael Ward, Fellow of Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, and co-editor of C.S. Lewis at Poets’ CornerThis volume follows Arthurian leylines in geographies of myth, history, gender, and culture, uncovering Inklings lodestones and way markers throughout. A must read for students of the Inklings. —Aren Roukema, Birkbeck, University of London

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review A gathering with an acknowledged bias toward and emphasis on Charles Williams, The Inklings and King Arthur offers new insights on the difficult and demanding Arthurian poetry of this least critically studied Inkling. But it has as well an impressive array of essays on all the preeminent Inklings–Tolkien and Lewis and Williams and Barfield–that will be a significant contribution to the study of their Arthurian works in particular and of twentieth-century Arthurian literature in general. —Verlyn Flieger, Author of Splintered Light, A Question of Time, and Interrupted MusicIn recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the Arthurian legends and their world were of vital importance to the writing and thought of the major Inklings. Under Sørina Higgins’ enterprising editorship, this adventurous and illuminating volumes offers a wealth of insights–from theoretical, contextual, interpretative, and other viewpoints–which will move the study of Barfield, Lewis, Tolkien, Williams, and their immediate predecessors into new and exciting territory, showing that the Inklings’ concern with the ‘Matter of Britain’ was motivated not by nostalgia but by urgent concern for the present and future. –Grevel Lindop, author of Charles Williams: The Third InklingThe Inklings and King Arthur: Owen Barfield, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams on the Matter of Britain is a powerful collection of essays that fills a gaping hole in Inklings’ scholarship. While many readers have long noted the presence of Arthurian motifs and allusions in the works of the Inklings, few are aware of how extensive these connections are. Sørina Higgins has drawn together an impressive group of scholars who offer scholarly yet thoroughly readable essays covering the scope, depth, and influence of Arthuriana in writings of Barfield, Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams. This book should be on the shelf of all Inklings readers. –Don W. King, Montreat College, author of C. S. Lewis, PoetThe Inklings and King Arthur is a very significant addition to serious study of the Inklings circle of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and their friends. It distinctively focusses upon the group rather than only on Lewis, Tolkien, or other members individually, as has often been the case. The circle is represented convincingly in featuring four of the shaping members, all important writers, and their common interest in King Arthur and the Matter of Britain as a living and breathing tradition. This theme is demonstrated to be an important key for unlocking the heartbeat of the informal group, and dispels the persistent myth that the Inklings were not part of, nor relevant to, the concerns of modernist writers after World War I. This deeply researched, sharply up-to-date, and well-unified collection of essays provides a wealth of discoveries for the reader and opens many doors for further Inklings’ study. –;Colin Duriez, author of The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien and Their Circle, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship, and other books relating to the Inklings.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This review is written from the perspective of a professional scholar who considers himself both an Arthurian and a Tolkienist, but an Arthurian first.The Inklings and King Arthur is an edited volume of nineteen chapters dealing with the work of the Inklings (J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C.S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield) as it intersects with ‘The Matter of Britain’, i.e. Arthurian subject matter. The text is divided thematically into sections titled “Texts and Intertexts”, “Histories Past”, “Histories Present”, “Geographies of Gender”, and “Cartographies of the Spirit”. Included also are an editorial introduction which clarifies the above divisions, an “Inventory of Inklings Arthuriana” which is of particular interest for those with a burgeoning interest in the topic, a conclusion by the highly-regarded Poet-Priest Malcolm Guite, and a thorough bibliographic appendix.The authors of the chapters are a diverse array of scholars: practised, up-and-coming, and independent. Absent are the eminent and already well-represented voices of P.J.C. Field, D. Thomas Hanks, Raluca Radulescu, and others who have characterised the study of Arthuriana for the past half-century. This is no detriment to the volume, however: the works of eminent Arthurians are readily to be found in every other major edited volume on the topic, giving this text the sense of a fresh approach—one which casts light on an unfortunately underexplored area of the field of Arthurian studies.On the whole, the chapters are cogently-argued and well-researched; indeed, in some the tendency to overcite is present, again likely due to the author’s relative newness to the profession. But it is far better to over-cite than to under-cite, and there is no sense that the arguments of others are being used as a crutch. Instead, the chapters are supported by a dialogue with many eminent scholars, although they take issue with some long-standing assumptions (and support their positions admirably when they do).It is difficult succinctly and completely to review an edited collection, especially one of the size and scope of this particular text. However, suffice it to say that this is a well-researched volume which no Arthurian or scholar of the Inklings should be without.

⭐Higgins has done an admirable job of editing a volume that explores the issue of Arthuriana and the Inklings from every possible angle. This volume will be definitional for at least a generation. This is the place to start if you have any interests in the area. I think they should just award her her PhD now on the basis of this, and let her get on with her life. Sheesh. This is about 4 dissertations worth of work.

⭐This great collection of study is perfect for any library. It seems slightly Lewis heavy, but that is sensible as he heavily drew on Arthurian legend for his Space Trilogy.

⭐Substantial volume, wide ranging and insightfulSure to be a book of import

⭐Not for the casual reader.

⭐This lengthy, heavy repetitive book reads as if it were a transcription of a spohomore coffee session. No new insights, no new research. No with a buck.

⭐As a longtime blogger on C.S. Lewis related themes, I was offered a review copy of this edition. Integrity demands I mention this at the outset of this review. Likewise, that same integrity requires that my comments be honest, and what follows reflects my genuine impression of the book.The volume’s editor, Sørina Higgins, gathered an impressive group of Inkling scholars to contribute. She is a poet, and Chair of Language and Literature at Signum University.This book belongs in the library of every fan of the Inklings and each student of King Arthur. The truth is that anyone interested in British literature or the Dark Ages will find much that appeals to their curiosity. King Arthur is known around the world as an archetypal hero, and he was a central fixture in the minds of the Inklings who were, of course, citizens of the United Kingdom.The Inklings & King Arthur (TIKA) is impressive in every way. However, it’s 555 rich pages should not intimidate potential readers. The individual chapters can be approached in any manner the reader desires. Even if a few of the chapter titles fail to resonate with a particular reader, the solid value of the remainder far exceed the price of the work.TIKA does not require a familiarity with its subject. The academic background of the contributors allows them to usher readers into rewarding discussions without additional research. C.S. Lewis described “the task of the modern educator [as] not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” The writers in this volume have written so clearly that even if your knowledge of King Arthur is the Mojave, and your familiarity with the Inklings is the Sahara, you will enjoy reading this book.Truth be told, much has been written about King Arthur. Likewise, films have explored the myths, with varying degrees of faithfulness. Some make no effort at all to be faithful to the inspiring story. An extreme example would be the ludicrous storyline of the 2017 film, Transformers: The Last Knight. In striking contrast to this, the Inklings sought to penetrate the mists of time and discern the reason Arthur’s story has inspired men and women for so many generations.In the book’s introduction, Higgins says her hope was “to fill a sizeable hole in the field of Inkling studies.” She surely achieved this task. She also says “the present collection endeavors to usher the field of Inklings studies into more rigorous theoretical territory.” This goal, the contributors have surpassed.Proceeding to some specific comments, my first would be to point out the accuracy of the volume’s title. It is an exploration of “the Inklings,” rather than simply Lewis and/or Tolkien. The fact that less well-known members of the literary group wrote the most Arthuriana means their works are particularly well represented in the current collection. In fact, the inclusion of a chapter on G.K. Chesterton reveals the influence on the subject exerted by a pre-Inkling.This fact might discourage a potential reader who is disinterested in the lesser known authors. However, the truth is, exposure to work of these friends and influencers of the most famous Inklings (Tolkien and Lewis) helps us better understand them and the confluences that flowed together in that unique literary fellowship.It would be challenging to find any flaw in this amazing volume. Its sole weakness, in this reviewer’s opinion, is that it is so detailed and thorough, that it transcends the reading skills (or perhaps, “tastes”) of some of today’s readers. Despite that, the authors have gone to significant effort to write clearly and make their extremely detailed subject matter accessible to all.In his influential essay “On Fairy Stories,” J.R.R. Tolkien describes the dense blend of mythologies present in the story of Arthur, using the image of a pot of soup with various ingredients added over time.It seems fairly plain that Arthur, once historical (but perhaps as such not of greatimportance), was also put into the Pot. There he was boiled for a long time, together with many other older figures and devices, of mythology and Faerie, and even some other stray bones of history (such as Alfred’s defence against the Danes), until he emerged as a King of Faerie.The soup or stew pot serves as a fitting metaphor for The Inklings & King Arthur. This exceptional volume offers a potent mix of wisdom and insights that go beyond the boundaries of its title. Readers will be rewarded, in fact, with many satisfying literary meals.

⭐For the moment I will say only this: get this book; read this book; read it again.

⭐In my reading list

Keywords

Free Download The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain in PDF format
The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain PDF Free Download
Download The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain 2017 PDF Free
The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain 2017 PDF Free Download
Download The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain PDF
Free Download Ebook The Inklings and King Arthur: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield on the Matter of Britain