C.S. Lewis Quote #6 - The Narnia Code

In 2009, when Beth and I vacationed in Europe to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary, we spent a few days in Oxford.  A couple of my friends who both attended Oxford as students told me to be sure to check out Blackwell's Bookstore.  That was a great suggestion, and I came home loaded with books.  The story is recounted in my blog Being There - a Pilgrimage.  One of the books I picked up that day was Planet Narnia by Michael Ward.  This scholarly work, subtitled "The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis" puts forth a theory that Lewis used the medieval understanding of the cosmos, with its planetary personalities, to give shape to the Chronicles of Narnia.  It is far too detailed of a premise to get into in this post, but if you would like to read more check out Michael Ward's website.

The Reverend Doctor Michael Ward began developing this idea after he noticed a particular verse in a poem written by C.S. Lewis.  While working on his doctoral dissertation Michael Ward was reading the section of The Planets that deals with Jove, or Jupiter, when he was struck by its resonance with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The poem speaks of "winter passed / And guilt forgiven" and goes on to give what Ward contends is "essentially a plot summary" of this Narnia book.

For this post's Lewis quote I thought I would share that section of the poem The Planets that set Michael Ward's imagination and scholarly pursuit racing.

Joy and jubilee. It is JOVE's orbit,

Filled and festal, faster turning

With arc ampler. From the Isles of Tin

Tyrian traders, in trouble steering

Came with his cargoes; the Cornish treasure

That his ray ripens. Of wrath ended

And woes mended, of winter passed

And guilt forgiven, and good fortune

Jove is master; and of jocund revel,

Laughter of ladies. The lion-hearted,

The myriad-minded, men like the gods,

Helps and heroes, helms of nations

Just and gentle, are Jove's children,

Work his wonders. On his white forehead

Calm and kingly, no care darkens

Nor wrath wrinkles: but righteous power

And leisure and largess their loose splendours

Have wrapped around him – a rich mantle

Of ease and empire. Up far beyond

from "The Planets" (1938)

The picture is from the front sitting room of The Kilns, Lewis' home in Oxford.