Volume 34
Number 2
Article 12
4-15-2016
Reviews
Reviews
Rebekah Choat
Independent Scholar
Joe R. Christopher
(emeritus) Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX
Cait Coker
Independent Scholar
Janet Brennan Croft
Rutgers University, NJ
Mike Foster
(retired) Illinois Central College in East Peoria, IL
See next page for additional authors
Follow this and additional works at:
https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore
Part of the
Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons
Recommended Citation
Recommended Citation
Choat, Rebekah; Christopher, Joe R.; Coker, Cait, et al. (2016) "Reviews," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R.
Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 34 : No. 2 , Article 12. Available at:
http://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol34/iss2/12
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Mythcon 51: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien
Albuquerque, New Mexico • Postponed to: July 30 – August 2, 2021
Abstract
Abstract
Charles Williams: The Third Inkling. Grevel Lindop. Reviewed by Scott McLaren.
The Chapel of the Thorn: A Dramatic Poem. Charles Williams. Edited and Introduced by Sørina Higgins.
Reviewed by Scott McLaren.
Women and C.S. Lewis: What His Life and Literature Reveal For Today’s Culture. Carolyn Curtis and Mary
Pomroy Key, eds. Reviewed by Rebekah Choat.
Tolkien Among the Moderns. Edited by Ralph C. Wood. Reviewed by Andrew C. Stout.
Tolkien. Raymond Edwards. Reviewed by Cait Coker.
Children into Swans: Fairy Tales and the Pagan Imagination. Jan Beveridge. Reviewed by Brian Roberts.
Trilby/The Crumb Fairy. Charles Nodier. Translated and adapted by Ruth Berman. Reviewed by Kelly Orazi.
The Prince of the Aquamarines. Louise Cavalier Levesque. Trans. and with an afterword by Ruth Berman.
Reviewed by Kelly Orazi.
The Lessons of Nature in Mythology. Rachel S. McCoppin. Reviewed by Kristine Larsen.
Hither Shore: Jahrbuch der Deutschen Tolkien Gesellschaft. Special issue: Nature and Landscape in
Tolkien. Ed. Thomas Fornet-Ponse et al. Reviewed by Janet Brennan Croft.
Seven: An Anglo-American Literary Review. Ed. Marjorie Lamp Mead. Reviewed by Janet Brennan Croft.
Tolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review. Ed. Michael D.C. Drout, Verlyn Flieger, and David Bratman.
Reviewed by Janet Brennan Croft.
The Skill of a Seeker: Rowling, Religion and Gen 9/11. Marilyn R. Pukkila. Reviewed by Emily Moniz
Mirova.
Light: C.S. Lewis's First and Final Short Story. Charlie W. Starr. Reviewed by Melody Green.
The Story of Kullervo. J.R.R. Tolkien. Edited and introduced by Verlyn Flieger. Reviewed by Mike Foster.
The Victorian Approach to Modernism in the Fiction of Dorothy L. Sayers. Aoife Leahy. Reviewed by Joe R.
Christopher.
Reading Joss Whedon. Rhonda V. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson, and David Lavery, eds.
Reviewed by by Janet Brennan Croft.
Authors
Authors
Rebekah Choat, Joe R. Christopher, Cait Coker, Janet Brennan Croft, Mike Foster, Melody Green, Kristine
Larsen, Scott McLaren, Emily Moniz Mirova, Kelly Orazi, Brian Roberts, and Andrew C. Stout
Reviews
C
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G re v e l L in d o p . O x fo rd : O x fo rd U P , 2015. 493 p . ISBN 978-0-19-928415-3. $34.95.T
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C h a rle s W illiam s. E d ite d a n d I n tr o d u c e d b y Sø r in a H ig g in s . B erkeley: A p o c ry p h ile P re ss, 2014. 147 p. ISBN 978-1940671536. $16.95C h a r l e s W i l l i a m s h a s t h i s m u c h i n c o m m o n w ith th e p o s ts tr u c tu ra lis ts w h o s e th e o rie s cam e to d o m in a te lite r a ry c ritic ism in th e la te m id d le d e c a d e s o f th e tw e n tie th c e n tu ry : h e d id n o t b e lie v e th a t th e b io g ra p h ic a l d e ta ils o f a p o e t's life c o u ld e lu c id a te th e p o e tr y sh e o r h e w ro te . C ritic ism m u s t, h e a rg u e d , " e x p la in p o e tr y b y p o e tr y [...] b e c a u s e p o e tr y is a th in g su i
generis" (L in d o p 193). W h a te v e r h e ig h ts of b rillia n c e W illia m s a c h ie v e d in h is
o w n lite r a ry criticism , in th is a t le a s t h e w a s a lm o s t c e rta in ly w ro n g . T h is o u ts ta n d in g a n d m e tic u lo u s ly re s e a rc h e d b io g r a p h y b y G re v e l L in d o p s h e d s n o t o n ly n e w b u t a s to n is h in g lig h t o n C h a rle s W illia m s as p o et, n o v elist, a n d lite r a ry critic; as o c c u ltist a n d C h ris tia n ; a n d as e d ito r a n d p u b lis h e r. M o s t e x tr a o rd in a ry , h o w e v e r, are th e re v e la tio n s b r o u g h t to l i g h t—a n d th e s e fo r th e first tim e sin ce W illia m s 's u n tim e ly d e a th in th e s p r in g o f 1 9 4 5 —a b o u t h is life as a h u s b a n d , a fa th e r, a n d e sp e c ia lly a lover.
U n d e r L in d o p 's sk illfu l p e n , W illia m s 's d e v e lo p m e n t as a lite ra ry fig u re se e m s to flo w n a tu r a lly a n d e n g a g in g ly fro m th e d e ta ils o f h is e v e ry d a y life. O n th e v e ry first p a g e , fo r e x a m p le , L in d o p d ra w s a lin e b e tw e e n W illia m s 's p o o r e y e s ig h t in e a rly c h ild h o o d a n d h is la te r b o o k is h n e ss. B ecause W illia m s c o u ld n e v e r see as w e ll as m o s t, h e t u r n e d n a tu r a lly to th e k in d s of te x ts a n d a b s tra c tio n s th a t h e c o u ld d r a w n e a r e r to h im se lf. C o n se q u e n tly , L in d o p w rite s, "T h e p h y s ic a l w o r ld w o u ld a lw a y s be, fo r h im , a little u n re a l" (5). F o r th e re a d e r , h o w e v e r, W illia m s 's c h ild h o o d co m es in to s h a r p focus. St. A lb a n s, w h e re W illia m s g re w u p , co m es as m u c h to life o n th e p a g e s o f th is b io g r a p h y as it d o e s in W illia m s 's o w n n o v els. L in d o p also u n d e rs c o re s th e im p o rta n c e o f W illia m s 's a d o le s c e n t fr ie n d s h ip s as h e u n fo ld s th e w a y s in w h ic h a s h a r e d e x p o s u r e to C o v e n try P a tm o r e 's " lite r a r y b r e w o f re lig io n ,
Reviews
poetry, and sex" (31) came to exert a lifelong influence on his prolific
imagination. Indeed, one might even say that the entire narrative arc of
Lindop's book points persuasively to the fact that Williams spent the whole of
his life working out in one context or another the mysterious connection
between sexual love, theology, and literature. These ideas, at the very core of
Williams's identity as a writer and as a man, were present from the beginning.
Unlike virtually every other scholar before him, Lindop does not shy
away from describing in great detail Williams's formative involvement in A.E.
Waite's Fellowship of the Rosy Cross or his decidedly unusual relationships
with women. By the time Williams met his future wife Florence Conway, he
was already intellectually committed to the idea that a mysterious spiritual
relationship existed between sexual and creative energy. Indeed, Lindop
provides ample evidence that Williams experimented and came to rely on his
frustrated sexual desire for Florence—what Williams termed "renunciation" —
in order to write his first substantial poetic work: The Silver Stair. After
Williams married Florence, however, it soon became obvious that she could no
longer serve in the role of unattainable muse. "Why the devil," Williams wrote
in a letter in 1925, "does anyone ever get married? What does marriage, and its
consequences do for any human but cause disappointment, misery, disillusion,
unhappiness, strife, tumult, weariness, boredom, sickness, malevolence,
hatred, cruelty, stubbornness, anger, torment?" (87). Without a muse, Williams
was miserable. What Florence was for him during their courtship, she could
never be in their marriage. The fact that he had a young son and needed
money to pay the bills only made things worse. Williams needed a new muse.
Lindop's descriptive analysis of Williams's confusing, intense, chaste,
and remarkably protracted relationship with Phyllis Jones, the librarian at
Oxford University Press where Williams worked as an editor, is a major
highlight of the book. When Phyllis met Williams she was, in Lindop's words,
"blonde, pretty, lively and twenty-two years old" (123). Williams, on the other
hand, was greying and almost forty. To escape the cacophony of his home, he
spent countless hours at work and became steadily more involved in Waite's
Fellowship of the Rosy Cross. Waite's order, meanwhile, fed Williams's
imagination and sharpened his ideas about the relationship between religion,
sex, and poetry. Around this time he also finished a draft of a book on what he
called romantic theology. Phyllis—or Celia as she became known in the
elaborate mythology Williams constructed around her—became the
centerpiece of his creative universe, appeared in his novels, informed his
poetry, and eventually broke his heart when she slept with one of his
colleagues at the Press. Williams was shattered. But he insisted on believing
that what he had seen in her before, what was now ruined, somehow remained
utterly inviolable. It was she, and it was not she: a paradox that came to inhabit
R eview s
th e v e ry core o f W illia m s 's th e o lo g y . A n d yet, h o w e v e r sp e c ia l P h y llis m a y h a v e b e e n , h e n e v e rth e le s s w e n t o n to d e v e lo p sim ila r re la tio n s h ip s w ith o th e r y o u n g w o m e n as w ell.
R e a d e rs o f th is re v ie w m ig h t w o n d e r w h y th e re h a s b e e n n o m e n tio n o f C.S. L e w is a n d J.R.R. T o lk ien . A lth o u g h L in d o p b e g in s th e b o o k w ith a d ra m a tic re te llin g o f W illia m s 's fa m o u s 1940 le c tu re o n M ilto n 's C o m u s a t O x fo rd U n iv e rs ity in th e c o m p a n y o f L e w is a n d T o lk ien , th e s e m e n in fact p la y e d n o re a l p a r t in W illia m s 's life u n til h is id e a s w e re all b u t set. A n d th o u g h L in d o p is a b le to s h o w in s e v e ra l p la c e s h o w W illia m s in flu e n c e d th e m , th e in flu e n c e L e w is a n d T o lk ie n e x e rte d o n h im w a s fa r less c o n se q u e n tia l. A fte r all, W illia m s k n e w n o th in g o f L e w is u n til 1936 w h e n h e r e a d a m a n u s c r ip t d ra f t o f T h e A l l e g o r y o f L o v e (a title W illia m s cam e u p w ith in p la c e o f L e w is 's m o r e a w k w a r d a n d o b sc u re T h e H o u s e o f B u s i r a n e). L e w is a n d
W illia m s lik e d a n d a d m ir e d e a c h o th e r. T o lk ien , b y c o n tra st, h a d re s e rv a tio n s a b o u t W illia m s —n o t le a s t b e c a u s e h e re s e n te d L e w is 's affectio n fo r h im . H e re , th e n , is th e o n e p ro b le m w ith th is o th e r w is e o u ts ta n d in g b o o k : ju s t as W illia m s r e title d L e w is 's m a n u s c r ip t a n d th e r e b y h e lp e d e n s u r e its c o m m e rc ia l success, it is n o t d iffic u lt to im a g in e O x fo rd re titlin g L in d o p 's b o o k in th e h o p e of b r o a d e n in g its a p p e a l. B u t C h a rle s W illia m s w a s so v e ry m u c h m o r e th a n th e " th ir d " In k lin g . A n y o n e w h o p ic k s u p th is b o o k e x p e c tin g o n ly th a t w ill be e ith e r d is a p p o in te d , or, o n e ca n o n ly h o p e , p le a s a n tly s u r p r is e d w h e n th is b io g r a p h y d o e s w h a t all g o o d b io g r a p h ie s o f lite r a ry fig u re s m u s t do: p la n t in th e re a d e r a d e s ire to tu r n to th e lite r a ry w o rk s th e m se lv e s.
Sø r in a Hig g in'sed itio no f Willia m s's "Dr a m a tic Po e m" o r p la y T h e C h a p e l o f t h e T h o r n m ig h t b e ju s t th e p la c e to b e g in . In th is b e a u tifu lly p ro d u c e d q u a rto -s ty le v o lu m e , th e re a d e r w ill fin d th e p la y itself, a le n g th y a n d in fo rm a tiv e in tro d u c tio n b y H ig g in s , as w e ll as a p re fa c e b y L in d o p a n d a n e s s a y b y D a v id L le w e lly y n D o d d s . O n e o f W illia m s 's e a rlie s t w o rk s , T h e C h a p e l o f t h e T h o r n w a s c o m p le te d a r o u n d th e tim e h e p u b lis h e d T h e S i l v e r S t a i r in 1912. Set in th e M id d le A g es, th e p la y a n tic ip a te s in so m e re m a rk a b le w a y s W illia m s 's n o v e ls W a r i n H e a v e n, M a n y D i m e n s i o n s, a n d T h e G r e a t e r T r u m p s . L ik e th e s e la te r w o rk s, th e p o e m is c o n s tru c te d a r o u n d a s tru g g le fo r a sa c re d relic im b u e d w ith m y s te rio u s a n d sa c ra m e n ta l p o w e r. G u a r d e d b y a m y s tic a l p r ie s t a n d h is aco ly te in a h u m b le c h a p e l, th e relic is also c la im e d o n b e h a lf of th e in s titu tio n a l C h u rc h b y a local a b b o t w h o w is h e s to u s e it to d r a w p ilg rim s to h is ab b ey . In th e s h a d o w o f so p o w e rfu l a n a n ta g o n is t, th e p r ie s t m a n a g e s to e n lis t th e h e lp o f th e local v illa g e rs w h o p ro m is e to h in d e r th e a b b o t—n o t b e c a u s e th e y re v e re th e relic as a s a c re d o b ject in its o w n rig h t, b u t b e c a u s e th e c h a p e l itself is c o n s tru c te d o v e r th e to m b o f a p a g a n h ero . T h e p la y is m o s tly m a d e u p o f a series o f d e b a te s t h a t ta k e p la c e b e tw e e n th o s e w h o r e p r e s e n t
R eview s
v a rio u s ly th e m y stic a l, ecclesiastical, a n d p a g a n p e rs p e c tiv e s. In th e e n d , W illia m s re fu s e s to re s o lv e th e s e d iffe re n c e s fo r th e r e a d e r p e r h a p s b e c a u se , as L in d o p a rg u e s in h is b io g r a p h y , W illia m s fo u n d w a y s to s y m p a th iz e w ith all th re e . A n y o n e fa m ilia r w ith W illia m s 's n o v e ls w ill d o u b tle s s fin d g re a t p le a s u re in p o r in g o v e r th is p la y a n d se e in g h o w th e m a jo r th e m e s th a t d o m in a te th o s e n a rr a tiv e s a re a lr e a d y activ e in th is fa s c in a tin g w o rk .
A lth o u g h it h a s b e c o m e c o m m o n p la c e fo r re v ie w e r s ro u tin e ly to d e c la re th a t th e b o o k o r b o o k s th e y a re r e v ie w in g are in d is p e n s a b le , in th is case it is re a lly tru e . N o o n e w o rk in g o n W illia m s in a n y s e rio u s w a y w ill b e ab le to m a k e m u c h p r o g r e s s w ith o u t r e a d in g L in d o p 's b io g r a p h y . S im ilarly,
The Chapel o f the Thorn d e m o n s tra te s ju s t h o w im p o r ta n t a p o e t's e a rly w o rk s
ca n b e to o u r o v e ra ll u n d e r s ta n d in g o f h e r o r h is d e v e lo p m e n t. S ch o lars a n d e n th u s ia s tic re a d e r s o f W illia m s s h o u ld b e g ra te fu l to b o th L in d o p a n d H ig g in s fo r th e s e o u ts ta n d in g p u b lic a tio n s.
—S co tt M c L a re n
W
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C a ro ly n C u rtis a n d M a r y P o m r o y K ey, e d s. L io n H u d s o n , 2015. 287 p . ISBN 978-0-7459-5694-7. $17.95.M o r e t h a n f i f t y y e a r s a f t e r h i s d e a t h , t h e w r i t i n g s o f C.S. L e w is c o n tin u e to in s tru c t a n d in s p ire re a d e r s r a n g in g fr o m c h ild re n to a c c o m p lis h e d sc h o la rs. T h e a c c u sa tio n th a t L e w is w a s sexist, o r ev e n m iso g y n istic , also re m a in s in c irc u la tio n a fte r all th is tim e. T h e is s u e h a s b e e n a d d r e s s e d b efo re, b u t p r im a r ily
by
a c a d e m ic s in b o o k sfor
a c a d em ics.E d ito rs C a ro ly n C u rtis a n d M a r y P o m ro y K e y seek to p r e s e n t a m o re accessib le e v a lu a tio n o f L e w is 's a ttitu d e to w a r d w o m e n in b o th h is p e rs o n a l life a n d h is lite r a ry w o rk s, a n d to e x a m in e h is c o n tin u in g re le v a n c e in lig h t of c u rr e n t " w o m e n 's is su e s." To th a t e n d , th e y h a v e co llected e ss a y s fro m e d u c a to rs , p o e ts , a u th o r s o f fiction, p o p u la r sp e a k e rs, a jo u rn a lis t, a n d a c h ild h o o d c o rr e s p o n d e n t o f C.S. L ew is, as w e ll as so m e o f th e m o s t h ig h ly r e s p e c te d liv in g L e w is sch o lars.
T h e b o o k is d iv id e d in to five sectio n s, in w h ic h c o n trib u to rs o ffer in s ig h t in to th e w o m e n in L e w is 's life, th e p o rtra y a l o f g irls a n d w o m e n in h is no v els, th e tr e a tm e n t o f th e fe m in in e in h is p o e try , th e effect o f L e w is 's life a n d
Reviews
literature on twenty-first century understanding of women's roles and rights,
and the impact his views of women have had on current-generation thinkers.
"Section One: Lewis, the man—and the women in his life" is made up
of seven chapters. In the first of these, Crystal Hurd does an admirable job of
fleshing out Flora Lewis, previously known to many only as the mother Lewis
lost in childhood. This brief biographical sketch does much to inform the
reader of the foundation she laid for her sons' intellectual and spiritual
development. It is, in my opinion, the most informative essay in this opening
section. It is followed by Paul McCusker's exploration of the relationship
between Lewis and Mrs. Janie Moore. The chapter discloses no new
information to those familiar with Lewis's life story, but does tease out
connections between the young man's home life and his living arrangement
with the older woman, and highlights Lewis's strong sense of duty and
service, both in his relationship with Mrs. Moore and in his writings. In the
third chapter, Lyle W. Dorsett presents a concise, well-developed biography of
Joy Davidman, examining the impact of Lewis's published works and personal
letters on her conversion, and culminating in their friendship and eventual
marriage. Don W. King's essay presents a scant biographical sketch of Ruth
Pitter but adequately outlines her relationship with Lewis and then contrasts
her personality with Joy Davidman's. In Chapter Five, Crystal A. Downing
offers a well-written examination of Lewis's friendship with Dorothy L. Sayers
and their influence on each other's work. Disappointingly, Chapter Six, by
Alister McGrath, titled "On Tolkien, the Inklings—and Lewis' blindness to
gender," focuses primarily on the Inklings, mentioning the writer's female
friends and his gender-blindness in only one short paragraph near the end of
the piece. Section One closes with the preposterously titled "C.S. Lewis and the
friends who apparently couldn't really have been his friends, but actually
were," an index-like listing compiled by Colin Duriez of nine women—four of
whom were dealt with individually in previous chapters—with whom Lewis
had some connection.
"Section Two: Lewis, the fiction author—how girls and women are
portrayed in his novels" is, I believe, the meatiest part of the book. In the first
chapter, Devin Brown neatly defends The Chronicles of Narnia against popular
accusations of sexism. Next, Steven Elmore provides us with a close look at the
characterization of females in The Space Trilogy, noting the strength and
intelligence of Perelandra's queen, Tinidril, and Jane Studdock's inclusion and
growth in the Fellowship of St. Anne's in That Hideous Strength. Joy Jordan
Lake's chapter contrasts the self-absorption of the female "ghosts" who visit
heaven in The Great Divorce with the magnificent humility and selflessness of
Sarah Smith, who is identified as "one of the great ones" (125). In Chapter
Four, David C. Downing explores the positive influence of Lewis's mother,
R eview s
F lo ra, o n h is p o rtra y a l o f M o th e r K irk a n d R e a so n in The P ilgrim 's Regress. T h e se c tio n e n d s o n a h ig h n o te w ith A n d r e w L a z o 's in s ig h tfu l c h a p te r d e ta ilin g w a y s in w h ic h L e w is g u id e s u s a n d e x a m in in g Jo y D a v id m a n 's im p a c t o n Till
We Have Faces a n d The Four Loves.
"S ectio n T h ree: L ew is, th e p o e t - s u r p r i s e s fro m h is p o e tr y " o p e n s w ith B rad D a v is 's v ie w o f L e w is 's e a rly a m b itio n to b e a g r e a t p o e t a n d th e e v o lu tio n o f h is v ie w s o f w o m e n as e x p re s s e d in h is v erse. In th e se c o n d c h a p te r, K elly B elm o n te o ffe rs a w o rk in g p o e t's in s ig h ts in to th e h ig h e x p e c ta tio n s s h o w n in L e w is 's p o e tr y fo r w o m e n n o less th a n m e n to ach ie v e " g r e a t a n d g lo rio u s a n d te rrib le th in g s " (156). She also d ra w s a tte n tio n to L e w is 's d e c la ra tio n in "A s th e R u in F alls" th a t it w a s a w o m a n w h o ta u g h t h im w h a t h e la c k e d a n d h e lp e d h im " g e t b a c k / F ro m exile, a n d g ro w m a n " (156). C h a p te r T h re e is M a lc o lm G u ite 's m a s te rf u l e s s a y d e a lin g w ith L e w is 's " a w a re n e s s o f th e fe m in in e p o w e rs w ith in th e m a s c u lin e " (162) as s h o w n in h is p o e m " R e a so n ," in w h ic h A th e n e a n d D e m e te r h e lp th e s p e a k e r to re a c h a " c o n c o rd o f th e d e p th a n d h e ig h t" a n d fin a lly " w h o lly s a y th a t I BELIEVE" (164).
"S ectio n F o u r: L ew is, th e i n f l u e n c e r - h o w h is life a n d lite r a tu re im p a c t th e tw e n ty - fir s t c e n tu r y d is c u s s io n a b o u t w o m e n " b e g in s w ith M o n ik a H ild e r 's in te rv ie w - s tr u c tu re d p ie c e d e ftly a n s w e rin g q u e s tio n s fu r th e r in v e s tig a tin g th e c h a rg e o f se x ism c o m m o n ly b r o u g h t a g a in s t L ew is. In th e se c o n d c h a p te r, B rett M c C ra c k e n d is c u s s e s th e h u n g e r o f h is g e n e ra tio n (tw e n ty -s o m e th in g s ) fo r p u b lic in te lle c tu a l C h ris tia n ity as m o d e le d b y L ew is, b u t fails to a d d r e s s h o w th is is c o n n e c te d to w o m e n 's issu e s. In C h a p te r T h ree, M a r y P o p lin s h a r e s th e s to ry o f h e r jo u r n e y " f ro m fe m in is t to m e r e C h ris tia n " (191), n o tin g h e r c o m m o n e x p e rie n c e w ith L e w is a n d D a v id m a n as a n a d u lt c o n v e rt a n d th e im p a c t o f L e w is 's w ritin g s o n h e r u n d e r s ta n d in g o f g e n d e r ro les. J e a n n e tte S ears lo o k s a t "L e w is as te a c h e r a n d se rv a n t" a n d d e lv e s in to h is p o s itio n a g a in s t th e o rd in a tio n o f w o m e n as p rie s ts in C h a p te r F o u r. C h a p te r F iv e is u n iq u e in th a t K a th y K eller is th e o n ly c o n trib u to r to h a v e h a d d ir e c t c o n ta c t w ith L e w is (as a c o rr e s p o n d e n t d u r in g h e r c h ild h o o d ). She sh a re s h o w h is le tte rs a n d o th e r w ritin g s im p a c te d h e r v ie w s o n th e ro les of w o m e n in th e c h u rc h . W h ile H o lly O r d w a y a n d M ic h a e l W a rd p r e s e n t so lid a rg u m e n ts fo r c h a stity a n d th e u n d e r s ta n d in g o f m a tr im o n y as " m o th e r m a k in g " in C h a p te rs Six a n d Seven, I w a s a b it b e m u s e d a t th e choice o f tw o c o n se rv a tiv e C a th o lic sin g le s to a d d r e s s lo v e a n d sex a n d c o n tra c e p tio n . T h e se c tio n closes w ith K a se y M a c s e n ti's e n g a g in g d is c u s s io n o f th e c a m a ra d e rie b e tw e e n Jack L e w is a n d D o ro th y L. Sayers, th e ir c o m m o n g o a l o f m a k in g " C h ris tia n ity accessib le a n d re le v a n t" (235), a n d th e ir u n ite d d e fe n s e n o t a g a in s t scien ce as su ch , b u t a g a in s t its deificatio n .
R eview s
R a n d y A lc o rn le a d s off "S ectio n Five: L ew is, th e m e n t o r —h o w h is v ie w s o n w o m e n im p a c t m in e " w ith a n a c c o u n t o f h o w L e w is 's re s p e c t a n d te n d e r n e s s to w a r d g irls a n d w o m e n , b o th in h is w r itin g a n d in h is p e rs o n a l d e a lin g s, h a s in s p ire d A lc o rn h im s e lf to s p e a k o u t fo r w o m e n . C h a p te r Tw o, " O n b e in g th e fa th e r o f im m o rta ls: le s so n s fro m 'T h e W e ig h t o f G lo ry ,'" b y J o h n S to n e s tre e t, is a fa irly g o o d s t u d y o f th is s e rm o n , b u t is tie d to w o m e n 's c o n c e rn s o n ly b y v ir tu e o f h is id e n tific a tio n as th e fa th e r o f d a u g h te r s . In th e fin a l c h a p te r, C h ris tin D itc h fie ld d ra w s o n th e sto rie s o f th e g irls o f N a r n ia to re in fo rc e L e w is 's h ig h v ie w o f w o m e n b y n o tin g th e s tre n g th s (w h ile n o t ig n o r in g th e flaw s) th e y d e m o n s tra te .
O n th e w h o le , W om en and C.S. Lewis o ffers s o m e th in g o f v a lu e in each o f th e s e a re a s o f in te re st. In so m e p a rtic u la rs , h o w e v e r, I b e lie v e th a t th e b o o k c o u ld h a v e b e e n a g o o d d e a l b e tte r. T h e se c tio n in tr o d u c tio n s d o n o t tr u ly a d d v a lu e , a n d th e r e is so m e d is p a r ity in th e q u a lity o f th e e ss a y s a n d e s p e c ia lly in th e ir re le v a n c e to th e to p ic a t h a n d . W h ile all th e p iece s a re s o m e w h a t in fo rm a tiv e a n d re a s o n a b ly w e ll-w ritte n , so m e d e c is iv e ly o u ts h in e o th e rs. A fe w a re tr u ly e n g a g in g a n d w in s o m e ly p e rs u a s iv e ; a n o th e r fe w feel ra th e r d e ta c h e d ; m o s t fall c o m fo rta b ly in th e m id d le o f th e sp e c tru m . M o st p ro b le m a tic in m y o p in io n a re tw o artic le s w h ic h , w h ile n o t b a d essa y s, h a v e o n ly th e m o s t te n u o u s c o n n e c tio n to women a n d L ew is.
A ll in all, h o w e v e r, I b e lie v e th a t C u rtis a n d K e y h a v e m e t th e ir o b jectiv e in W om en and C.S. Lewis, b r in g in g to g e th e r th e p e rc e p tio n s o f a w id e ra n g e o f c o n trib u to rs in a v o lu m e p ro fita b le to b o th th e c a su a l r e a d e r a n d th e s e rio u s d e v o te e . T h e s tre n g th s o f th e b o o k o u tw e ig h its w e a k n e s s e s su ffic ie n tly fo r m e to re c o m m e n d it as a w o rth w h ile a d d itio n to a w e ll- ro u n d e d C.S. L e w is collection.
—R e b e k a h C h o a t
T
o l k i e nA
m o n g t h eM
o d e r n s. E d ite d b y R a lp h C. W o o d . N o tre D am e: U n iv e rs ity o f N o tre D a m e P re ss, 2015. 312 p . ISBN 9780268019730. $32.00.T h e c h a p t e r s i n t h i s v o l u m e , e d i t e d b y R a l p h C . W o o d o f B aylor U n iv e rs ity , w e re o rig in a lly p r e s e n te d as p a r t o f a c o n feren ce h e ld a t B ay lo r e n title d " R e a d in g T o lk ie n a n d L iv in g th e V irtu e s." In b o o k fo rm , th e e m p h a s is h a s s h ifte d fro m th e p ra g m a tic fo c u s o f th e c o n fe re n c e to th e m o r e th e o re tic a l q u e s tio n o f T o lk ie n 's p la c e in m o d e r n lite ra tu re . A c c o rd in g ly , th e
R eview s
b o o k c o m p a re s T o lk ie n 's w o rk s w ith th o s e o f m o d e r n is t w r ite r s M ig u e l d e C e rv a n te s, Ja m e s Joyce, a n d Iris M u rd o c h . T h e im p lic it p h ilo s o p h ic a l a n d th e o lo g ic a l p e rs p e c tiv e s o f T o lk ie n 's sto rie s a re h e ld u p a g a in s t th o s e of m o d e r n th in k e rs lik e N ie tz s c h e a n d E m m a n u e l L ev in as. W o o d a n d th e o th e r a u th o r s a tte m p t to s h o w th a t The Lord o f the R in g s is n e ith e r e s c a p is t n o r re a c tio n a rily p re m o d e rn . R a th e r, th e y " p la c e m o d e r n w rite rs a n d m o d e r n q u a n d a r ie s in liv e ly e n g a g e m e n t w ith th e te x tu a l p a rtic u la ritie s o f T o lk ie n 's m a s te rp ie c e , in th e c o n v ic tio n th a t [they] can th u s illu m in e Lord o f the R ings in p ro v o c a tiv e a n d c o n stru c tiv e w a y s " (2).
T h e re is a c h ro n o lo g ic a l p ro g r e s s io n w ith in th e b o o k . I t s ta rts w ith c o n s id e ra tio n s o f T o lk ie n 's c o n trib u tio n to a n c ie n t d e b a te s o n th e n a tu r e of p o e tr y a n d p ro v id e n c e , m o v e s to a c o m p a ris o n o f T o lk ie n 's fictio n w ith th e e a rly m o d e r n is m o f C e rv a n te s, a n d th e n c o m p a re s a n d c o n tra s ts T o lk ie n w ith m o r e q u in te s s e n tia lly m o d e r n w rite rs a n d th in k e rs . In th e fin a l c h a p te r, W o o d n e a tly d r a w s to g e th e r m a n y o f th e th e m e s o f th e p re v io u s c h a p te rs to d e m o n s tra te h o w T o lk ie n 's c ritiq u e s o f m o d e r n is m c o in c id e w ith th o s e of p o s tm o d e rn is m . I s u p p o s e it is d e b a ta b le w h e th e r th e first tw o c h a p te rs b y G e rm a in e P a u lo W alsh a n d H e le n L a sse te r F r e e h —w h ic h d e a l re s p e c tiv e ly w ith P la to 's v ie w s o n p o e tr y a n d th e c o n tr a s t o f p a g a n a n d C h ris tia n v ie w s of p r o v id e n c e in th e Silmarillion — d istra c t fro m th e m a in is su e o f T o lk ie n 's re la tio n s h ip to m o d e r n it y o r p ro v id e h e lp f u l co n tex t. T h o u g h b o th c h a p te rs a re v e ry h e lp f u l o n th e ir o w n te rm s, th e y d o n o t fit n a tu r a lly w ith in th e a rtic u la te d sco p e o f th e b o o k .
O n e o f th e s tro n g e s t fe a tu re s o f th e v o lu m e is th e c o m b in e d e ffo rt of P e te r M . C a n d le r Jr. a n d P h illip J. D o n n e lly to re v e a l th e c o n flic tin g o n to lo g ic a l v is io n s o f T o lk ie n a n d tw o o f m o d e r n it y 's m o s t im p o r ta n t fig u re s. In C h a p te r 4, "T o lk ie n o r N ie tz s c h e ; P h ilo lo g y a n d N ih ilis m ," C a n d le r a p p ro a c h e s T o lk ie n fr o m a th e o lo g ic a l p e rs p e c tiv e . H e a rg u e s th a t, fo r T o lk ien , " p h ilo lo g y ( u n d e r s to o d b r o a d ly as 'th e lo v e o f w o rd s ') r e tu r n s o n e to th e in e s c a p a b ly lin g u is tic c h a ra c te r o f all re v e la tio n a n d tr u th , p o in tin g to a c e rta in c o n c e p tio n o f th e h u m a n b e in g as f u n d a m e n ta lly sa c ra m e n ta l in its c re a te d p a rtic ip a tio n in th e life o f th e T rin ity " (97). T h is s a c ra m e n ta l o r p a rtic ip a to ry o n to lo g y sees h u m a n b e in g s, in c lu d in g h u m a n la n g u a g e a n d sto ries, as a n a lo g ic a lly a n d f u n d a m e n ta lly d e fin e d b y th e h a r m o n y o f tr in ita ria n re la tio n s h ip . T o lk ie n 's o n to lo g y o f p e a c e is c o n tr a s te d w ith N ie tz s c h e 's v ie w th a t " a ll p h ilo lo g ic a l re c o n s tru c tio n s a re e x p re s s io n s o f w ill to p o w e r," a n d th e re fo re e x p re s s io n s of a ch ao tic o r v io le n t o n to lo g ic a l p e rs p e c tiv e (109). T h e se c o m p e tin g a p p ro a c h e s to p h ilo lo g y re v e a l th e b r o a d e r a n ta g o n is m b e tw e e n T o lk ie n 's E n g lish m y th , w h ic h e m b o d ie s s tre n g th th r o u g h h u m ility , a n d N ie tz s c h e 's G e rm a n m y t h of Z a ra th u s tr a , w h ic h e m b o d ie s th e " w ill to p o w e r."
Reviews
and James Joyce in Chapter 5, "A Portrait of the Poet as an Old Hobbit." While
initially noting some concerns shared by Tolkien's and Joyce's fiction,
Donnelly goes on to show how "Tolkien's writing suggests that the root
problem of both cultural modernity and aesthetic modernism is the 'view of
reality' that they share: the belief that reality consists of strife between violent
chaos and coerced order" (132). He goes on to examine the specific literary
technique of inset verse narratives used in The Lord of the Rings to show how
Tolkien's understanding of the artist's role responds to the challenges of
modernity. Joyce's protagonist in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man sees the
artist as standing in radical opposition to his community to find unfettered
freedom of expression. Tolkien, on the other hand, sees the work of the artist
as a matter of long apprenticeship to a particular tradition in a particular time
and place. Connelly's careful reading of the development of Bilbo's inset
narratives is an excellent demonstration of the unity of literary form and
perspective.
These two chapters, though they deal carefully with Tolkien's literary
techniques and forms, are fundamentally theological critiques of modernity.
As such, both rely on the work of the theologian John Milbank, citing him at
important parts of each chapter's respective argument. Milbank argues that
secular modernity is a heretical offshoot of Christianity in Theology and Social
Theory (Wiley-Blackwell, 2006) and extends the argument in his recent Beyond
Secular Order (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013). In this respect, the violence or conflict
that so much modern thought sees as inherent in the world is, on Milbank's
view, simply a partial recognition of the truth. Yes, in a fallen world there is
much conflict and chaos. However, the foundational, primary reality of the
created order is the peace and reciprocity of the trinitarian Creator. This is the
theological infrastructure that underlies Tolkien's fiction.
When it comes to the issue of Tolkien and modernity, we cannot
escape this question of competing visions of the world and its deepest origins.
Tolkien's differences with modern writers are not simply matters of style or
sources. As the authors of this volume understand, the question of real interest
regarding Tolkien's place within modern literature has to do with conflicting
assumptions about the nature of the world; is it a good, created order, or is our
existence ultimately directionless and chaotic? Even in Scott H. Moore's
Chapter 7, "The Consolations of Fantasy: J.R.R. Tolkien and Iris Murdoch," the
surprising parallels that Moore finds between Tolkien's eucatastrophe and
Murdoch's modern concept of austere consolation are based mainly on
Murdoch's nostalgia for the coherence of the premodern and Christian world
that has been lost to modernity.
This volume effectively examines the conflicting aesthetic and ethical
assumptions that are revealed when Tolkien's work is held up against modern
Reviews
literature. It succeeds in this respect-illuminating and enriching the reader's
engagement with The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Simarillion through
contrast with modern writers. However, readers should not approach the book
with an expectation that Tolkien will be presented in any significant way as a
modern writer. Tolkien was surely shaped by the modern world in which he
lived, and some of the authors point out common issues and concerns
addressed by both Tolkien and modernist writers. That being said, Tolkien
cannot be called a modernist in the literary sense, and the book does not make
that argument. In this respect, the book's perspective is similar to Theresa Fred
Nicolay's recent Tolkien and the Modernists: Literary Responses to the Dark New
Days of the 20th Century (McFarland, 2014).
Tolkien Among the Moderns functions primarily as a series of
comparison and contrasts. The contributions are well executed, and they are
certainly helpful in enhancing appreciation for Tolkien's work. They are
especially helpful in drawing out Tolkien's implicit theological perspective.
They do not, however, constitute a particularly innovative or constructive
contribution to scholarship on modern literature. By setting him alongside
modernist contemporaries, Tolkien is vindicated from charges of simple
escapism or nostalgia for a pagan or Christian past—but his perspective
remains resolutely and relevantly premodern.
—Andrew C. Stout
TOLKIEN. Raymond Edwards. London, Great Britain: Robert Hale Limited,
2014. 336 p. 9780719809866. £25.
The
practice of literary biography, in
which
the
study
of the subject's
life is intertwined with the study of their work, is notoriously difficult:
Documented fact must be balanced with the urge to gossip, the impulse to
create a neat and tidy narrative quelled. A literary, academic biography goes a
step further yet, balancing the contemporary appraisal of one's scholarship
with one's life and other work, and it is a study such as this that Raymond
Edwards has provided with Tolkien. Edwards, a scholar and philologist in his
own right who has worked on the Oxford English Dictionary, contextualizes
Tolkien's life and scholarship as well as his creative writings, and rewards the
reader by giving equal consideration to Tolkien's academic writing as well as
his legendarium. This is an important choice given that popular surveys of
Reviews
Tolkien often overlook his scholarship, and the scholarly works often focus on
close readings of his novels and their various adaptations.
While at times the prose can turn rather dry, the pacing of the book
proceeds quickly: Tolkien is sent to school, to war, to work, and to fame in
short order. The book is divided into five main parts, titled "The Making of a
Philologist," "Philology in Practice," "Achievement," "Last Years," and
"Niggle's Parish," plus an epilogue and an appendix on Tolkien's Catholicism.
These headings indicate the main thrust of the work; the emphasis is always
on Tolkien's studies and how they framed his work, rather than reading
backwards from his fiction. In many ways this is a secular counterpoint to the
Zaleskis' The Fellowship, which read Tolkien and the Inklings' writings through
the lens of their various religious faiths, though it should be noted that the
Edwards book appeared in print first. His book also keeps a tight focus on
Tolkien, though of course Lewis and the other Inklings make brief appearances
here and there. Serious readers who want still more close analysis of Tolkien's
academic work may want to peruse several of the essays in Stuart D. Lee's
edited collection A Companion to J.R.R. Tolkien; these are more densely
academic pieces, but do provide very useful overviews in comparative
miniature. Sixteen color plates inserted in the middle of the book illustrate
various locations such as schools and churches that Tolkien attended; the lack
of photos of Tolkien and his intimates is notable, and indeed, the only images
of people are a portrait of Jacob Grimm and the bust of Tolkien in the Exeter
College chapel. This is likely because of the expense of photo permissions, but
it is an unfortunate omission.
"The Making of a Philologist" encompasses Tolkien's early years, his
time in World War I, his marriage to Edith, and concludes with his move to
and the start of his tenure at Oxford. When possible Edwards references works
Tolkien is known to have read, and otherwise situates relevant books
published or commonly read in the period to indicate his intellectual
antecedents. "Philology in Practice" discusses his teaching and academic
projects as well as the start of the composition of The Hobbit, while
"Achievement" follows the writing and publication of his other works, up
through the passing of his good friend Lewis. "Last Years" describes Tolkien's
retirement and then the deaths of both himself and Edith, while "Niggle's
Parish" provides an overview of some of his posthumous publications and
critical appraisal, including Edwards' own response to the Peter Jackson films
(he did not care for The Lord of the Rings, but did enjoy the first two
installments of The Hobbit). The appendix "Tolkien the Catholic" rather briefly
considers his place as a specifically Catholic writer given his own dislike of
reading allegorically. Given the breadth of this topic, I wish that Edwards
could have given more time and space over to it throughout the book rather
R eview s
th a n p r e s e n tin g it as s o m e th in g o f a n a fte rth o u g h t, e sp e c ia lly c o n s id e rin g h o w clo sely w e r e a d C.S. L e w is in te r m s o f h is P r o te s ta n t e v a n g e lism .
U ltim a te ly , Tolkien is a b it o f a n o d d b o o k , th o u g h th is is n o t th e fa u lt o f th e a u th o r. G iv e n th e T o lk ie n E s ta te 's fra c tio u s p ro te c tio n is m o f T o lk ie n 's w o rk , access to a n d re p r o d u c tio n o f h is p e rs o n a l w ritin g s is d iffic u lt if n o t im p o ssib le . E d w a r d s n o te s in th e e n d th a t o n ly a fra c tio n o f T o lk ie n 's le tte rs h a v e e v e r b e e n p u b lis h e d , a n d th o s e h e a v ily a b rid g e d , a n d a g r e a t d e a l of o th e r m a te ria l is y e t in th e fa m ily 's p o ss e ssio n , u n a v a ila b le fo r access a n d w ith n o p la n s to p u b lis h , a t le a s t fo r n o w . A s su ch , d e s p ite th e b e s t a tte m p ts of E d w a r d s a n d o th e rs, a re a l "life" o f T o lk ie n can b a re ly sc ra tc h th e su rface. G iv e n th e fo c u s o n T o lk ie n 's a c a d e m ic effo rts, I w o u ld re c o m m e n d Tolkien fo r sc h o la rs a n d s e rio u s re a d e rs ; th e a v e ra g e u n d e r g r a d u a te o r c a su a l fa n w o u ld lik e ly fin d th e m a te ria l s a d ly u n in te re s tin g . F o r a c a d e m ic lib ra rie s it is, h o w e v e r, a n ecessity .
—C a it C o k e r
S o u r c e s C i t e d
Lee, S tuart D., Ed. A Companion to J.R.R. Tolkien. M alaysia: W iley Blackwell, 2014. Zaleski, Philip a n d C arol Zaleski. The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings:
J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams. N e w York: Farrar,
Straus, an d G iroux, 2015.
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M A G IN A T IO N . J a n B ev erid g e . M c G ill-Q u e e n 's U n iv e rs ity P re ss. 2014. 300 p. ISBN: 9780773543942. $29.95.F a i r y t a l e s a r e f u l l o f c o m m o n e l e m e n t s a n d t h e m e s fa irie s a n d elves, d w a rfs a n d g ia n ts, p e o p le tu r n in g in to a n im a ls, m a g ic o f v a rio u s k in d s , jo u r n e y s to se c re t w o r ld s h id d e n ju s t o u t o f v ie w . B u t w h e re d id th e s e id e a s co m e fro m ? A n d h o w fa r b a c k can th e y b e tra c e d ? T h a t's th e q u e s tio n Ja n B e v e rid g e se e k s to a n s w e r in h e r b o o k Children into Swans: Fairy Tales and the
Pagan Imagination. T h e m a in th e s is o f th e w o rk is th a t th e s e th e m e s " re fle c t a n
a n c ie n t im a g in a tio n " (3). T h e lin g e rin g in flu e n c e o f th e p a g a n im a g in a tio n , its fe a rs a n d h o p e s a n d ritu a ls , is fo u n d e v e ry w h e re in th e fa iry ta le tra d itio n .
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T h e b o o k is d iv id e d in to fo u r sections: H is to ry , C h a ra c te rs, S tories fr o m th e P a g a n Y ear, S to ry te lle rs ' T h e m e s. In th e first section, B e v e rid g e tra c e s th e h is to ry o f fa iry tales, s ta rtin g w ith th e e a rly C eltic a n d N o rs e s to ry te llin g tr a d itio n s . T h e se a n c ie n t sto ries, sa y s B ev erid g e , " in tr o d u c e u s to o n e p r e d o m in a n t id e a , a fa iry ta le id e a , th a t w a s c e n tra l to C eltic a n d N o rs e p r e C h ris tia n tr a d it io n —th e r e is a n u n s e e n o th e r w o r ld e x is tin g a lo n g s id e th e v isib le re a lm w e k n o w " (12). O f p a rtic u la r in te re s t in th is sectio n is a c h a p te r o n th e o ld e s t fa iry t a l e —th a t is, th e o ld e s t sto ry th a t fe a tu re s a fairy: "E ctra C o n d la ." In th is sto ry , a b e a u tifu l a n d m y s te r io u s w o m a n a p p e a r s to a p rin ce, a n d trie s to en tic e h im to fo llo w h e r b a c k to h e r w o rld , b a c k to th e P la in of P le a s u re , ca lle d M o y M ell. T h e p rin c e re s ists fo r a tim e b u t is so se iz e d b y lo n g in g fo r th e fa iry m a id e n th a t h e e v e n tu a lly re le n ts a n d le a v e s w ith h e r o n a silv e r canoe. T h is s to ry is p re s e rv e d in th e Book o f the D u n Cow, a m a n u s c r ip t w ritte n a r o u n d 1100 A D . T h e p re c a r io u s life of th is m a n u s c r ip t is g iv e n a n e n tire c h a p te r o f its o w n —a n in te re s tin g (if p e r h a p s u n n e e d e d ) d ig re s s io n b y B ev erid g e . T h e h is to ric a l se c tio n c o n c lu d e s w ith a b rie f o v e rv ie w o f th e m o d e r n d e v e lo p m e n t o f fa iry tales. T h e rise o f R o m a n tic is m in th e late e ig h te e n th c e n tu ry , w ith its a p p re c ia tio n fo r r u r a l life a n d la n g u a g e , le d to th e rise o f fo lk lo re s c h o la rsh ip , a n d th is, in tu r n , to a re s u rg e n c e o f in te re s t in fa iry tales. U n fo rtu n a te ly , th is la te r h is to r y o f fa iry ta le s is n 't e x a m in e d in a n y d e p th b y B ev erid g e , a n d is o n ly g iv e n a few p a g e s.
In th e se c o n d p a r t o f th e b o o k , B e v e rid g e e x a m in e s th e o rig in s o f th e m o s t fa m ilia r ty p e s o f c h a ra c te rs f o u n d in fa iry tales, d e v o tin g a c h a p te r to each: fairies, elv es, d w a rfs, h o u s e h o ld sp irits, w a te r d w e lle rs, g ia n ts, s o u ls a n d sp irits. A r e a d e r s h o u l d n 't co m e to th e s e c h a p te rs e x p e c tin g lite r a ry a n aly sis. W h a t B e v e rid g e g iv e s h e r e is a h is to ric a l su rv e y , a n d th e c h a p te rs c o n sist a lm o s t e n tire ly o f s u m m a rie s o f th e d iffe re n t w a y s in w h ic h th e s e c h a ra c te rs h a v e a p p e a r e d th r o u g h o u t th e h is to ry o f fa iry tales. E x p ect to fin d m a n y p a r a g r a p h s s ta rtin g a lo n g th e lin e s of, " M o s t sto rie s d e p ic t th e c h a ra c te rs in th is w a y . . . O th e r sto rie s d e p ic t th e c h a ra c te rs lik e th is . . . A few sto ries, h o w e v e r, s h o w th e s e c h a ra c te rs d o in g th is." S o m e r e a d e r s m ig h t c o n s id e r th is a p p ro a c h to b e h e lp f u lly objective, w h e re a s o th e r s m ig h t fin d it te d io u s a n d a c h o re to slo g th r o u g h . E ith e r w a y , th e c h a p te rs can se rv e as a g o o d re fe re n c e fo r sc h o la rs o f fa iry tales, a n d it is h a r d to th in k o f a b e tte r re s o u rc e to c o n su lt if o n e w a n te d a b rie f h is to r y o n th e o rig in s o f fa iry ta le s a b o u t, fo r in sta n c e , b ro w n ie s o r m e r m a id s .
R itu a l d a y s w e re a n im p o r ta n t p a r t o f th e p a g a n w o rld , a n d th e tr a d itio n s c e n te re d a r o u n d th e s e d a y s c o n tin u e d in to C h ris tia n tim es. H o w th e s e d a y s in f lu e n c e d fa iry ta le s is ta k e n u p in " S to rie s fr o m th e P a g a n Y ear," th e th i r d se c tio n o f th e b o o k . " In th e a n c ie n t le g e n d s a n d sto rie s th a t are c o n n e c te d w ith th e s e d a y s," sa y s B ev erid g e , " th e re is a m y th ic a n d fo lk lo ric
Reviews
strain, and in fairy tales centered on these days we find a distinctly otherworld
magic. There seemed to be a small crack in the world as we know it—and
anything could happen!" (117). Among the days examined are May Day,
Halloween, Midwinter and Midsummer. Beveridge stresses the lasting
influence of these days on fairy tales, and, consequently, the lasting influence
of the pagan imagination which was so closely tied to their celebration.
The fourth section of the book contains a survey of various ancient
themes found in fairy tales. Some of these themes are hardly surprising—
omens or spells, for example—but other chapters take up themes one might
not initially have expected, as in "The Triple Form." This chapter examines the
prevalence of threes or triplets throughout the history of fairy tales. There are
often three riddles to answer, three giants to slay, three suitors competing for a
maiden, three tasks to perform. "We come upon 'threes' so often in stories,"
says Beveridge, "that the number three may be the most frequently occurring
and fundamental element in fairy tales and in all of European folk literature"
(158). The representative fairy tale in this chapter involves a young maiden
who encounters three heads floating in a well. They entreat her to pick them
up, one by one, comb their hair and wash them. She obliges them this request
and is rewarded for her kindness. These chapters, like all the rest in the book,
are survey in nature, and most of the fairy tales included are given very little
commentary or analysis. Again, these chapters would be an invaluable
reference for someone wishing to explore the origins of various themes found
in fairy tales—themes as disparate as shape-shifting, trees, and dreams coming
true.
Ultimately, Children into Swans is a finely researched work on the
history of fairy tales, and, in particular, on the lingering pagan imagination
that one finds within a dozen or so common fairy tale themes and elements.
One should come to the book, however, expecting to find an abundance of
summary and an ever-increasing accumulation of example upon example. As
such, Beveridge's work will be most useful as a reference book.
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a i r y. C h a rle s N o d ie r. T ra n s la te d a n d a d a p te d b y R u th B erm an . B lack C o a t P re ss. 2015. 412 p p . 978-1612274553. $10.30.T
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q u a m a r i n e s. L o u ise C a v a lie r L e v e sq u e . T ran s. a n d w ith a n a fte rw o rd b y R u th B e rm a n . A q u e d u c t P re s s. 2015. 94 p p . 978 1619760790. $12.00.T h i s n e w t r a n s l a t i o n o f e a r l y 1 9 t h c e n t u r y F r e n c h w r i t e r C h a rle s N o d ie r is a n e le g a n t a n d c o m p e llin g v o lu m e o f h is co llected fa iry tales. A s a sch o lar, lo v e r o f lite ra tu re , a n d a lo n g -tim e lib ra ria n , N o d ie r s p e n t h is life r e a d in g a m y r ia d o f w r ite r s a n d p h ilo s o p h e rs . B u t N o d ie r 's w o rk , w h ile p e r h a p s b o r r o w in g s e ttin g a n d to n e fro m h is fe llo w w rite rs, re m a in s re m a rk a b ly u n iq u e . H is ta le s a re n o t o n ly fu n a n d in te re s tin g , b u t th e y also s tu d y th e d e e p e r m e a n in g o f w r itin g a n d r e a d in g fa n ta sy . H is la rg e r e x a m in a tio n o f m a d n e s s a n d w is d o m , b e lie v a b ility a n d h a p p in e s s , tr u th a n d lies, m a k e th is v o lu m e e s p e c ia lly p o ig n a n t a n d fresh .
T h e fin e st ta le in th e co llectio n is e a sily The Crum b Fairy. H e re , an in s a n e a s y lu m in m a te n a m e d M ic h a e l tells th e sto ry o f h is life a n d lo v e w ith th e m a g ic a l C ru m b F airy . A s a y o u n g m a n , M ic h a e l b e fr ie n d e d th e a g in g h a g , w h o c la im e d to o n c e b e B elkiss, Q u e e n o f Saba. H e la te r a g re e d to m a r r y h e r a n d so o n liv e d w ith tw o v e rs io n s o f h is w ife: d u r in g th e d a y , h e w a s w ith th e sh o rt, d e c re p it, a n d fa n g e d C ru m b F a iry . B u t d u r in g th e n ig h t, th e b e a u tifu l B e lk iss—th e C ru m b F a iry in h e r all g lo rio u s y o u t h —lo v in g ly v is ite d h im in h is d re a m s . N o w , s e p a r a te d fro m b o th a n d tr a p p e d in th e a sy lu m , M ic h a e l se a rc h e s fo r th e m a g ic a l s ig n in g M a n d r a k e th a t w ill h e lp re u n ite th e m all. T h is tale, in a d d itio n to b e in g a n e n te r ta in in g re a d , is a fa s c in a tin g re fle c tio n o n m a d n e s s , re a s o n , a n d th e m a g ic o f fa iry tales. A s M ic h a e l n a r r a te s h is sto ry of love, o b sessio n , a n d h a p p in e s s , th e re a d e r w ill q u e s tio n th e ir o w n re la tio n s h ip to f a n ta s y a n d fa iry tales: m u s t w e b e ab le to ra tio n a lly e x p la in s o m e th in g in o r d e r to b e lie v e in i t —o r e v e n f in d h a p p in e s s in it? A t its h e a rt, The Crum b
Fairy is a n e x p lo ra tio n o f n o t o n ly w h a t w e k n o w a n d b eliev e, b u t w h a t w e a im
to u n d e r s ta n d th r o u g h sto ry te llin g .
T h e c o m p ila tio n as a w h o le is v e ry w o rth r e a d in g . W h ile so m e ta le s h a v e m o m e n ts th a t fall flat, o th e r s so ar. O f n o ta b le d is tin c tio n a re Trilby, The
M a n and the A n t, a n d Smarra. In th e titu la r Trilby, a b ro w n ie falls in lo v e w ith a
y o u n g a n d n e w ly m a r r ie d la d y w h o liv e s in th e h o u s e h e serv es. H e is s h o rtly b a n n e d fro m th e fa m ily 's h o m e b u t w h e n th e la d y Je a n n ie le a r n s th a t sh e lo v es h im too, sh e le a v e s e v e ry th in g in o r d e r to seek o u t h is p a rd o n . A lo n g th e w a y sh e b e c o m e s h a u n te d b y th e m e m o ry o f T rilb y a n d o b s e s s e d w ith f in d in g h im o n c e ag a in . T h e ta le 's e th e re a l, s u p e r n a tu r a l m o m e n ts a re u p h e ld b y B e rm a n 's
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e x c e lle n t tr a n s la tio n a n d its d a r k S co ttish s e ttin g a n d g o th ic e le m e n ts m a k e th is a v e ry in te re s tin g w o rk o f e a rly h o rro r.
R u n n in g th r o u g h o u t N o d ie r 's ta le s is a n e n g a g in g s tu d y of ju x ta p o sitio n : y o u n g a n d o ld , in n o c e n c e a n d g u ilt, p u r ity a n d d a rk n e s s, m a d n e s s a n d re a s o n . H is p ro c liv ity fo r w r itin g a b o u t tin y c re a tu re s, fro m te rm ite a n ts to h is o w n in v e n te d fa irie s (th e B ean T re a s u re a n d th e C ru m b F a iry a re so n a m e d fo r th e ir d im in u tiv e size), d e m o n s tra te s h o w sm a ll c re a tu re s can affect th e ir la r g e r w o rld . N o d ie r 's fairie s, little th o u g h th e y are, re m a in s h a r p in th e ir p h ilo s o p h ie s a n d w it a n d o fte n act as a g u id e fo r th e p r o ta g o n is t to a m o r e m o r a l a n d th o u g h tf u l life. S im ilarly , N o d ie r 's The M an
and the A n t is o n e o f th e s h o r te s t ta le s in th e v o lu m e , b u t p a c k s a p o w e rfu l
m e s s a g e fro m o n e o f th e sm a lle s t c re a tu re s o n e a rth .
T h e sig n ifican ce o f d re a m s a n d n ig h tm a r e s is also p re v a le n t th r o u g h o u t N o d ie r 's w o rk . H is fa irie s a n d th e ir m a g ic h o v e r b e tw e e n th e w a k in g w o rld a n d th e la n d o f d re a m s. A n d h is tales, a lw a y s a c u te ly a w a re of th e m s e lv e s as a sto ry , d o th e s a m e as th e y e x p lo re th e w o r ld s o f th e m a r v e lo u s a n d th e m u n d a n e . T h e w a k in g w o r ld w ith in h is sto rie s o fte n act as m e ta p h o r fo r th e r e a d e r 's o w n re a lity , w ith th e d re a m in g , fa iry w o rld b e c o m in g h is o w n lite ra l fa iry sto ry . W h ic h w o r ld d o w e w a n t to liv e in? W h y d o e s it m a tte r ? U ltim a te ly , th is co llectio n n o t o n ly b rin g s y o u in to th e w o rld o f fa iry sto ry , b u t m a k e s y o u re -e x a m in e th e fa iry s to ry itself. A n d it is all th e g re a te r fo r it.
A q u e d u c t 's l a t e s t v o l u m e p r e s e n t s a n e w t r a n s l a t i o n o f tw o fa iry ta le s b y 18th c e n tu r y F re n c h w rite r L o u ise C a v e lie r L e v e sq u e . In The Prince
o f the A qu a m a rin es—a p p e a r in g in E n g lish fo r th e first tim e w ith B e rm a n 's
tr a n s la t io n —a y o u n g p rin c e is c u rs e d to b r in g in s ta n t d e a th o n a n y o n e w h o lo o k s u p o n h im . H e falls in lo v e w ith a p rin c e s s w h o is lik e w ise c o n d e m n e d to liv e in a to w e r o f p e r p e tu a l d a rk n e s s u n til fre e d b y a m o n s te r w h o s e sig h t b rin g s d e a th . T o g e th e r, th e y m u s t c o n q u e r g ia n ts, th ie v e s, a n d fa irie s in o rd e r to b e free o f th e ir cu rse. In L e v e s q u e 's se c o n d tale, The Invisible Prince, a p rin c e is g iv e n a m a g ic a l sto n e th a t tu r n s h im in v isib le a t th e cost o f b e in g u n a b le to sp e a k . W h e n P rin c e ss R o salie is c a p tu r e d , th e In v isib le P rin c e m u s t w in h e r h e a r t a n d re s c u e h e r w ith o u t b e in g h e a r d n o r seen . B oth ta le s a re d e lig h tfu l v e n tu r e s in to th e fa iry ta le g e n re a n d re a d e r s w ill rejoice a n d m o u r n fo r th e p a ir o f y o u n g lo v e rs w h o m u s t fin d a w a y to o v e rc o m e th e ir c irc u m sta n c e s w ith h e lp (a n d h in d r a n c e ) fro m m a g ic a l fairies.
T h o u g h slim , th is co llectio n p a c k s a m ig h ty p u n c h , p r o v id in g an e x c e lle n t tr a n s la tio n a n d s tu n n in g w o o d c u t illu s tra tio n s th r o u g h o u t. L e v e sq u e h e rs e lf h a s a s p e c ta c u la r im a g in a tio n to h e r w ritin g . T h o u g h certain ly , in flu e n c e s fro m h e r c o n te m p o ra r y fa iry ta le w rite rs a re clear: b o th th e In v isib le
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fa iry 's c u rs e o v e r th e ro y a l n e w b o r n in P e r r a u lt's S l e e p i n g B e a u t y. L ik ew ise, th e
sto ry lin e o f T h e P r i n c e o f t h e A q u a m a r i n e e ch o es m o r e tr a d itio n a l a n d p o p u la r sto rie s lik e C u p i d a n d P s y c h e a n d B e a u t y a n d t h e B e a s t. L e v e s q u e 's g e n ie s a re
also m o s t lik e ly b o rr o w e d fro m T h o u s a n d a n d O n e N i g h t s w h ic h w a s n e w ly tr a n s la te d in F re n c h d u r in g th e tim e sh e w a s w ritin g . B u t th e s e fa iry tale m o tifs fo u n d a re fa r fro m trite . In fact, th e y are w e lc o m e d all m o r e so in L e v e s q u e 's w o rk b e c a u se th e y n e v e r th r e a te n to d o m in a te th e ta le itself. L e v e s q u e 's sto rie s a re b r im m in g w ith h e r u n iq u e sty le a n d d a r k im a g in a tio n . H e re , L o v e a n d D e s p a ir a re la n d s s e p a r a te d o n ly b y a sin g le ste p , tre e s are p o rta ls to n e w w o rld s , a n d b e tr a y e d lo v e rs w a n d e r h o p e le s s ly in a L a b y rin th , d o o m e d to b e lo s t u n til th e d a y th e y d ie. T h e se a re e x c e e d in g ly e n jo y a b le ta le s th a t y o u 'll w a n t to r e a d m o r e th a n once. L e v e s q u e 's fa s c in a tin g a n d b e a u tifu l d e p ic tio n s o f lo v e a n d m e la n c h o ly , se t in a w o rld o f fairie s, d ra g o n s , a n d m a g ic w a n d s , m a k e th is co llectio n e s s e n tia l fa iry tale re a d in g .
—K e lly O ra z i
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y t h o l o g y. R ach el S. M c C o p p in . Jefferso n , N C : M c F a rla n d , 2015. 224 p . 978-1476662008. $35.00.A s s o m e o n e w h o h a s a l s o l o n g l o v e d a n d t a u g h t th e p o w e r o f m y th a n d its re le v a n c e to b o th m o d e r n m y t h —a.k.a. scien ce fic tio n a n d fa n ta s y m e d i a —a n d th e e v o lu tio n o f scien ce as a d iscip lin e), I cam e to m y r e a d in g of th is b o o k w ith g re a t in te re s t a n d e n th u s ia s m . W h ile th e la tte r slig h tly w a n e d (in d ire c t p ro p o r tio n to th e e m e rg e n c e o f a c e rta in lev el o f fru s tra tio n ) as th e p a g e s w e re tu r n e d , m y in te re s t in th e o v e ra ll c o n te n t o f th is w o rk d id n o t. M c C o p p in , P ro fe sso r o f L ite ra tu r e a n d H u m a n itie s in th e D e p a rtm e n t of L ib e ra l A rts a n d E d u c a tio n a t th e U n iv e rs ity o f M in n e s o ta C ro o k sto n , is th e re c ip ie n t o f s e v e ra l te a c h in g a w a rd s a t h e r h o m e in s titu tio n . S o m e o f h e r p re v io u s s c h o la rly w o rk s h a v e fo c u s e d o n m y th o lo g ic a l th r e a d s a n d m e ta p h o r s in s u c h d is p a r a te c o rn e rs o f p o p u la r c u ltu re as th e te le v is io n series S p a r t a c u s, T h e G r a p e s o f W r a t h, a n d th e w o rk s o f T im B u rto n . In th e
in tro d u c tio n to h e r b o o k sh e e x p la in s th a t sh e h a s b e e n a s tu d e n t o f m y th o lo g y fo r o v e r tw o d e c a d e s a n d a te a c h e r o f it fo r h a lf th a t tim e. H e r s e lf-a d m itte d m a n t r a —a n d th e d r iv in g a r g u m e n t b e h in d th e w o r k —a p p e a rs to b e th a t " n a tu r e w ill a lw a y s b e a t th e fo re fro n t o f e v e ry m y th " (2). T h e se facts s itu a te M c C o p p in as so m e o n e w h o is o b v io u s ly p a s s io n a te a b o u t s h a r in g th e b e a u ty , p o w e r, a n d re le v a n c e o f m y th w ith b o th sc h o la rly a n d p e d a g o g ic a l a u d ie n c e s.
