The Fantasy Literature of Tolkien and Lewis

This course will look at fantasy works by both authors, and Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy-Stories” will provide the critical context and language for the discussion of these works. Among Tolkien’s works that will be examined are The Fellowship of the Ring; Smith of Wootton Major; and Farmer Giles of Ham. Among Lewis’s works that will be studied are The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Great Divorce; and Till We Have Faces. The students will examine the relationship between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches during the first half of the 20^th century and will consider themes of good and evil, temptation, mercy, and redemption in Tolkien’s and Lewis’s writings as well as biblical and mythological influences on their texts.