Book Review: Planet Narnia - The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis, by Michael Ward, 2008.

In this summary of his dissertation, Michael Ward presents a detailed explanation of his understanding that C. S. Lewis built the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia on his scholarly and personal understanding of the seven planets of medieval and renaissance  literature and culture. Ward uses the term donegality to describe the imaginative technique. This is explained in Chapter 3 as based on the attributes of Jupiter first shown in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Jovial spirit is communicated through the main events of the plot, points of ornamental detail, and the portrayal of Aslan.  What is the Jovial spirit? Quoting from chapter  three,

We may say it is Kingly; but we must think of a King at peace, enthroned, taking his leisure, serene. The Jovial character is cheerful, festive, yet temperate, tranquil, magnanimous. When this planet dominates we may expect halcyon days and prosperity. In Dante wise and just princes go to his sphere when they die. He is the best planet, and is called The Greater Fortune, Fortuna Major.

 And then Ward gives numerous details of the book that exemplify this spirit. And in successive chapters he links each of the Chronicles to one of the seven medieval planets (celestial wanderers as they were understood in the 16th century).

•      The Lion , the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Jupiter - the cheerful, festive, peaceful, serene, generous king

•      Prince Caspian - Mars - the god of war

•      Voyage of the Dawn Treader -  Sol - the gold metallurgist, bringing shining light to make men wise

•       The Silver Chair - Luna -  ambiguity, instability, watery source of rain

•      The Horse and His Boy - Mercury -  quicksilver-like componendo et dividendo

•      The Magician’s Nephew - Venus  - the warrior goddess and infernal witch, also the source of fertility

•      The Last Battle - Saturn - the last planet, old and ugly

 As he proceeds through the planets, the author also ties in these planetary attributes to Lewis’ other writings, primarily the earlier science fiction trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength), Lewis’ poetry, and The Discarded Image, written by Lewis to introduce the concepts of the Middle Ages’ understanding of the universe as expressed in their model.

 What is the point of all this? Some observations:

•      The gospel is certainly present in the first of the books, but why seven? Because, we need to have our imaginations stirred about the way God works, as this has the potential to birth in us the attributes of God in ways that theology cannot. Ward mentions the impact that a debate Lewis had on February 2, 1948 with Elizabeth Anscombe at the Socratic Club had on his focus on writing the Chronicles.  The debate apparently showed him the insufficiency of the arguments he presented in the original publication of Miracles for the existence of God. And we know that his own faith was based on personal experience, not just apologetics or theology. So the Chronicles were written to communicate on a level of human experience, a visceral appeal. This is well received by children of all ages, far more than theological argumentation. Seven dimensions of Middle Ages mythology provide insight into different dimensions of the human psyche and its need for supernatural completion.

•      The nature and character of God, as displayed for us by Jesus on earth, are incomprehensibly transcendent. Yet they are also simple and can be received by children, in the realm of imagination.  Imagine the creation of a world filled with lush vegetation, a host of variegated animal species, and a sky populated with a sun, moon, and multitude of other stars, all through the singing of a lion. Imagine the incarnation of evil in a witch, who deceives, entraps, tortures and kills whoever she wishes, and is ultimately defeated by the voluntary offering of virtue incarnate, a gentle lion.

•       The scientific revolution has provided a world view which reduces everything to cause and effect, describable and predictable by experimentation, measurement, and analysis. But this worldview of the universe is incomplete. There is the unseen realm that is not accessible to scientific measurement, which underlies that which we see and hear. We sense itn vaguely in our hearts, our emotions, our sense of justice and morality - it is our spirit. But although this reality is described in Scripture (e.g., The Unseen Realm), it is often better coupled to our lives through imagination. The believer whose worldview is informed by the portrayal of the mysteries of the supernatural realm, writ large, may be in a better position than the theologian to deal with temptation, opposition, and suffering because he or she can recognize God’s hand at work by the nature and character of the things happening.

 The bottom line is that Michael Ward helps us understand how God’s truths and faith in Christ are communicated to readers of the Chronicles consistent with Scripture but via means similar to medieval and renaissance mythology without studying Middle Ages literature. Children can learn not only basic truths, but how to sense the presence of God, hear His voice, and recognize His hand at work in the world around them.