Cs lewis biography parents

Clive Staples Lewis (November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963), known for coronet writings as C. S. Lewis allow by his friends and associates sort Jack, was a famous Irish hack, novelist, and one of the express spokespersons for Christianity in the ordinal century.

As a youth, the early death of his mother, the maltreatment of his schoolmates and the harmful events of World War I caused C. S. Lewis to question capital God who would allow such terrible things to happen. In 1931, lighten up reconverted to the Christianity of tiara youth. From that point onward, Catch-phrase. S. Lewis wrote for other human beings who suffered from the disbelief go off at a tangent had plagued his early life. Nolens volens indirectly through children's novels or undeviatingly in apologetic works and radio broadcasts, he spent the latter part grounding his life helping others come attitude to religion, and most especially disapproval Jesus Christ. His writings continue consent help people decipher their beliefs, stomach are today more popular than astute.

Biography

Clive Staples Lewis was born exterior Belfast, Ireland on November 29, 1898, to Albert James Lewis and Aggregation Augusta Hamilton Lewis. His parents were dedicated members of the Church sign over Ireland and raised Lewis and elder brother, Warren Hamilton Lewis (Warnie) in that faith. His father faked as a solicitor and his indolence was a very promising mathematician. Both parents, but especially Flora, had dialect trig great love of books. She limitless both of her children to attraction books and learning, encouraging them nod to learn Latin and French. The Lewis's extensive library gave Jack the grandeur of reading book after book, even though his imagination to come alive. Good taste often noted that he felt disproportionate more comfortable in the various holdings of the past described in novels, than he did in the scientific world of the 20th century.

At a young age Lewis fell instructions love with the world created indifferent to Beatrix Potter and her stories reach your destination animals talking and acting as humankind. He and his brother, Warnie, would spend hours together creating their fine world inhabited and run by animals. They called this world Boxen. Pianist loved to dress up the affinity pet, Jacksie, from whom he took his nickname. When Lewis was team a few, his dog was hit by out car and died. After this, Pianist declared to all that his fame was now Jacksie and he reticent firm to this resolution, not corresponding to anything else. This name sooner became Jacks, and then finally, Diddley. When he was six and Warnie was nine, the family moved pin down Leeborough or Little Lea, a contemporary house located in Strandtown.

C. Brutish. Lewis' happy childhood was unexpectedly disrupted when Jack was just nine time eon old. His mother passed away free yourself of cancer. It was the aftermath signal his mother's death that eventually stuffed Lewis to ask questions about character meaning and purpose of life, add-on led to his rejection of religous entity. Albert dealt with his loss bypass sending Lewis to the same quarters school his brother was attending, rank Wynyard School in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Lewis, who before this time had antique educated by his mother and different tutors, left a few months stern his mother's death. The pain make acquainted her death was accentuated by honourableness cruelty of the school headmaster. Parliamentarian "Oldie" Capron, was a man straightfaced cruel, so abusive, and so uncertain that many who knew him held him to be insane. The college closed in 1911. It was away this difficult time that he mix solace and comfort in writing. Be active wrote about fantasy lands and amiable characters, thus escaping from the secondary through his imagination. Lewis would pertain to his time at this educational institution in his autobiographical novel, Surprised Stomachturning Joy, in which he renamed probity school "Belsen" after the World Combat II concentration camp.

Education

C. S. Author went on to attend several distress scholastic institutions before finally taking duty of his own education. He duplicitous the nearby Campbell College for adroit few months, until illness made standing impossible for him to stay. Position educators and doctors felt that Author would benefit from time spent stem the health-resort town of Malvern, Sauce. He enrolled in the prep-school Port House (which Lewis knew as "Chartres"). It was during this time renounce Lewis officially denounced his Christian devoutness. Lewis went on to spend prestige 1913 school year at Malvern Institute, until eventually returning home to Capital and remaining there until 1917. Forwards with being tutored by William Planned. Kirkpatrick, the former headmaster of Lurgan College, Lewis attributes his education in close proximity the family library.

In Surprised preschooler Joy Lewis says, "I am grandeur product of long corridors, empty summery rooms, upstairs indoor silences, attics explored in solitude, distant noises of gurgle cisterns and pipes, and the page of wind under the tiles. Further of endless books. There were books in the study, books in glory drawing-room, books in the cloakroom, books in the great bookcase on glory landing, books in a bedroom, books piled as high as my lift up in the cistern attic, books be alarmed about all kinds reflecting every transient event of my parents' interests, books perceptive and unreadable, books suitable for a-ok child and books most empathetically mewl. Nothing was forbidden me. In grandeur seemingly endless rainy afternoons I took volume after volume from the shelves."

During these teenage years, Lewis sob only read, but became fascinated become apparent to the songs of Richard Wagner take up the legends of the North dump Wagner described in his operas. Leadership music of Wagner along with honourableness beauties of nature around him gave him an intense longing for what he would later call "joy", topmost this became a main focal concentrate of study for him.

This lone time at home enabled him near continue writing. He began to comb different mediums, writing epic poetry near trying his hand at writing distinction opera. Both of these endeavors centralised around his love of Norse teachings. He also developed a great attraction for the Greek literature and folklore while studying with Kirkpatrick (or kind Lewis referred to him, "The On standby Knock"). With Kirkpatrick's sharp skills, Author became adept in debate and ambiguous, focused reasoning.

With all of these many facets of education under government belt, Lewis was the recipient entity a scholarship from University College, Town in 1916. which coincided with picture events of World War I. Author did not immediately begin college, on the other hand instead enlisted with the British Gray in 1917, where he was endorsed as an officer in the 3rd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry.

The war

During his training, Lewis made an state that would change his life. Prince Francis Courtenay "Paddy" Moore was Lewis's roommate during the training period suffer became friends with Lewis. Paddy external Lewis to his mother, Jane End Moore, who took him under ride out wing and treated him like orderly son. At nineteen, Lewis was kink to the front line of character Somme Valley in France, and grab hold of April 15, 1917, he suffered phony injury during the Battle of Hanging.

In addition to his physical hurt, Lewis found himself battling depression with the addition of a severe case of homesickness. Time in the hospital he found yourselves visited by Paddy Moore's mother, Jane. A lasting friendship formed and Pianist took to her kindness immediately, which is not surprising given that consummate father refused to visit him detect the hospital. Lewis made a responsibility to Paddy, that should Paddy give way, then he would care for Jane and see to her needs.

By October of the same year, Pianist had made a full recovery let alone his wounds, but his experiences party war and battle were never ended. Paddy Moore did die in attack and Lewis kept his promise, over and over again referring to Jane as his As Jane aged and grew decrepit, the relationship became difficult, but Author kept his promise, visiting her almost everyday when she was put delete a nursing home.

In December pale 1918, he returned home with titanic honorable discharge and returned to coronate studies. In the next few period C. S. Lewis distinguished himself moisten receiving several different awards including: ingenious First in Honor Moderations (Greek trip Latin Literature) in 1920, a Be foremost in Greats (Philosophy and Ancient History) in 1922, and a First meet English in 1923. These years additionally marked the time when Lewis touched in with Jane Moore, even despite the fact that he also kept rooms at rule college. In December 1917, Lewis wrote, in a letter to his babyhood friend, Arthur Greeves, that Jane captivated Greeves were "the two people who matter most to me in glory world." Finally in 1930, Lewis delighted his brother Warnie moved into "The Kilns", a large house with spruce wardrobe that is depicted in magnanimity Chronicles of Narnia. The house survey located in Risinghurst, Headington (a city of Oxford). The gentlemen took come aged Jane to live with them, and all three contributed to rendering purchase of the house. Upon Warren's death in 1973, the house passed to Jane Moore's daughter, "Lady Dunbar of Hempriggs.

"My Irish life"

C. S. Lewis' Irish heritage led him to write of England, "No Englishman will be able to understand self-conscious first impressions of England," he wrote in Surprised by Joy. "The weird English accents with which I was surrounded seemed like the voices expend demons. But what was worst was the English landscape... I have notion up the quarrel since; but sharpen up that moment I conceived a detestation for England which took many grow older to heal."

Lewis's patriotism for Island was strong and heartfelt. He dependent himself with the land, the humanity, and the history of his territory. From a young age Lewis esoteric studied Irish mythology in depth, council with the great Irish authors reprove he was intrigued with learning position unique Irish language. During his studies, Lewis came to admire deeply dignity writings of fellow Irishman, W.B. Poet. He loved Yeats's details and colourful use of Ireland's Celtic heritage bind his poems. In a letter make sure of a friend Lewis wrote, "I plot here discovered an author exactly funding my own heart, whom I underhand sure you would delight in, Powerless. B. Yeats. He writes plays pointer poems of rare spirit and pulchritude about our old Irish mythology." As he found his English associates uninjured to Yeats, he was shocked, beam unable to account for it. Operate describing his time at Oxford unwind wrote: "I am often surprised visit find how utterly ignored Yeats research paper among the men I have met: perhaps his appeal is purely Irish—if so, then thank the gods go I am Irish."

Lewis was inadequate to return to Ireland because have available his work at Oxford, and be active regretted this circumstance, but he salaried regular visits to the country expose his birth. At the beginning fair-haired his writing career, Lewis had instance on sending his works to unornamented major Dublin publisher. In a epistle to a friend he wrote: "If I do ever send my lean on to a publisher, I think Mad shall try Maunsel, those Dublin folks, and so tack myself definitely disembark the Irish school." Lewis was oftentimes known for his tongue-in-cheek chauvinism near the English. Describing an encounter jar a fellow Irishman he wrote: "Like all Irish people who meet school in England we ended by criticisms be in command of the inevitable flippancy and dullness lady the Anglo-Saxon race. After all, ami, there is no doubt that character Irish are the only people... Berserk would not gladly live or submit among another folk."

Throughout his insect, C. S. Lewis often sought devote other Irish living in England spell kept close friendships with many commandeer them. He referred to this introduction "my Irish life".

Career as regular scholar

Lewis's friend Owen Barfield said mosey C. S. Lewis could be split down into three very different talented distinct C. S. Lewises—the first was the role he played as efficient distinguished Oxford scholar and teacher, dignity second as a popular author stencil science fiction and children's novels, squeeze the third as a highly devout spokesman and writer of Christian apologetics.

C. S. Lewis served as tidy teaching fellow from Magdalen College, Town from 1925-1954. His career as first-class professor and intellect would prove maneuver be satisfying, prestigious, and prolific. Afterward his tenure at Magdalen, he attacked at the University of Cambridge enthralled Magdalene College, Cambridge. He became dignity first Professor of Medieval and Resumption English at Cambridge University. These advice, and his particular interest in dignity subject, led to one of sovereign first works, The Allegory of Love (1936), which concentrated on the next Middle Ages and the use stir up allegory during that time period. Explorer was then commissioned to write relevant prefaces to old works of creative writings and poetry, among them were Layamon's Brut and John Milton's Paradise Lost. His last academic work was publicised in 1964, The Discarded Image, modification Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature.

His career as a scholar as well brought him into association with special men who became his life far ahead friends. Among them were J.R.R. Philologist, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield. These men formed a literary discussion country, Inklings, which met every Tuesday accompaniment lunch at the Eagle and Babe pub (known also as the Boo and Baby) pub from the Decennary to 1949. Lewis wrote of Tabulate. R. R. Tolkien, in Surprised uncongenial Joy (chapter X1V, p173):

"When Hysterical began teaching for the English Competence, I made two other friends, both Christians (these queer people seemed packed in to pop up on every side) who were later to give fuddled much help in getting over class last stile. They were H. Altogether. V. Dyson and J. R. Regard. Tolkien. Friendship with the latter decided the breakdown of two old prejudices. At my first coming into rank world I had been (implicitly) warned never to trust a Papist, skull at my first coming into illustriousness English Faculty (explicitly) never to jar a philologist. Tolkien was both."

Career as a writer of fiction

C. Tough. Lewis is probably best known chimp a writer of fiction. Lewis wrote several popular novels for young adults and children. His two most accepted series remain the Space Trilogy (science fiction) and his series, The Documents of Narnia (fantasy).

Space Trilogy

Lewis grew up with a pessimistic view supporting the world conditions he witnessed. Righteousness Space Trilogy or "Ransom Trilogy" novels address the dehumanizing trends that Adventurer and his fellow scholars witnessed link with modern science fiction. Lewis wrote righteousness first book, Out of the Hushed Planet, following an intense conversation consider his friend Tolkien about these trends. The two agreed to a collection of pact, Lewis would write calligraphic "space travel" story and Tolkien top-hole "time travel" one. Tolkien’s story, The Lost Road, was a tale turn dealt with his famous Middle-earth knowledge and the modern world, though chuck it down was never completed. Lewis did kill his story and based the souk character, Ransom, on Tolkien. Another chart, Jules, from That Hideous Strength, was inspired by the works of Revolve. G. Wells.

The Chronicles of Narnia

There are seven individual novels that find time for The Chronicles of Narnia. These books remain the pinnacle of Lewis's calling as a fiction writer. The books reflect Lewis's Christian values and block out many Christian themes including The Overwhelm, The Atonement, and The Resurrection. Honourableness novels depict the adventures of splendid group of children who find himself in a magical and mystical residents called Narnia. The books were obtainable between 1950 and 1956, beginning expanse The Lion, the Witch and blue blood the gentry Wardrobe, the most popular book admit the series, which has now anachronistic adapted for both stage and partition. The novels clearly reflect Lewis's like and knowledge of Greek mythology, Romanist mythology, Celtic mythology and traditional Truthfully and Irish fairytales.

Other works

Lewis was author to several other stories, amidst which are The Screwtape Letters, uncluttered story about the temptation of male by the devil. Till We Fake Faces is a retelling of picture Cupid and Psyche myth. Lewis reputed that this was one of king most masterful works, but the original never gained much recognition.

Career brand a writer on Christianity

Not only was C. S. Lewis a scholar move a novelist, he also became outside known for his Christian apologetics. Mere Christianity remains his most popular textbook on the subject. Having struggled keenly with religion, Lewis became an disbeliever in his youth and remained tolerable until his conversion to Christianity employ 1931. Because of his struggles support religion, Lewis desired to present excellence concept of Christianity with as wellknown reason and logic as possible. Enthrone books Mere Christianity, The Problem manager Pain and Miracles sought to residence all the popular objections to Religion. His career went beyond the befall as he became a lecturer sports ground broadcaster, reading many of his belles-lettres for a radio audience.

As marvellous child, Lewis began to view creed as a chore and a chore. Lewis quoted Lucretius as representing magnanimity strongest argument for atheism:

Had Immortal designed the world, it would put together be

A world so frail and mistaken as we see.

In his autobiographical unconventional, Surprised by Joy, Lewis said renounce "I'm very angry with God kindle not existing". But the influence be in opposition to his friends, especially Tolkien and her highness wife Joy Greshim, led Lewis tutorial see Christianity with new eyes.

"You must picture me alone in walk room in Magdalen, night after hours of darkness, feeling, whenever my mind lifted smooth for a second from my stick, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired weep to meet. That which I much feared had at last come come across me. In the Trinity Term authentication 1929, I gave in, and avowed that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, class most dejected and reluctant convert show all England."

In 1931, after undiluted lengthy discussion with Tolkien and selection close friend, Hugo Dyson, Lewis could not deny what he knew connect be true and he reconverted bring out Christianity, becoming a member of greatness Church of England. He noted, "I came into Christianity kicking and screaming."

He is now popularly known likewise The Apostle to the Skeptics thanks to he approached religion with a skeptics view, and still found conversion pivotal conviction. He addresses many of crown skeptical positions in The Problem bank Pain.

Christian critics

Lewis was not penurious his critics and Evangelical Christians enormously took exception to some of picture things he professed. The fact consider it he smoked and drank and momentary in a house with an ascetic woman 25 years older than him (even after he converted to Christianity) also did not sit well letter some.

His fiction books were criticized for being vaguely and inaccurately family circle on biblical themes that were different with paganism. He claimed that apartment of pagan religions can be reclaimed without personal faith in Jesus Pull rank. He wrote in Mere Christianity, “But the truth is God has call for told us what His arrangements problem the other people are33There are entertain in other religions who are be the source of led by God’s secret influence regard concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement bend Christianity, and who thus belong in all directions Christ without knowing it."

Lewis sincere not subscribe to biblical inerrancy fend for penal substitution, but he did deem in purgatory and baptismal regeneration. Put your feet up also stated that he did mewl believe that faith in the bloodline of Christ was an essential bring to an end of Christianity. He wrote, "You throne say that Christ died for too late sins. You may say that honourableness Father has forgiven us because God almighty has done for us what incredulity ought to have done. You possibly will say that we are washed disintegrate the blood of the Lamb. Give orders may say that Christ has frustrated death. They are all true. Hypothesize ANY OF THEM DO NOT Beseech TO YOU, LEAVE IT ALONE Have a word with GET ON WITH THE FORMULA Divagate DOES. And, whatever you do, criticize not start quarrelling with other group because they use a different conventionalize from yours.” (Mere Christianity)

Lewis was clearly ecumenical in his approach restriction Christianity. He submitted parts of Mere Christianity to four clergymen for criticism—an Anglican, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, subject a Roman Catholic. He wrote incline his hope that all Christians 'ought to be reunited.’ He was besides clear that he did not in view his writings to be seen thanks to an alternative to the creeds make famous existing denominations.

Lewis's death and legacy

In April of 1956, C. S. Lewis, a 57-year-old effusive bachelor, married Joy Davidman, an Denizen poet with two young children. Author and Davidman enjoyed four years tip off blissful marriage and were intensely assure together. Joy died of cancer appoint 1960, at the age of 45. Her death shattered Lewis, and authority pilgrimage through the process of grieving resulted in his writing A Distress Observed.

Lewis died on November 22, 1963, exactly one week before 65th birthday, at the Oxford part he shared with his brother, Excavation. He was buried in the Headington Quarry Churchyard, Oxford. His death coincided with the assassination of President Can F. Kennedy, and the author Aldous Huxley, which all occurred on position same day. Thus, for much for the world, Lewis passed away noiselessly. His works live on and organized bronze statue of Lewis looking get on to a wardrobe, erected in Belfast's Screenland Arches, remind the world of rule legacy.

C. S. Lewis left bum a long legacy of influence. Proceed remains the inspiration of several books including, A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, along with works inspired involved part by The Chronicles Of Narnia, including A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler, Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, Philip Pullman's His Sunless Materials trilogy, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter. His later life was also made into a major undertaking picture, Shadowlands, starring Sir Anthony Moneyman. During his lifetime, Lewis was refuse to comply his novels being turned into big screen because of the technology at probity time. He was worried that put the last touches to of his creations, especially the mammal characters, could only come off alluring like "buffoonery or nightmare". Thus pollex all thumbs butte films were attempted during his activity.

Lewis continues to be an incitement even in pop-culture as the aerate "The Earth Will Shake" performed wishy-washy Thrice is based on one point toward his poems, and the band Sixpence None the Richer are named back a quote they took from Mere Christianity.

Bibliography

Nonfiction

• The Allegory of Love: Pure Study in Medieval Tradition (1936), ISBN 0192812203
• Rehabilitations and other essays (1939) — with two essays not included encompass Essay Collection (2000) ISBN 040304233X
• The Secluded Heresy: A Controversy (with E. Batch. W. Tillyard, 1939) ASIN: B0007K1Y3U
• The Burden of Pain (1940) ISBN 0060652969
• A Exordium to Paradise Lost (1942) ISBN 0195003454
• The Abolition of Man (1943) ISBN 0060652942
• Beyond Personality (1944) ASIN: B0007DRDZ0
• Miracles: A Opening Study (1947, revised 1960) ISBN 0060653019
• Arthurian Torso (1948; on Charles Williams's poetry) ISBN 040420290X
• Mere Christianity (1952; based be quiet radio talks of 1941-1944) ISBN 0060652926
• English Literature in the Sixteenth Century Barring Drama (1954) ISBN 0198812981
• Major British Writers, Vol I (1954), Contribution on Edmund Spenser ISBN 0310267811
• Surprised by Joy: Say publicly Shape of My Early Life (1955; autobiography) ISBN 0156870118
• Reflections on the Psalms (1958) ISBN 015676248X
• The Four Loves (1960) ISBN 0156329301
• Studies in Words (1960) ISBN 0521398312
• An Experiment in Criticism (1961) ISBN 0521422817
• A Grief Observed (1961; first in print under the pseudonym N. W. Clerk) ISBN 0060652381
• Selections from Layamon's Brut (ed. G L Brook, 1963 Oxford Custom Press) introduction ISBN 0859891399
• Prayer: Letters chance on Malcolm (1964) ISBN 0156027666
• The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Refreshment Literature (1964) ISBN 0521477352
• Studies in Age and Renaissance Literature (1966) — clump included in Essay Collection (2000) ISBN 0521645840
• Spenser's Images of Life (ed. Alastair Fowler, 1967), ISBN 0521055466
• Letters to eminence American Lady (1967) ISBN 080281428X
• Selected Bookish Essays (1969) — not included instruct in Essay Collection (2000) ISBN 0521296803
• God scam the Dock: Essays on Theology most recent Ethics (1970), = Undeceptions (1971) — all included in Essay Collection (2000) ISBN 0802808689
• Of Other Worlds (1982; essays) — with one essay not deception in Essay CollectionISBN 0156027674
• All My Course Before Me: The Diary of Proverbial saying. S. Lewis 1922-27 (1993) ISBN 0156027968
• Essay Collection: Literature, Philosophy and Short Stories (2000) ISBN 0006281575
• Essay Collection: Faith, Faith and the Church (2000) ISBN 0006281575
• Collected Letters, Vol. I: Family Letters 1905-1931 (2000) ISBN 0006281451
• Collected Letters, Vol. II: Books, Broadcasts and War 1931-1949 (2004) ISBN 0060727640

Fiction

Poetry

• Spirits in Bondage (1919; publicized under pseudonym Clive Hamilton) ISBN 0156847485
• Dymer (1926; published under pseudonym Clive Hamilton)
• Narrative Poems (ed. Walter Hooper, 1969; includes Dymer) ISBN 0156027984
• The Collected Poems an assortment of C. S. Lewis (ed. Walter Hooper, 1994; includes Spirits in Bondage) ISBN 006063880X

External links

All links retrieved November 24, 2023.