Planet Narnia

[Ecurb]

I'm reading "Planet Narnia" by some guy named Ward. According to the book jacket, Ward (an Australian academic) has discovered the secret plan of the Narnia series. It's not the obvious Christian symbolism. Instead, it's astrological. Each of the seven books represents a theme based on the seven planets (in Medieval astrology these were Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, The Sun, and the Moon). I've read only the first chapter, so far. More reports to come. Here's a link to the book: http://www.planetnarnia.com/

Has anyone read this yet?

[Ecurb]

I've read the first two chapters. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is, acc. Ward, thematically associated with Jupiter and Prince Caspian with Mars. It makes sense, although I'm now trying to guess which planets (Gods) the other books are associated with. Perhaps Dawn Treader with the sun (the name suggests it); Silver Chair with the Moon (the silvery moon, and the night of underground); The Horse and His Boy with Mercury (Mercury is a messenger and a thief, just like Shasta); The Magician's Nephew with Venus (the fecundity of creation associated with love); and The Last Battle with Saturn (Cronus, time, appears here and in the Silver Chair).

I'll report back on how good my guesses are.

[kasie]

Have you come across Lewis' science fiction books, Ecurb? There are three: the first, Out of the Silent Planet, is about Earth and the second, originally called Perelandra was retitled Voyage to Venus as it about (obviously) Venus; the third was called That Hideous Strength but I'm afraid I can't remember which planet was the setting, possibly Mars. Like the Narnia series, they had a religious subtext: the main character in each was a man called Ransome whose role was to bring about interplanetary harmony. I read them a long time ago and I don't know if they are still in print.

[Ecurb]

I have read the science fiction trilogy, but it was years ago. I remember Narnia a lot better because I read them as a child, and again to my child. However, "Planet Narnia" refers to them regularly as further evidence of Lewis's interest in the planets as astrological symbols.

[Ecurb]

I glanced on in the book. My guesses about which planets are associated with which novels are correct. I looked a little in the chapter on The Horse and His Boy, which is associated with Mercury. I guessed the association due to the fact that Mercury is the messenger God (Shasta saves Archenland by bringing an urgent message) and the God of thieves (Shasta “steals” Bree). In glancing through the chapter, I discovered that in astrology the sign of Gemini is associated with Mercury (I forget how). Of course the Gemini are twins – Castor and Pollux. Castor is a horse tamer; Pollux is a boxer. Shasta (Cor) is, if not a horse tamer, at least associated with Bree, and his twin Corin is a boxer. The parallels seem pretty clear. I didn’t read any of the other chapters yet.

[Delta40]

This is interesting Ecurb. I had always assumed Narnia was a series of tales interwoven with christian doctrines. How refreshing!

[Ecurb]

Ward (who is actually an Episcipal Priest, not an academic, I was fooled by the PhD.) does not deny that the Narnia series is filled with Christian symbolism. In fact, he thinks it is a response to (I forget her name), with whom Lewis had a notorious debate about his book "Miracles" at the Oxford Socratic club. According to reports, his debate opponent, who was a Philosopher, won the debate handily. In fact, Lews revised his book in response to the debate. A Lewis biographer (Wilson, I forget the first name) claimed that the Narnia series represented a retreat into childish fairy tales as a response to the humiliation of the debate. Ward sees the Narnia series as a response to the debate, but a positive response, rather than a retreat.

In any event, the evidence that Lewis designed his series around the seven planets of Medieval astrology seems clear, now that I've read most of the book. Lewis felt that paganism was not in conflict with Christianity (contrary to modern Fundamentalists). Instead, paganism (stories of the dying and rising God, for example) adumbrated Christianity.

[wessexgirl]

I remember seeing a programme about this which may interest you. I think you can get it on dvd now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47I51PXsSy8

[aliengirl]

This is really interesting Ecurb. Thanks for sharing it.