This Master Class will explore the scholarship of C.S. Lewis on literary criticism, history, and aesthetics, which is frequently overlooked in favor of his novels and popular theology.

About this Event

C. S. Lewis is known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia and popular theological works such as The Screwtape Letters. The scholarly works of this Oxford medievalist, no less well written, have gone largely unnoticed outside the academy. 

This Master Class studies Lewis’ works on literary criticism, history, and aesthetics. The Discarded Image is an introduction to how medievals looked at the world. How would it feel to walk under a starry night with their model of the universe? How did this model affect their understanding of art? How much of our present model is stipulated by modern science, and how has our science followed the suggestions of our model? An Experiment in Criticism makes an attempt at judging books by how they are read. In the course of his experiment, Lewis advises his readers on how to read well and advances a theory of what makes certain works of literature beautiful. 

These seminars will be led by Dr. Michael West (University of Dallas) and Dr. William Junker (University of St. Thomas). 

This master class is a capped seminar to facilitate interaction, open by invitation only. 

SCHEDULE

Tuesday, June 30 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT: reading An Experiment in Criticism I

Tuesday, July 7 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT: reading An Experiment in Criticism II

Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT: reading The Discarded Image I

Tuesday, July 21 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT: reading The Discarded Image II