Women Among the Inklings - Gender, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams

The Oxford group of writers known as the Inklings met and thrived during the 1930s and 1940s. Three of the members, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams, became known as authors and cultural figures, recognized for interweaving Christian themes into fantasy fiction. Other members of the group doubtlessly influenced these works through their comments and discussion, and the published ideas of Williams, Lewis, and Tolkien were probably first discussed within this circle. Every member of the Inklings was male, the group consciously excluded women, and it was formed to promote male companionship. This book examines the attitude of the Inklings toward women and thus, sheds new light on the lives and works of Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams.

The book examines the male culture of the Inklings and the relation of the literary group to the larger Oxford community. It also looks at women in the lives of Williams, Tolkien, and Lewis. While Williams and Tolkien apparently thought of women as mythic icons, Lewis began to question some of the group's assumptions after his marriage. When considering the representation of women in fiction by the Inklings, the volume gives special attention to issues of gender and theology.

List of contents

Preface
Introduction
The Inklings as Male Culture
Women as Mythic Icons: Williams and Tolkien
Women as Presence and Absence: The Lewis Brothers
Against Insubordination: Women in Inklings Fiction
Mere Feminism: Gender, Reading, and the Inklings
Selected Bibliography
Index

About the author

Candice Fredrick, Sam McBride

Product details

• Authors: Candice Fredrick, Fredrick Candice, Sam McBride, McBride Sam
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 7 to 17
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.08.2001
• EAN: 9780313312458
• ISBN: 978-0-313-31245-8
• No. of pages: 224
• Weight: 454 g
• Series: Contributions in Women's Studies
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; English, Oxfordshire, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Women's Studies, 20th Century, LITERARY CRITICISM / Women Authors, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Gender studies: women, Gender studies: women and girls, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000, Women's Studies