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Is Lewis an Irish writer?

The man. The myth.

Do you think we must describe Lewis as

Poll ended at May 7th, 2006, 8:04 pm

English writer
12
48%
Irish writer
11
44%
Neither
2
8%
 
Total votes : 25

Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Perelandra » April 30th, 2006, 7:57 pm

Hello,

There was an interesting discussion on about Lewis nationality, and I would be glad to have the opinion of the native narnians :grin: about it

The discussion on Wikipedia is quite long & not very easily read because of the minimalist layout, so I will sum it up. Can we call Lewis an Irish writer because he was born in Belfast, had an Irish passport and thought of himself as of an Irishman? Or would we rather call him an English writer, because all his works are written in English & not in Gaelic?

I found no indication here at bio page, where this question is not treated at all, and other sites do their best not to state on this matter - "Irish born writer", "Anglo-Irish writer" etc... What do you think? What do you say spontaneously - English, Irish, or neither?

I should also add that I am a new member of this prosperous community - Hi all - but of course any Lewis fan & reader is my brother (sister) in arms, by definition ;) :) :grin:
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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby David » April 30th, 2006, 8:47 pm

Lewis is generally spoken of an Irish writer. Most Protestant Irish writers are spoken of as English: Jonathan Swift, William Bulter Yeats, Oscar Wilde, were all from Ireland but because they were Protestant they are usually lumped in with English writers. So was Lewis.

Lewis is like other writers whose nationality is hard to pin down. T. S. Eliot was an American but he lived most of his life in English. Sometimes he is listed as an American writer, sometimes as British. Usually you'll find him in both anthologies.

I think Lewis' writing bears the stamp of Ireland. His affinity to nature, his belief in the supernatural, all hint at Ireland.
The way, the weather, the terrain, the discipline, the leadership. --Sun Tzu
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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Bill » April 30th, 2006, 10:03 pm

He was Irish.
He was a writer.
Ergo he was an Irish writer.

What do they teach them in these schools?

:rolleyes:

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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby k-mann » April 30th, 2006, 11:06 pm

"Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."
-- Albus Dumbledore
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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby carol » April 30th, 2006, 11:59 pm

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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby David » May 1st, 2006, 12:05 am

The way, the weather, the terrain, the discipline, the leadership. --Sun Tzu
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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Perelandra » May 1st, 2006, 11:17 am

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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Monica » May 1st, 2006, 12:23 pm

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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Bill » May 1st, 2006, 3:42 pm

Time is the fire in which we burn!

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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Bill » May 1st, 2006, 3:48 pm

Time is the fire in which we burn!

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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Stanley Anderson » May 1st, 2006, 4:48 pm

…on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a fair green country under a swift sunrise.
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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Monica » May 1st, 2006, 5:34 pm

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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Monica » May 1st, 2006, 5:57 pm

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Re: re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Stanley Anderson » May 1st, 2006, 6:20 pm

…on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a fair green country under a swift sunrise.
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re: Is Lewis an Irish writer?

Postby Bill » May 1st, 2006, 6:45 pm

Don't care about PCL. :p

Lewis was Irish; Lewis was a writer.

Anything else is logic chopping.

According to the poll, most people (so far) agree.

My final word (honest)

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