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Compass

Plato to MacDonald to Chesterton, Tolkien and the Boys in the Pub.
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Compass

Postby hammurabi2000 » May 2nd, 2009, 9:55 am

Tolkein'e elves had a mind to go West. 'Going West' during the Great War was a euphemism to describe all those who had either died or been wounded and were therefore no longer there. They had literally gone West but also the sun sets in the West. In Tolkein's land of Middle Earth you went West over the sea and East over the land. In Lewis's Narnia you went East over the sea towards the rising sun and the land went West. Does anyone know of anything written on the significance of these issues in the books these authors wrote?
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Re: Compass

Postby rusmeister » May 2nd, 2009, 4:23 pm

I think it significant that Tolkien pointed to the West and Lewis to the East. Of course, there is the idea that Lewis was an anonymous Orthodox...

Don't know who's written about it, though.
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Re: Compass

Postby The Quangle Wangle » May 2nd, 2009, 8:36 pm

I believe Tolkien had the ocean to the west of the continent because Middle Earth was supposed to be Europe in some ancient period. I suppose Lewis just decided to go the other way round.
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Re: Compass

Postby Leslie » May 3rd, 2009, 1:05 am

The West in Tolkien's work makes me think of Tir nan og, the paradise of Celtic mythology, which also lies to the West.
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Re: Compass

Postby A#minor » June 19th, 2009, 4:47 pm

"My brain and this world don't fit each other, and there's an end of it!" - G.K. Chesterton
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Re: Compass

Postby hammurabi2000 » June 20th, 2009, 8:31 am

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Re: Compass

Postby tjcam » October 22nd, 2009, 2:53 am

Interesting point about Lewis being an anonymous orthodox, seem to remember reading a book by an ex-student of his, claiming he was an anonymous catholic.
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Re: Compass

Postby Paul F. Ford » October 27th, 2009, 5:15 pm

Paul Ford—self-appointed president of the "245-3617 Club" and proud member of the "245-6317 Club"; author of the Companion to Narnia and the Pocket Companion to Narnia.
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Re: Compass

Postby Lioba » October 29th, 2009, 2:30 pm

Going West can refer to Tir Na Nog, maybe even Avalon. Its roots lie in Celtic mythologie.
Going East comes from Christian background. Look at the ground plan of the old churches- The altar to the East, the direction of the Eucharistical celebration originally to the East- the Athos is sometimes seen as a stronghold against the spirits of the West.
The Zephyr in pagan tradition is bringing forth fertility, positive. In the eyes of early Christianity he´s seen as bringing forth the more disorderd feelings connected with fertility.
Another aspect is the political aspect in Tolkien- also he denies direct connection there are some obvious lines.
In Lewis books we may find the contrast North- South.
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