Editor Sørina Higgins has recently released The Chapel of the Thorn, a 1912 narrative poem by Charles Williams. I had the distinct privilege of reading this text when I made a research visit to the Marion E. Wade Center in Wheaton, IL.
It is a stunning story, evocative of older poetry, yet told with a diverse eye that previous generations could never have imagined. Though it is one of Williams’ earliest book-length poems, I don’t sense a hesitant hand. It is bold, evocative, and–not surprising for Williams–open ended.
Nearly lost in time, or left only to the pilgrims who make their way to the Wade, Sørina’s edition gives us the poem for the first time in print. Not only that, but a weighty introduction and the inclusion of early thoughts on the poem by prophetic scholars means that The Chapel of the Thorn is both fireside reading and an academic resource.
In this video, captured by some kind soul at MythMoot III in January, Sørina presents a framework for understanding “the Hallows”–holy objects–in Charles Williams’ stories. It also includes a reading from the text by The Tolkien Professor and a couple of chaps I don’t know.
Enjoy the video, and make sure to order The Chapel of the Thorn on Amazon or through your local bookstore.
I believe in open access scholarship. Because of this, since 2011 I have made A Pilgrim in Narnia free with nearly 1,000 posts on faith, fiction, and fantasy. Please consider sharing my work so others can enjoy it.
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About Brenton Dickieson
“A Pilgrim in Narnia” is a blog project in reading and talking about the work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, the Inklings, L.M. Montgomery, and the worlds they created. As a "Faith, Fantasy, and Fiction" blog, we cover topics like children’s literature, myths and mythology, fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, poetry, theology, cultural criticism, art and writing.
This blog includes my thoughts as I read through my favourite writings and reflect on my own life and culture. In this sense, I am a Pilgrim in Narnia--or Middle Earth, or Fairyland, or Avonlea. I am often peeking inside of wardrobes, looking for magic bricks in urban alleys, or rooting through yard sale boxes for old rings. If something here captures your imagination, leave a comment, “like” a post, share with your friends, or sign up to receive Narnian Pilgrim posts in your email box.
Brenton Dickieson (PhD, Chester) is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him:
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