Tag Archives: Shakespeare

“We Became to America what the Huns Had Been to Us”: C.S. Lewis and the European Colonization of America

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

One of C.S. Lewis’ funniest and punchiest books is also his longest. And, arguably, it is his most important work of literary criticism and his greatest academic achievement. The snazzily titled English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, excluding Drama was … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Colonialization, Columbus, English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Indigenous Peoples, John Donne, OHEL, Out of the Silent Planet, Science Fiction, Shakespeare, Spenser, United States | 16 Comments

Jacob R. Schreiner Thesis Theatre, “The Logos of Faith: Sub-Creation through Speech-Acts in Tolkien’s Legendarium” (free online event Wednesday, June 1st, 12noon Eastern)

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Following a successful event last week–a great conversation with Miriam Davidson on “nonviolence” in The Lord of the Rings–I wanted to send a quick update on the three Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged J.L. Austin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Literary Theory, pacifism, research, Shakespeare, Signum University, Speech-Act Theory, subcreation, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, war | Leave a comment

Miriam Davidson Thesis Theatre, “The Sword Not for its Sharpness: Nonviolent countercurrents in Tolkien’s Epic of War” (free online event Thurs, May 26th, 3pm ET)

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I wanted to send a quick update on the three Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium that I announced last week. Our Signum University master’s students have the opportunity to write a thesis … Continue reading →

3 Upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased as the week closes to offer a rich set of opportunities to dive meaningfully into Tolkien’s imaginative worlds. There are three upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium (all times Eastern): … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged J.L. Austin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Literary Theory, pacifism, research, Shakespeare, Signum University, Speech-Act Theory, subcreation, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, war | 4 Comments

The Pilgrim’s Progress and the Nursery Bookshelf: A Book’s Journey (Throwback Thursday)

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

At A Pilgrim in Narnia, we have an occasional feature called “Throwback Thursday.” By raiding either my own blog-hoard or someone else’s, I find a blog post from the past and throw it back out into the digital world. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Reviews | Tagged books, C.S. Lewis, children's literature, Education, Emily of New Moon, English Literature, fantasy, Frances Hodgson Burnett, John Bunyan, John Milton, L.M. Montgomery, literacy, Louisa May Alcott., Mark Twain, Shakespeare, The Pilgrim's Progress, The Pilgrim's Regress, Tyndale | 7 Comments

“But then begins a journey in my head”: Shakespeare’s Haunting Poetry of Sleeplessness

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Following a day of rest after weeks of weary toil, I did not hasten to my bed last evening. I had succeeded in finding repose over the weekend–a discovery that had been dear these last few weeks. Nighttime sleeplessness of … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Reflections | Tagged Henry IV, insomnia, Macbeth, Patrick Stewart, Poetry, Shakespeare, Shakespeare Sonnet 27, Shakespeare Sonnet 28 | 2 Comments

Thoughts from Different Angles on Joel Coen’s Macbeth with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, and Is This Why I Can’t Sleep?

Posted on January 27, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I have no pretense of being a Shakespeare scholar, by any means. As I was educated primarily in Canadian public schools, my path of learning going into university had been embarrassingly narrow (so much so that I cannot spell the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Denzel Washington, Dune, Frances McDormand, Ian McKellen, insomnia, Joel Coen, Judi Dench, Kathryn Hunter, Macbeth, Shakespeare, The Coen Brothers, The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew | 22 Comments

A Head Full of Homer, A Trench Full of Blood (Remembrance Day Reblog from Tom at Alas Not Me)

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Last year I followed a link from Tom Hillman (@alas_not_me) on Twitter to one of his 2017 reflections on war and reading. At the Alas, Not Me blog, Tom consistently writes thoughtful reading reflections and books studies, often connected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Homer, Reading, Shakespeare, war, WWI, WWII | 5 Comments

The 2021 Mythopoeic Awards Winners

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

At the virtual Mythcon 51 earlier in the fall, there was a good bit of buzz about the Mythopoeic Awards. As readers will know, I pay attention to the awards–so much so that this year they have stimulated a limited … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged Bodleian Library, C.S. Lewis, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, fantasy literature, Frank Herbert, Frederick Buechner, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, John Garth, John Rateliff, Kathryn Hume, L.M. Montgomery, Lev Grossman, Madeleine L'Engle, Marilynne Robinson, Mythopoeic Award, Science Fiction, Shakespeare, Ursula K. Le Guin, Verlyn Flieger | 7 Comments

“A Very Mean Rank”: William Shakespeare, Brian Grazer, and Biographies that are Too Good to be True

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

As background to my year of reading Shakespeare (one play a month), I am reading Peter Ackroyd’s biography of Shakespeare. As in all of Akroyd’s historical writing, it is accessible, thoughtful, and remarkably quick-moving for a long book. He writes … Continue reading →