Simply fascinating.
Lewis was enthralled by the beauty of the medieval conception of the cosmos... the "Heavens" instead of "Space". Interesting side note about how Milton in his work bridges the gap between the notion of the Heavens and that of Space.
Ward points out that Lewis didn't think that the factual incorrectness of something (whether that be paganism or the Ptolemaic conception of the cosmos) invalidated the beauty of it.
Ward makes that discovery that far from the Narnia series being a hodge-podge of imagery crammed into a story (as Tolkien felt about The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) that each seven books is an individual representation of the seven 'planets' (sun and moon) in the Ptolemaic cosmos.
"Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity". Lewis grew weary of the saturnine influences that had overcome many of his contemporaries: Owen, Sassoon, Eliot. He wanted to remind his age of the importance of the Jovial influence of Jupiter. St Nick isn't crammed into The Lion, The Witch... for hodge-podge purposes but because he is symbolic of joy, festal celebrations.
Other planets exert their influences over other books.
As Ward was starting to realize this hidden theme he came across an old manuscript of "The Silver Chair" where the big fella buried under the ground, sleeping, isn't named "Father Time" but "Saturn". And his influence is primarily "felt" in The Last Battle when he snuffs out the sun. This naming change further supported Ward's hypothesis.
Ward also ties in the Space Trilogy as being an earlier attempt at showing the planetary influences with Jupiter having a primary seat.
From the book:
Quote:
It has not before been noted by critics of That Hideous Strength that Ransom has by this stage in the trilogy turned into a human version of Jupiter. Although 'Ransom isn't the king of this country or trying to become king' he is unmistakably a king of a kind. He is likened to Solomon, Arthur, and to the King in MacDonald's The Princess and Curdie, he is seated in a 'throne room'; and he longs to return to the "House of Kings" where he will join 'Melchisedec the King.' ....
As if this complex web of Jovial-kingly-priestly-Christological imagery were not sufficient, we are told that Ransom's name has changed so that he is now known as Mr Fisher-King. In Arthurian romance the Fisher King was a king encountered during the quest for the Holy Grail in some versions of the story he is identified with the Wounded King Pelles. Ransom's own woundedness is mentioned numerous times.... In his priestly-kingly capacity, Ransom acts as a wounded healer. His wound is in his foot (an allusion to the messianic text, Gen 3:15)
I can't quote the whole book. But the themes are spellbinding.
