The Inklings Variety Hour

And what is a Goblin?

Chris has Kora Burton on the show to talk about goblins, and the word "goblin" as it was used leading up to the writing of George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin.  What exactly was a goblin, and how was it differentiated (if at all) from other mischievous little creatures (such as elves, pukka, etc.)?  Were George MacDonald and Christina Rossetti responsible for the bad rap goblins have gotten since--in Tolkien and elsewhere?

We reference this book a great deal: British Goblins, by Wirt Sikes.

At the top, I read from Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, which predated The Princess and the Goblin.  

Come back next week for Part II of The Princess and the Goblin, featuring producer Logan Huggins and podcast cofounder Anika Smith!

Thanks as always to Logan for producing this episode!

If you want to weigh in on this episode (or any other), email us at Inklingsvarietyhour@gmail.com.  We'd love to hear from you.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, Part 1

This is the first episode of our summer coverage of The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald.  While MacDonald was not a member of the Inklings, this novel-length fairy tale was tremendously influential on both Lewis and Tolkien.

Our special guests/hosts this week are (besides Chris) Sophie Burkhardt and Fr. Bill Stanford!

Among other things, we'll discuss:

• George MacDonald's life and influence
• The vaguely political origin of MacDonald's goblins
• How to keep goblins away
• The nature of Irene's great-great Grandmother:
  • Is she like Aslan, or like a saint?
  • Her potential creepiness
  • The scandal of her particularity
  • Biblical parallels
  • Her age (and Bill's excellent theory)
  • Balancing fanciful details with allegory
• Literature and the fulfillment of hopes
• Poetry
• The vaguely political plans of MacDonald's goblins
•  Modern goblins in pop culture

Here are some Librivox readings of The Princess and the Goblin (I can't decide whose is better):

Lizzie Driver's Reading

Andy Minter's Reading

 

Thanks as usual to Logan Huggins for editing this episode!

Here is Sophie's podcast, Beneath the Willow Tree.

As always, if you want to contact us, write to Inklingsvarietyhour@gmail.com.

 

Stay tuned next week for a deep-diving digression on the term "goblin," with lots of discussion of etymology and folklore!  It may be our nerdiest episode yet!  And in two weeks, we'll continue making our way through The Princess and the Goblin.

The Inklings On Friendship

I know we promised The Princess and the Goblin last podcast.  It's coming.  It is.

For now, in its place, I talk a little bit about the podcast itself and read (and solicit) some great listener mail.  

Then, I dip into the Old Winyards of the podcast (2018?) and find the original pilot episode, on friendship, starring Anika and Glencora (my wife).  Apologies for the audio quality--but no apologies for the quality of discussion.

Send questions and feedback (as well as offers to cohost!) to Inklingsvarietyhour@gmail.com, and please do rate us on Apple Podcasts, if you're able.

Thanks, as always, for listening!

The Misquotable C.S. Lewis: An Interview with William O’Flaherty

This week, I interview William O'Flaherty, author of The Misquotable C.S. Lewis and creator of much other C.S. Lewis content, which you can find here: Amazon.com: William O'Flaherty: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

The Essential C.S. Lewis: William O’Flaherty – Essential C.S. Lewis (essentialcslewis.com)

 

Here is William's podcast, All About Jack, as well as his Youtube channel, Knowing and Understanding C.S. Lewis.

 

William and I talk about common misquotations of C.S. Lewis that have appeared on the Internet and speculate about the human tendency to misattribute sayings to important figures.

 

Enjoy, and thanks as usual to Logan Huggins for producing!

 

As always, if you have questions or would like to join us on the show, email us at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com

 

Stay tuned--next week, we'll discuss The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald!

 

Charles Williams and the end of _Descent Into Hell_: An Interview with Dr. Sørina Higgins

This final episode on Charles Williams' "spiritual thriller," Descent Into Hell, takes the form of an interview with modernist scholar Sørina Higgins. 

We talk about specific aspects of the final two chapters of Descent Into Hell, but in the context of a larger conversation about Charles Williams himself.  Among other questions, we'll discuss:

• How was Williams perceived by not only the other Inklings, but by famous poets in his own day?
• What similarities does Williams' work have with that of other Inklings?
• What was The Fellowship of the Rosy Cross, and why is it important to Williams' life and work?
• What was going on in Williams' own personal life that may have influenced the darker ending of Descent Into Hell?
• How can Chris make further goofy connections between this subject matter, Back to the Future, and The Simpsons?
• Why does Williams' appeal endure, despite his obscurity and (somewhat) checkered biography?

Check out more of Sørina Higgins' work, including her books, here: https://sorinahiggins.wordpress.com/

Here is her CFP (Call for Papers) for the book she is editing.

Here is the page for her new podcast!

Thanks, as always, to Logan Huggins for producing this episode!

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel more than free to email us at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com.  

Thanks for listening!

Tolkien in Ten: Eärendil

This is a new, short segment I want to try called "Tolkien in Ten."  The idea is to give a short, simplified, ten-minute summary of an important figure in Tolkien's extensive mythology--meant to be accessible to those who have not read The Silmarillion, etc.  Feel free to leave any feedback at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com.  

This week, we're looking at Eärendil, who is one of the most important figures in Tolkien's myth.  

We'll be back next week with our concluding episode of Charles Williams' Descent Into Hell.  

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams (Ch. 8-10)

Sorina Higgins and Sophie Burkhardt join Chris to discuss Chapters 8-10 of Charles Williams' Descent Into Hell.

 

Episode Description to Come!

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams (Ch. 6-7)

Chris, Logan, and Sophie discuss Charles Williams' novel Descent Into Hell, chapters 6-7.

Among other things, we discuss

• The Unusual Structure of Descent and Why it Defies Summary
   
   
• Prayer for the Dead
   
   
• Distinctions between Charles Williams secondary world and those of Tolkien/Lewis'
   
   
• Influence of Williams' ideas on Lewis (and maybe Tolkien)
   
   
• That famous "Weight of Glory" quote
   
   
• Enchanted, Invisible Worlds: Williams' Unseen World versus Faerie
   
   
• Isolation and Community as Hell and Heaven
   
   
• Heaven in the Fresco at Voroneț
   
   
   
• Echoes of Chapter 7 in Lewis' The Great Divorce
   
   
• Heaven as fact and Hell as self-deception
   
   
• The personality (or lack thereof) of the dead man; his supposed lack of moral agency
   
   
• What to do if you ever see a ghost
   
   
• The dead man's groan, the earthquake, and the harrowing of hell
   
   
• All good actions as extensions of God's goodness
   
   
   
• Dopplegangers in the movies

  

Thanks to Logan Huggins for producing this episode!

 

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams (Ch. 5-6)

Sophie, Anika, and Sorina join Chris to discuss Chapters 5-6 of Descent Into Hell--possibly Charles Williams' most profound novel.  You can find the new audiobook by Apocryphile press here.

Please leave us a good review on iTunes if you like this podcast!

We discuss:

Chapter 5: Return to Eden

• Wentworth's continued damnation and the interconnectedness of characters
• Rejecting joy and ignoring facts
• Williams' Romantic Theology and the Way of Affirmation of Images
• The nature of Lilith, in Hebrew myth, in George MacDonald, in pop culture, and in Charles Williams
• Rejection of beggars, lovers, and inconvenience as the path to hell

Chapter 6: The Doctrine of Substituted Love

• Does it work?
• Some theological objections
• Why is a contract necessary?
• Chasing down your shadow...

Thanks as always to Logan Huggins for producing!

If you have any questions or would like to contact us, just email us at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com.

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams (Chapters 3-4)

Sophie, Meagan, David, and Sorina join us for Descent Into Hell--possibly Charles Williams' most profound novel.  You can find the new audiobook by Apocryphile press here.

 

We discuss:

Quest of Hell

• The apparent plotlessness of Descent
• Wentworth's rejection of community
• How the novel is like a play
• Modernist drama
• C.S. Lewis' disastrous dinner with T.S. Eliot and Williams

Vision of Death

• Struther's Martyrdom
• The Right and Wrong way to recite poetry
• The Four Virtues of Poetry
• The Mountain of Abnegnos, meeting yourself, Fellowship of the Rosy Cross, visualization techniques, and other occultic contexts for this chapter (thanks, Sorina!)
• Knowing yourself and knowing love
• Final Question: Adapting Descent Into Hell

Here, by the way, is the Perelandra opera.

Thanks as always to Logan Huggins for producing!

If you have any questions or would like to contact us, just email us at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com.