Showing posts with label #Charles Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Charles Williams. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Charles Williams and the Inklings


Charles Williams and the Inklings  

Christina Weigand



Now that the holidays are past it’s time to return to the Author series. I know I have been promising to get to Tolkien, but alas not yet. Today I am going to take a look at another Inkling. But first for those who don’t recognize that term I’ll tell you a little about them, then it is on to Charles Williams.

The Inklings were a group of writers that included the likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien. They met at The Eagle and Child pub weekly and would share readings from what they were currently working on. Different forms of this group still meet today in the U.K. and U.S.


Charles Williams was born in London in 1886 to Walter and Mary Williams. He had one sister, Edith born in 1889. In 1894 the family moved to St. Albans in Hertfordshire where Charles attended St. Albans School. He received a scholarship to University College London, but left the school without getting his degree.



He went to work at Oxford University Press as a proofreading assistant and eventually rose to the position of editor. He Williams married Florence Conway in 1917 and their son Michael was born in 1922. He died in 1945 in Oxford, England.

During his lifetime he wrote novels, poetry, plays and literary criticisms. Some of his notable works:
War in Heaven


The Place of the Lion


The Greater Trumps


Descent into Hell.



His works like Tolkien and Lewis was largely fantasy, but unlike them his was contemporary fantasy. T.S. Eliot described his work as “supernatural thrillers” because they explored the sacramental intersection of the physical with the spiritual while also examining the ways in which power can corrupt.

Williams became close friends with Lewis after reading one of Lewis’s books and sending him a letter of congratulations. At the same time Lewis had read one of Williams’s books and sent a similar note of congratulations. The letters crossed in the mail and led to an enduring friendship.

Love letters to Florence during WWII were eventually published. During this time he also joined Lewis and Tolkien in the Inklings where he was able to read and improve his final published novel; All Hallows’ Eve. He gave lectures on other authors at Oxford and received an honorary M.A. degree.

He is buried in Holywell Cemetery in Oxford and his headstone says “Poet” followed by the words: “Under the Mercy” a phrase often used by Williams.



As of yet I have not read any of Charles Williams’ books, but now they are definitely on my t.b.r list.

To see more of the Author series posts go here:





To see posts from the other authors in the Small Gang of Authors go here:


COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today Christina talks about Charles Williams, one of the writers of the group called Inklings at #OurAuthorGang
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Thank you

Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Chris Weigand shares a fascinating post on a little-known member of the Inklings, the writers group that included Tolkien and Lewis. Stop by #OurAuthorGang and check it out!
 
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Ruth de Jauregui

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Wow, I really need to learn more about the Inklings! Thank you so much Chris for posting this. More books for my list!
 
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Thanks Ruth. I was unaware of the other members of the Inklings, I am so glad I started researching them and found more of them

Tricia Drammeh shared this via Google+

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Thank you

Chris Weigand via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Meet one of the lesser known Inklings
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Toi Thomas via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today, Christina Weigand discusses Charles Williams and the Inklings. #OurAuthorGang
 
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Thank you.

Cindy Smith

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Wow I had never heard of this author but his works sound amazing!  Thank your for opening my eyes to his literary contributions.
 
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Your welcome and thank you.

Cindy Smith shared this via Google+

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Thank you.

Rick Haynes

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
An interesting read about a man, that alas, I'd never heard of. Thank you.
 

Eva Pasco

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Thank you for shedding light on this inner circle of commiserating writers.
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Your welcome. They are a fascinating group.

Lorraine Carey

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Thank you, Chris for enlightening with this most talented circle of authors.Going to check out Williams' books for sure.
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Definitely a talented group. Thank you.
 
I'd surely say so.

Joe Bonadonna

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Great post, Chris. I read "War in Heaven" years ago and liked it a lot. A few weeks ago there was a PBS special on The Inklings. Boy, to have been a fly on the wall in those days!
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Don't you know it. I just ordered two of his books The Place of the Lion and All Hallows Eve. I can't wait for them to get here so I can read them.

Joe Bonadonna via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today on #OurAuthorGang, Chris Weigand​ talks about author Charles Williams, who was one of The Inklings along with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
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Thank you.
 
+Chris Weigand - you're welcome.

Stephanie Collins via Google+

3 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
Erika M Szabo originally shared this
 
Today Christina talks about Charles Williams, one of the writers of the group called Inklings at #OurAuthorGang
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Thank you.

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