The Rev. Dr. Michael Ward, of the University of Cambridge, contends in his new book Planet Narnia that CS Lewis secretly constructed the seven Narnia books to mirror the temperaments and qualities of the seven medieval planets Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. The recent release of Prince Caspian at theatres and cinemas worldwide has led to a heightening of interest in CS Lewis and his Narnia Chronicles in particular.
For the first example, Dr. Ward says that the second book in the Chronicles, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was written to reflect the characteristics of Jupiter or Jove, a planet characterized by kingly qualities and as a conqueror of winter. These qualities, he argues in Planet Narnia, are in part revealed through the kingly character Aslan who does away with winter. The second example that Ward points out is the link between Prince Caspian and the symbolic qualities of Mars. In the second Narnia book, the main characters unite with the Narnian’s in a war to force out the evil King Miraz. There is also ample imagery of trees and forests in the book, plus Aslan’s arrival into the story amidst dancing trees and war cry for the trees to enter into conflict. Ward believes Prince Caspian reveals the two capacities of the mythological god Mars, known as a god of war and a vegetation deity.
Ward has said that he made the discovery while writing his doctoral dissertation about CS Lewis. Whilst Ward was reading and researching Lewis’ 1935 "Planets" poem. he discovered Lewis’ interest in medieval astrology and planets was apparent elsewhere, including his Ransom Trilogy and university lectures. Ward told The Christian Post that Lewis had an imaginative belief in astrology, not a literal one. The writer also backs his claims with biblical references, citing in his book Genesis, Psalms 19 and Judges 20, among others.
"Throughout the Bible, there’s this indication that the stars are not just matter they’re not just large balls of rock and gas blazing it out up there without any significance. They’re important. They tell us something. We shouldn’t just disregard them," he said.
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