Talk:Charles Williams

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Latest comment: 7 June 2010 by Morgan

I always found paradox how Williams was an occultist and also a devout Christian and theologian and also friend of Tolkien. We know that Tolkien was a bit disappointed that Lewis did not became a Catholic, but does any biography ever brings into consideration whether Tolkien disagreed or overlooked Williams' occultism? Sage 16:50, 15 May 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]

The blog "A Mule In The Chapter House" has the following interesting sentence:

"Even JRR Tolkien lamented Williams’ influence over Lewis, and referred to him as “that witch-doctor”, although he admitted that Williams appeared to operate under an unusual degree of [Divine] protection, given the intellectual precincts he frequented."

Sadly, there isn't a source, perhaps from The Letters? --Morgan 18:38, 15 May 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]
The source for the blog post doesn't seem to be from The Letters. I posted a comment on the blog and asked for a reference. However, I searched through The Letters, and added some quotes on the Charles Williams page. --Morgan 19:34, 15 May 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]
It seems like Tolkien was unaware of his background, or else he would mention his thoughts. I also thought that all the Inklings were connected by mutual friendship and respect. I see now that they were only loosely affiliated scholars. Sage 08:15, 16 May 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]
The most explicit discussion of Tolkien's suspicion of Williams's occultism I've found so far is Colin Duriez's treatment of CW in the JRRT Encyclopedia. He says that Tolkien in the:
"...late years was to describe Lewis as being under Williams's "spell," and clearly, with hindsight, did not approve of this, feeling that Lewis was too impressionable a man. Later also, he would refer to the Inklings as Lewis's "seance," alluding to Williams's fascination with the occult, a taste that had disturbed Tolkien."
― p.708
One of Duriez's sources for the article on CW is Carpenter's The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and Their Friends - I guess there's more info about the issue at hand can be found in that work.--Morgan 22:40, 7 June 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]