Did you know that “The World of Narnia” is an Irish literary work, written by C.S. Lewis, a writer from Belfast? The 7 volumes making up this story were written between 1949 and 1954, and were an instant hit! These writings still survive today, and are considered true classics of children’s literature. The work has even been adapted for the big screen by Disney!
The icing on the cake is that the fairytale world of Narnia is directly inspired by the wild landscapes of Northern Ireland, with the majestic Mourne Mountains (Co. Down), Tollymore Forest Park and Kilbroney Forest Park!
C.S. Lewis
We dare you to find an Irish person who doesn’t know who C.S. Lewis (Clive Staples Lewis by full name) is! The latter is considered a brilliant writer, who has developed an imaginary world with many facets and subtleties!
To better understand him, here’s a look back at his life.
He was born in Belfast in 1898. From childhood, he had a passion for literature, while he spent most of his vacations in the Northern Irish countryside, in the Mourne Moutains and surrounding forest parks.
A talented, dreamy and intelligent man, he teaches English literature at Oxford University and Cambridge University. At the same time, he devoted himself to writing, publishing an impressive number of works!
The best-known of these is “The Chronicles of Narnia”, a 7-volume work for children and teenagers. Such is the power of these writings that these fantastic novels have strongly influenced Irish and Anglo-Saxon culture, even today!
It is estimated that the books have sold over 100 million copies since their original release. Each novel is said to have been translated into over 47 different languages, and to have been adapted for film, radio and television.
Here’s an overview of the 7 volumes, which were not written in chronological order:
The World of Narnia tells the story of 4 children who accidentally discover an epic fairytale world. Magic is everywhere, mythological creatures come to life, and animals are gifted with speech.
Wars for power and territory are also at the heart of this world’s concerns… Children will find themselves at the heart of intrigues that transcend the boundaries of reality, where they’ll have to take part in an age-old battle: that of good versus evil!
It’s no mystery that when C.S. Lewis wrote “The World of Narnia”, he was driven by a particularly strong spiritual quest. A former atheist who has now converted to Christianity, the Irish writer makes numerous Christian references in his 7-volume novel.
He thus multiplies analogies to Christ and the many biblical parables… This positioning is both appreciated and criticized.
But C.S. Lewis went further: he also drew inspiration from Greek and Roman mythology, and mixed in references to traditional Irish tales.
The Mourne Mountains – © stevie
C.S. Lewis is said to have regularly vacationed in the Northern Irish countryside as a child…
He also immediately fell under the spell of the Mourne Mountains, an impressive mountain range running through County Down.
The site would be so majestic, the writer would have felt that these mountains would have been quite capable of concealing a giant! It adds a poetic dimension to these remarkable landscapes!
There are also hiking trails in the mountains, allowing fans to get a better idea of the influences of C.S. Lewis in his novel!
Tollymore Forest Park – Carb0nxl – cc
Beyond the Mourne Mountains, C.S. Lewis would also have been deeply inspired by Tollymore Forest Park in County Down, Northern Ireland.
The gigantic forest is teeming with natural installations of enchanting scope, with Gothic gates, mysterious bridges, caves and arches capable of concealing talking animals!
Don’t hesitate to stop by: you’ll capture the atmosphere of the books.
Also of note is a stone lion’s head, said to have been installed on a fountain in the park, along Azalea Walk. For many, it’s Aslan, the iconic character from The World of Narnia!
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