The Narnia Code

Yesterday, I watched The Narnia Code on the BBC iPlayer (U.K. web users only, I'm afraid). The title, of course, is inspired by The Da Vinci Code because as with Dan Brown's book, the suggestion of The Narnia Code is that C. S. Lewis hid an extra layer of meaning in his seven Narnia books, namely, that each one corresponded to the seven planets that were known to the mediaevals. Not quite as exciting a notion as the idea that Leonardo's John the Evangelist in his Last Supper painting is not him but Mary Magdalene but then this was a documentary  and not fiction.

The Narnia Code is actually based on a newly published book, Planet Narnia, by literary historian, Michael Ward. In the documentary, Ward describes how, in his rooms at Cambridge University, he was reading one of Lewis's poems which contained the line 'winter past, sins are forgiven'. This is given verbatim as I am watching the Chinese Grand Prix as I write this so am not going to go and get Lewis' Poems to check the reference!

The above mentioned line inspired Ward to look at the Narnia books in the context of their references to the seven planets - sun, moon, Mars, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury. So, for example, Saturn is behind The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. This is because Lewis always associates Saturn with winter, which as we all know, is what covers Narnia until the arrival of Aslan. The moon is the planet of The Silver Chair because of the instances of lunacy (think Prince Trilian (?) in the Silver - moon like - chair). 

The narrator made some far too bold assertions as to what the effect of Ward's discovery - how it would change man's view of God, the Cosmos etc - but really, what it is is a neat little discovery that allows us to appreciate C. S. Lewis's learning and literary creation that bit more. 

Regarding the latter, the programme contained some recreations of Lewis in action with the Inklings; mischievously - it really had relevance to the documentary- these included Hugo Dyson's famous 'Not another bloody elf!' retort to J. R. R. Tolkien.

Amongst the 'talking heads' was Brian Sibley, who really does look a very avuncular person. He also has his own blog here. Check it out. There was also a fellow named Malcolm Guite who was distinguished by a very bushy beard and admirably unkempt hairstyle. I have since found out that as well as being a vicar, Guite is also a folk singer. His website is here. The vicar - scientist Sr John Polkinghorne also appeared. I mistook him for Raynor Unwin from documentaries past.

As Michael Ward talked about how Lewis saw religious imagery in the stars, for example, the red spot of Jupiter referencing the blood of Christ, we followed him to America where he visited his publisher in New York and, most interestingly, Wheaton College in Illinois. This college has bought the papers of many famous English Catholics. It is disgraceful that they have been allowed to leave the country, but we may give thanks that there is an institution that has cared enough to bring them all together. Most amusingly, Wheaton College looks like a Cotswold Cottage - a product, I suppose, of Anglophilia; well, I may smile, but it sure beats them hating us.

All in all it was a fairly solid piece of documentary making. I do think they should have dispensed with the unseen narrator and got Michael Ward to present the programme, though. He was a good presence on the screen and I am sure we would have learnt even more about the book if he had had more screen time.

If you would like to read more about Planet Narnia, Michael Ward has a dedicated website here. Well worth a look.