The Literary Life Podcast: Episode 269 - "An Experiment in Criticism" Revisited

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Hosts: Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks
Sister Podcast: The Well Read Poem with poet Thomas Banks

Introduction and Context

In Episode 269 of The Literary Life Podcast, hosts Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks delve deep into C.S. Lewis's seminal work, Experiment in Criticism. This episode serves as a comprehensive revisitation and clarification of Lewis's ideas, addressing widespread listener confusion and expanding on the historical and theoretical context of Lewis's critique of contemporary literary criticism.

Changes in the Podcast

Angelina opens the episode by explaining recent changes to the podcast dynamics:

• Thomas Banks joins as a full-time co-host, a transition driven by Cindy Rollins's encouragement.
• Cindy Rollins is currently on sabbatical, managing significant life changes, including relocating to another state.

Angelina highlights upcoming events, including the 7th Annual Literary Life Online Conference titled "Living Language, Why Words Matter," scheduled for April 23-26. She also announces a free gift for listeners: last year's conference talk available exclusively on HouseOfHumaneLetters.com.

Revisiting C.S. Lewis's "Experiment in Criticism"

The core of the episode centers on C.S. Lewis's Experiment in Criticism, originally published in 1961 but written in the early 1930s. Lewis's work critiques the prevailing literary criticism of his time, particularly targeting the Cambridge School led by figures like I.A. Richards and F.R. Leavis.

Historical Context: Oxford vs. Cambridge

Thomas Banks provides a historical backdrop:

• Oxford University, under the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien, emphasized studying "old books" in their original contexts, fostering a deep philological approach.
• Cambridge University, contrastingly, embraced modern literature and psychoanalytic readings, promoting literature as a tool for personal growth and moral improvement.

Angelina draws parallels between this historical divide and contemporary debates about the literary canon, emphasizing that Lewis opposed the elitist gatekeeping inherent in the Cambridge approach.

Key Concepts from Lewis

1. Literature as Experience, Not Utilitarian Use

   • Lewis argues that literature should be experienced akin to falling in love or undergoing a religious conversion, rather than used for self-help or moralizing purposes.
   • Notable Quote:
     "Lewis isn't saying literary experiences are like being saved. He's saying that it's like being someone and then this transformative experience happens, and now you're someone else."
     (Angelina Stanford, 22:51)

2. The Great Divide: Unlearning Modern Reading Habits

   • Lewis identifies a "Great Divide" between modern and pre-modern reading habits. Modern readers must unlearn contemporary ways of reading to fully engage with classic literature.
   • Notable Quote:
     "We have been shaped by invisible forces, assumptions, ideas about books and how to read them and how to think about them and their purpose."
     (Angelina Stanford, 30:02)

3. Horizontal vs. Vertical Plane (Inspired by Northrop Frye)

   • Horizontal Plane: Focus on personal and societal issues—self-help, psychological analysis, moral lessons.
   • Vertical Plane: Transcendent engagement with divine myths and greater truths beyond immediate human experiences.
   • Notable Quote:
     "Art is a window. You don't look at the window, you look through the window. And that's the divine light."
     (Angelina Stanford, 80:33)

Listener Feedback and Clarifications

Angelina addresses the overwhelming listener base that now numbers around 3 million unique downloads, far surpassing her original assumptions. She acknowledges misunderstandings where some listeners believed Lewis devalued literature, empathizing with their frustration while clarifying Lewis's true stance.

She explains that if listeners found Experiment in Criticism confusing, it might indicate they haven't yet experienced the type of literary engagement Lewis advocates. This realization opens the door for transformative literary experiences.

Critique of the Cambridge School

Thomas Banks elaborates on Lewis's criticisms of the Cambridge School:

• I.A. Richards: Promoted literature as a means for personal adjustment and self-improvement.
• F.R. Leavis: Advocated for a hierarchical assessment of literature, determining "what's in and what's out," fostering elitism and gatekeeping.

Angelina parallels this with modern debates on the literary canon, arguing against the notion of critics declaring certain works as superior or more valuable than others. She emphasizes that Lewis and Tolkien opposed this evaluative approach, advocating instead for reading literature to experience it.

Lewis's Literary Theory in Action

Angelina highlights how Lewis's literary theory permeates his other works:

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Represents Lewis's attempt to facilitate literary experiences that lead to transcendent insights, particularly the Christian narrative.
• Essays and Speeches: Such as "Preface to Paradise Lost" and "Myth Made Fact," where Lewis discusses reading literature beyond surface-level plots to uncover deeper, often divine, meanings.

She recommends various resources and podcast episodes for listeners to explore Lewis's ideas further, including:

• Allegory of Love
• Myth Made Fact
• Transposition
• Meditations in a Tool Shed

Encouragement for Deep Literary Engagement

Both hosts urge listeners to seek out the "vertical plane" of reading, transcending the mundane aspects of literary criticism to engage with the transformative power of stories. Angelina shares testimonials from listeners and members who have undergone paradigm shifts through their engagement with the podcast, underscoring the practical impact of Lewis's theories.

Notable Quote:
"When you have a literary experience, you're never going to want to go back to the crumbs under the table when you can have the whole feast."
(Angelina Stanford, 93:56)

Conclusion

Angelina concludes by reaffirming the podcast's mission to dismantle the "invisible walls" that hinder deep literary experiences. She encourages ongoing engagement with their content, emphasizing that true literary appreciation requires patience, openness, and a willingness to transcend modern reading conventions.

Notable Quote:
"Stories are a prism through which you can see the light of the world. And it is the light of the world that will save you."
(Angelina Stanford, 98:13)

Listeners are invited to participate in the upcoming conference, explore additional resources, and continue cultivating their literary lives through the podcast's extensive archive.

Key Takeaways:

• C.S. Lewis's Experiment in Criticism advocates for reading literature as a transformative experience rather than a utilitarian tool.
• Oxford (with Lewis and Tolkien) and Cambridge (with Richards and Leavis) represent divergent approaches to literary criticism, with Oxford emphasizing philology and literary experience, and Cambridge focusing on modern, psychological, and evaluative readings.
• The Literary Life Podcast aims to guide listeners beyond superficial reading habits, fostering deeper engagement with classic literature to uncover transcendent truths.
• Listeners are encouraged to move from evaluating literature to experiencing it, aligning with Lewis's vision of literature as a conduit to greater understanding and the divine.

Recommended Resources:

• Myth Made Fact by C.S. Lewis
• Prelude to Paradise Lost by C.S. Lewis
• Arthurian Torso by Charles Williams (with Lewis’s commentary)
• Podcast series on Much Ado About Nothing, Why Read Fairy Tales?, and other thematic episodes

For more insights and to participate in the literary conversation, visit HouseOfHumaneLetters.com.