C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a 20th-century British writer of manifold genius. He held the Oxford chair at the age of 26, and was hailed by his contemporaries as “the greatest Oxford man of all time”; in 1954 he was appointed Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English Literature at Cambridge University, a title he retained until his retirement.

During his lifetime, he accomplished three very different kinds of endeavors. He has been called “the three C.S. Lewises”: first, the distinguished Oxbridge literary historian and critic, whose works include The Oxford History of English Literature – 16th Century Volume. The second is a popular science fiction writer and children’s author, whose representative works include the “Space” trilogy and the “Chronicles of Narnia” seven-part series. Third, he is a popular Christian theologian and orator, whose representative works include “The Return of the Heavenly Way”, “The Devil’s Letter” (also known as “Letters from Hell”), “Back to Basics”, “The Four Kinds of Love”, and so on. He was the author of more than 30 books, including scholarly works, novels, poems, and children’s stories, and he had a huge worldwide following, and his works continue to attract thousands of readers each year to this day!

Notes on the translation ／ 1
Translator’s Remarks ／ 1
I. Minority and Majority ／ 1
II. Some inappropriate descriptions / 9
How the Minority and the Majority Use Painting and Music / 29
Reading for the Literary Blind / 55
V. Myths / 79
VI Meaning of “Fantasy” / 100
VII. Realism / 113
Misreading by the Literary Sensitive / 144
IX. Summary / 169
X. Poetry / 180
XI Experimentation / 195
Epilogue ／ 236

P.S. A Note on Oedipus ／ 258