The Personal Heresy: A Controversy.

LEWIS, C.S. and E.M.W. Tillyard.

$12,500.00

Item Number: 132284

London: Oxford University Press, 1939.

First edition of this collection of arguments on the subjective and objective positions of writings, with C.S. Lewis arguing the latter. Presentation copy, inscribed by C.S. Lewis on the front free endpaper, “R.W. Fletcher from C.S.L. March 20th 1940.” In near fine condition. Exceedingly rare signed and inscribed by Lewis.

A series of articles, three each by C.S. Lewis and E. M. W. (Eustace Mandeville Wetenhall) Tillyard, The Personal Heresy is concerned with whether a piece of imaginative writing, particularly poetry, is primarily a reflection of the author's personality (Tillyard's position) or is about something external to the author (Lewis's position). The two positions may be summarized briefly as the subjective position (Tillyard) and the objective position (Lewis). In general, Lewis attempts to keep poetry within the reach of the common person, while Tillyard thinks of the poet as a person who is "a cut above the common person."