Christian and Pre-Christian Narratives in Medieval Literature and Contemporary Writing

The chapter explores the Christian reuse of pre-Christian stories in medieval literature and how authors like C.S. Lewis and Sir Philip Sidney blended Christian elements with older narratives. It contrasts the storytelling approaches of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, emphasizing the integration of Christian themes in storytelling and the challenges posed by post-Christian atheism on literature. The chapter delves into the shift in post-Christian literature towards experimental narratives that prioritize language and form over traditional structured storytelling, using examples from writers like James Joyce and Samuel Beckett.