Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia rank as many peoples’ favorite epic tales. These fantasy classics have stirred the imaginations and inspired good action in millions of people around the world. As such powerful stories, they are evident examples of how stories play a role in our virtue formation. I’m glad to welcome Louis Markos back to the show to help us to understand the virtue-forming power of stories and how these books inspire such virtue through discussing his book On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue in Tolkien and Lewis.

Louis and I begin our discussion by talking about the shaping experiences of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and why they are so influential today. He then explains why stories play such an important element in our lives. We finish off by examining the archetypes and classical virtues one can learn through the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia.

Louis Markos (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Baptist University. He is the author of many books, including Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes, Ancient Voices: An Insider's Look at Classical Greece, From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics, Atheism on Trial: Refuting the Modern Arguments Against God, and Restoring Beauty: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful in the Writings of C. S. Lewis.