"'Our Dear Charles Williams': Tolkien's Friendship with the Oddest Inkling" by Sørina Higgins

In every friendship, loss is inevitable, whether through time, distance, conflict, or finally death. This is one such story. J. R. R. Tolkien and Charles Williams were friends for about six years—from 1939 until Williams’s sudden death in 1945. Williams seemed to have had a steady affection and admiration for Tolkien, enjoying his company and his writings, while Tolkien’s feelings went through a dramatic change. In her presentation, Dr. Higgins will clear up the confusion about their relationship, showing the stages of Tolkien’s thoughts about Williams over time.