Which 1936 book made C.S. Lewis known as a literary scholar before Narnia?

The Allegory of Love made C.S. Lewis widely known as a literary scholar before Narnia.

Published in 1936, The Allegory of Love is a study of medieval and Renaissance literature. Its subtitle identifies its subject as a study in medieval tradition, and the book examines allegorical approaches to love in major literary works.

The work helped establish Lewis’s scholarly reputation before he became internationally famous for the Narnia novels and popular Christian writing. It reflects his deep interest in medieval literature, a field that also shaped later works such as The Discarded Image.

Lewis’s career therefore crossed several genres: academic criticism, fantasy fiction, autobiography, and religious argument. The Allegory of Love is sometimes overlooked because it is less familiar to general readers than Mere Christianity or the Narnia books, but it was an important early achievement.