Which Oxford society did C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien both belong to?

C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien both belonged to the Inklings. The Inklings were an informal Oxford literary circle whose members read and discussed works in progress, often in an atmosphere of friendly but serious criticism.

Lewis and Tolkien became friends after meeting at Oxford and shared interests in mythology, language, medieval literature, and Christianity. Their conversations influenced the intellectual environment in which Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien developed The Lord of the Rings. Other participants included Charles Williams and Owen Barfield, although attendance varied over time.

The Inklings were not a publishing organization, academic department, or religious denomination. They did not issue a shared manifesto, and membership was informal. The name referred to literary work still “in ink,” reflecting the group’s connection with unfinished writing.

Meetings took place in Oxford locations including the Eagle and Child pub and Lewis’s college rooms. Their reputation grew substantially after the international success of Lewis’s and Tolkien’s books.