| Mythopoeic Society | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Mythopoeia |
| Venue | Michigan State University |
| Location(s) | East Lansing, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1967; 58 years ago (1967) |
| Attendance | 100–200 |
| Organized by | Mythopoeic Society |
| Filing status | Non-profit |
| Website | www |
TheMythopoeic Society (MythSoc) is a non-profit organization devoted to the study ofmythopoeic literature, particularly the works ofJ. R. R. Tolkien,Charles Williams, andC. S. Lewis. These men were all members ofThe Inklings, an informal group of writers who met weekly in Lewis' rooms atMagdalen College, Oxford, from the early 1930s until late 1949.
The Mythopoeic Society was founded in 1967 byGlen H. GoodKnight. Originally composed of discussion groups based in theLos Angeles area, it expanded to include organized branches across North America; in 1972 it assimilated the Tolkien Society of America. Membership is open to those who read, study, or write in the genres of myth and fantasy.
Three periodical publications are produced by the society:
In addition to the periodicals, the society formedThe Mythopoeic Press to publish material by and about writers of mythopoeic and fantastic literature, especially focused on The Inklings. Works published include out-of-print materials, collections of short articles and essays, and scholarly items.[3]
The society sponsors local discussion groups throughout the United States and theAnnual Mythopoeic Conference, also known asMythcon, generally held on college or university campuses in various locations, primarily within the United States.[4] Mythcon XX was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1989. Mythcon XXIII was held atKeble College, Oxford, England, in 1992 as part ofThe J. R. R. Tolkien Centenary Conference, co-sponsored withThe Tolkien Society. Likewise, Mythcon XXXVI in 2005 was held atAston University, Birmingham, England, combined withTolkien 2005 - 50 Years of The Lord of the Rings, sponsored by The Tolkien Society.[5]
Since 1971 the Mythopoeic Society has bestowed a series ofannual awards to outstanding works. In 1991 the literary award was broken into two categories: theMythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature and theMythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature.
TheMythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies is given to books onJ.R.R. Tolkien,C.S. Lewis, orCharles Williams that make significant contributions to Inklings scholarship. TheMythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies is given to scholarly books on other specific authors in theInklings tradition, or to more general works on the genres of myth and fantasy. For the scholarship awards, books first published during the previous three years are eligible, including finalists for previous years.
