Dorothy Sayers: Brilliant Writer

Dorothy Sayers was indeed a remarkable writer, known for her detective novels and thrillers, as well as her contributions to Christian apologetics. Her translation of Dante's Divine Comedy for English audiences showcased her dedication to purposeful work. Despite facing challenges as a woman in her time, she achieved success and earned recognition for her intellectual gifts. Her friendship with notable intellectuals like C.S. Lewis further enriched her life and work. Sayers' legacy continues, and she is rightfully considered one of the most influential English women authors of the 20th century.

it is the sin that believes in nothing cares for nothing seeks to know nothing interferes with nothing enjoys nothing loves nothing hates nothing finds purpose in nothing lives for nothing and remains alive only because there's nothing for which it will die this is how dorothy sayers described sin as you can tell she was quite the writer [Music] considered one of the preeminent english writers of the 20th century among names like agatha christie george orwell c.s lewis and j.r tolkien sayers wrote detective novels and thrillers although known primarily for her mystery writing this brilliant lady showed her writing in a way to create meaningful discussion she believed in hard work but she also believed in purposeful work and this belief would guide her entire career leading her to create the translation of dante's divine comedy for english audiences [Music] as one of the first women to receive a degree from oxford sayers was a woman of keen wit and intellect after university she found great success as a copywriter for a prestigious london advertising firm coining the phrase it pays to advertise but it wasn't her copyright that made her a household name it was her mystery writing from 1923 to 1937 she published 12 detective novels some becoming international classics in a day and age when women did not usually write mysteries in 1937 she turned her attention to matters of faith when she was asked to write a play for the canterbury festival she wrote the zeal of thy house and then a series of radio plays for the bbc called the man born to be king [Music] these radio plays brought out a wave of protests for using a modern english voice for the voice of christ but this revolutionized religious playwright after that sayers focused on a series of essays and books with christian themes her mind was an amazing gift she established herself as a leading christian apologist of her day again a role women were typically kept away from sayers wasn't afraid to be direct in a humorous way in regard to theological dilemmas she defended the church but did not shy away from calling it to be better in creed or chaos she said the church's approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours and to come to church on sundays what the church should be telling him is this that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables according to her friends sayers found it very hard to speak with mere mortals on highly intellectual subjects so she invested in friendships with acclaimed intellectuals such as t.s eliot charles williams and even c.s lewis [Music] c.s lewis seemed to be a perfect intellectual fit right from the start at a time when friendship between a married woman and single man would have been thought odd if not socially dangerous lewis and sayers had very similar interests but also similar personalities they both loved a blunt energetic debate lewis found a brilliant apologist and encouraged sayers in the faith both of them found each other's company not only reputable in the art of apologetics but also a safe person to vent about the difficulty sayers faced in her own works as an author sayer's work as an apologist began to expand when she was introduced to dante's work she decided to create a fresh translation of his divine comedy so that more people could understand and appreciate what he had to say dante's the divine comedy is widely considered to be the preeminent work in italian literature and one of the greatest works of world literature so when sayers decided to translate it it would be a giant task man is never truly himself except when he is actively creating something [Music] it took six years to complete the first two volumes of dante's the divine comedy before completing the third sayers passed away however this brilliant mind and often underrated author and apologist is regarded as one of the most influential english women authors of the 20th century