Till We Have Faces
C.S. Lewis
22 min
9 Key Points
5 RateWhat's inside?
Dive into a captivating retelling of a Greek myth from the perspective of a princess, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the search for identity.
Key points
01The Birth of a Love-Hate Relationship
Orual, the eldest daughter of the King, was a woman of strength and intellect, but her physical appearance was far from the conventional beauty. Her father's eyes often glossed over her, his attention drawn to her younger sister, Psyche, who was a vision of beauty. Orual's heart was a battlefield of emotions, where love for her sister waged war against the green-eyed monster of jealousy. Psyche was not just a feast for the eyes; she was a balm for the soul. Her beauty was not skin-deep; it radiated from within, illuminating the lives of those around her. Orual, despite her resentment, was not immune to Psyche's charm. However, Psyche's beauty, like a moth to a flame, drew the attention of the god of the Grey Mountain. He demanded Psyche as a sacrifice, a demand that the King, despite his affection for Psyche, could not refuse. This decision drove a wedge between the King and Orual, deepening the chasm of their already strained relationship. Orual, her heart heavy with the loss of her sister, embarked on a perilous journey to the Grey Mountain. She was determined to rescue Psyche, to bring her back from the clutches of the god. But what she found at the mountain was not a damsel in distress but a woman in love. Psyche was alive, thriving as the wife of the god. She claimed to be in love with the god, a claim that Orual, blinded by her own jealousy and resentment, dismissed as delusion. This revelation marked the beginning of a tumultuous relationship between the two sisters. Orual loved Psyche, her heart ached for her safety, but she also despised her for her beauty and happiness. This complex web of emotions became the driving force of the story, as Orual grappled with her love for Psyche and her own feelings of jealousy and resentment. The story of Orual and Psyche is a testament to the complexity of human emotions, a tale of love, jealousy, and the struggle to reconcile the two.
02The Divine Intervention
In the realm of Glome, a kingdom steeped in ancient traditions and superstitions, a devastating famine had taken hold. The once fertile lands lay barren, the rivers ran thin, and the people, gaunt and hollow-eyed, whispered of divine wrath. The gods, they believed, had turned their faces from Glome, and the kingdom was paying the price for their displeasure. At the heart of their faith was the deity Ungit, a god as mysterious as he was feared. His high priest, a man of imposing stature and piercing gaze, declared that the gods demanded a human sacrifice to quell their anger. The people, desperate and terrified, accepted this grim decree, their fear of the gods outweighing their horror at the thought of such a sacrifice. Psyche, the youngest and fairest of the king's three daughters, was chosen for this dreadful task. Her beauty, which had once been a source of joy and pride, had now become her doom. The people of Glome looked upon her with a strange mix of reverence and pity, believing that her sacrifice would be their salvation. Orual, the eldest princess, was a stark contrast to her half-sister. Her features were not as delicate, her demeanor not as gentle, but her love for Psyche was fierce and unwavering. The decision to sacrifice Psyche shattered Orual. She pleaded, she raged, she wept, but her position as a princess offered her no power against the decree of the gods. Psyche was led to the holy tree on the mountain, a place shrouded in myths and legends, believed to be a portal to the divine realm. Dressed in the ceremonial robes of a bride, she was left to be claimed by the Shadowbrute, a creature of nightmares said to be Ungit's son. The people of Glome believed that Psyche's sacrifice would satiate the beast and, in turn, appease the gods, bringing an end to their suffering. Orual, her heart heavy with grief and guilt, watched from afar as her beloved sister was abandoned to her fate. The sight of Psyche, alone and vulnerable, was a torment she could scarcely bear. She was left grappling with the harsh reality of her powerlessness, her inability to protect Psyche from the wrath of the gods they were taught to fear and revere. The gods had turned their faces from Glome, and Orual found herself questioning the very faith that had condemned her sister.
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03The Unseen Palace
04The Seeds of Doubt
05The Quest for Redemption
06The Reign of the Veiled Queen
07The Trial of the Gods
08The Unveiling of Truth
09Conclusion
About C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis was a British writer, scholar, and Christian apologist, best known for his 'Chronicles of Narnia' fantasy series. He also wrote theological works and adult fiction, including 'Till We Have Faces'. His writings continue to be widely read and influential in both literary and religious circles.