Volume 12 Number 1 Article 11

10-15-1985

Letters From Hell: The Symbolism of Evil in Letters From Hell: The Symbolism of Evil in The Screwtape Letters The Screwtape Letters

Nancy-Lou Patterson

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Patterson, Nancy-Lou (1985) "Letters From Hell: The Symbolism of Evil in The Screwtape Letters," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 12 : No. 1 , Article 11. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol12/iss1/11

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Abstract Abstract Analyzes in detail the symbols of evil in The Screwtape Letters. Lewis presents evil as various forms of the privatio boni, or absence of good.

Additional Keywords Additional Keywords Devils in The Screwtape Letters; Evil in The Screwtape Letters; Lewis, C.S. The Screwtape Letters; Nancy-Lou Patterson; Christine Lowentrout

This article is available in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol12/iss1/11

M YTHLORE 43: A utum n 1985 Page 47

Letters From Hell The Symbolism of Evil in The Screwtape Letters

Nancy-Lou PattersonAn a p o lo g y f o r t h e d e v i l : i t m u st berem em bered t h a t we h a v e h e a r d o n ly o n e s i d e o f t h e c a s p ; God h a s w r i t t e n a l l t h e b o o k s .

Sam uel B u t l e r , N o te b o o k s

F o l lo w in g t h e e x am p le o f D o ro th y L . S a y e r s , who i n t e r p r e t e d The D iv in e Comedy p r i m a r i l y t h e w ork o f an " in c o m p a r a b le s t o r y - t e l l e r , " t h e a u t h o r o f t h i s e s s a y w i l l a p p ly t h e sam e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t o C .S . L e w is 's The S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . I n t h i s s h o r t e p i s t l a t o r y f a n t a s y , t h e r e a r e t h r e e c o m p e l l in g in te r w o v e n n a r r a t i v e s : t h el i f e o f t h e young human " p a t i e n t " fro m h i s C h r i s t i a n c o n v e r s io n t o h i s d e a t h ; t h e d i a b o l i c a l e f f o r t s o f h i s t e m p te r Wormwood an d t h e s e n i o r d e v i l S c re w ta p e t o c a p t u r e him f o r h e l l ; and t h e r o l e , i m p l i c i t th r o u g h o u t and made e v id e n t i n t h e e n d , o f God i n s a v in g him f o r H e av e n . The n a r r a t i v e i s d i v id e d i n t o t h r e e p h a s e s o f t e m p t a t i o n , t h e f i r s t by t h e W o rld , t h e s e c o n d by t h e F l e s h , an d t h e t h i r d by t h e D e v i l ( t h a t i s , by s p i r i t u a l m e a n s ) . I n t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h i s m o st human o f a l l s t o r i e s , L ew is m akes u s e o f t h e m a jo r an d c l a s s i c sy m b o ls o f e v i l fro m t h e t r a d i t i o n s o f W e s te rn c u l t u r e , i n c l u d i n g t h e a n im a l m o t i f , t h e f e a r o f b e in g d e v o u re d , a n d , m o st f u n d a m e n ta l o f a l l , t h e c o n c e p t o f d e f i l e m e n t . I n sum , h e p r e s e n t s e v i l a s d e f in e d by t h e d o c t r i n e o f p r i v a t i o b o n i . t h e a b s e n c e o f g o o d , a s he e x p lo r e s t h e m y th ic s t r u c t u r e s o f t h e War i n H e av e n . He d e s c r i b e s a b u r e a u c r a t i c h e l l i n w h ic h S a ta n an d h i s f a l l e n a n g e l s , u n a b le t o c r e a t e so much a s a s i n g l e p l e a s u r e , c o n t i n u a l l y s t r u g g l e t o u n d e r s ta n d t h e i n t e n t i o n s o f t h e i r A d v e r s a r y , G od. I n a c c u r a t e t o t h e l a s t , th e y o c cu p y t h e u l t i m a t e l y r i d i c u l o u s p o s i t i o n o f c r e a t e d b e in g s r e b e l l i n g a g a i n s t t h e i r c r e a t o r . From t h i s i g n o b le p o s t u r e , t h e y r e a c h o u t r a v e n o u s ly t o d raw e a c h human b e in g i n t o t h e sam e c o n t r a d i c t i o n . I n The S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , t h e t e m p te r s m ee t d e f e a t , a n d t h e

p a t i e n t m e e ts h i s m aker f a c e - t o - f a c e : 'L ew is i s t e l l i n g t h e o n e t a l e h i s l i s t e n e r s m o st w a n t t o h e a r a s t h e i r own.

On a human l e v e l , T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s t e l l s a v e ry s im p le b u t p o ig n a n t s t o r y . A t t h e o n s e t o f W orld War I I , a young B r i t i s h c o n v e r t t o C h r i s t i a n i t y

u n d e r g o e s a s e r i e s o f t e m p t a t i o n s by t h e W o rld , t h e F l e s h , an d t h e D e v i l ; h e m e e ts a n d f a l l s i n l o v e w i th a young C h r i s t i a n g i r l , b e g in s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n d e f e n c e w o rk , a c q u i t s h i m s e l f w e l l i n h i s f i r s t a i r - r a i d , and i s k i l l e d i n a s t a t e o f g r a c e , i n h i s s e c o n d . The e f f o r t s o f h i s p e r s o n a l t e m p t e r , o n e Wormwood, h a v in g b e en r e p o r t e d t o a s e n i o r d e v i l , S c r e w ta p e , e l i c i t l e t t e r s o f a d v ic e o n t h e d i a b o l i c a l a s p e c t s o f t h e p r o c e s s . From t h e s e we f o l lo w a s e c o n d , s p i r i t u a l l e v e l o f e v e n t s i n w h ic h t h e e m p h a s is i s upon t h e i n f e r n a l c h a r a c t e r s b u t i n c l u d e s a h i n t o f t h e d i v i n e a c t i o n s a s w e l l .

On t h e d i a b o l i c a l l e v e l , S c re w ta p e a d v i s e s , s c o l d s , t h r e a t e n s , p r a i s e s , a n d f i n a l l y condem ns t h e e f f o r t s o f h i s nephew Wormwood, w ho, a f t e r u n s u c c e s s f u l l y t r y i n g t o b e t r a y h i s u n c le an d c o r r u p t h i s " p a t i e n t , " becom es fo o d f o r S c re w ta p e i n t h e s a v e d s o u l ' s p l a c e . T he w ork o f God m ea n w h ile h a s d raw n t h e young man i n t o t h e C h u rc h , d e fe n d e d him a g a i n s t t e m p t a t i o n , p r o v id e d him w i th a g i r l t o lo v e an d C h r i s t i a n s t o b e f r i e n d h im , an d t a k e n h im , s t i l l young an d i n s p i r i t u a l h e a l t h , t o H im s e l f . T h is t a k i n g , c o n t r a r y t o i n f e r n a l p r a c t i c e , i s n o t i n t o a s t a t e o f a b s o r p t i o n , b u t i n t o t r u e an d c o m p le te s e l f h o o d a t t h e h e a r t o f S e l f h o o d ; t h e d i a b o l i c a l m ea l w h ic h S c re w ta p e m akes o f Wormwood i s a n i n v e r t e d p a ro d y ( l i k e t h e B la c k M ass) o f t h e c e n t r a l C h r i s t i a n sy m b o l o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw ee n human a n d d i v i n e : t h e E u c h a r i s t , t h e s a c r e d m ea l i n w h ic h t h e Body an d B lo o d o f C h r i s t becom e t h e fo o d o f t h e f a i t h f u l . S c re w ta p e n e v e r l e a r n s w h a t God w a n ts fro m H is c r e a t i o n ; t h e i d e a t h a t God w a n ts t o g iv e H im s e lf t o h i s c r e a t u r e s — d e p ic t e d i n so a b s o l u t e , s t u n n i n g , and c o n c r e t e a n im ag e a s t h i s — o b v io u s ly c a n n o t o c c u r t o t h e d e v i l . B u t L ew is u s e s e x a c t l y t h i s im ag e a s t h e o p e r a t i v e sym bol o f h i s b o o k .

I t i s i n s t r u c t i v e t o su m m arize t h e s t o r y w i th a s e n t e n c e f o r e a c h o f t h e t h i r t y - o n e c h a p t e r s . T h e re i s a young man who h a s a m a t e r i a l i s t f r i e n d . E ven s o , he b ecom es a C h r i s t i a n . He h a s p ro b le m s w i th h i s m o th e r , a d i f f i c u l t o ld l a d y who r e s e n t s h i s c o n v e r s i o n . He b e g in s a p r a y e r l i f e i n w h ic h h e becom es a w a re o f G o d 's p r e s e n c e . War b e g in s . He f e e l s f e a r , l o s s , an d

Page 48 MYTHLORE 43: Autum n 1985

s e l f - p i t y . In p a r t i c u l a r , h e f e a r s th e p r o s p e c t o f m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e . He d o e s n o t know h e h a s a te m p te r who w i l l m a n ip u la te h i s f e a r to w a rd s a f a l s e p a c if is m . He u n d e rg o e s a p e r io d o f d r y n e s s , a n a tu r a l r e s u l t o f " u n d u la tio n " o r rh y th m in a c o n v e r t 's l i f e . H is te m p te r t r i e s to m ake u s e o f t h i s . T he young man i s te m p te d by th e W orld i n th e fo rm o f a c o u p le who a r e f a s h io n a b ly l i b e r a l . T hey e n jo y l a u g h te r b u t n o t o f th e h e a lin g k in d . A lth o u g h h i s s o u l i s in d a n g e r , h e s t i l l c o n tin u e s to a t te n d c h u rc h an d m ake h i s co m m u n io n s. As a r e s u l t , h e r e p e n t s , an d u n d e rg o e s a " s e c o n d c o n v e r s io n ." He g a in s a new h u m ili ty an d a id fro m God in k e e p in g h i s m ind o f f h im s e lf .

T h e re i s a l u l l i n th e w a r , an d h e f e e l s a " n a tu r a l " s e n s e o f e a s e . H a p p ily , e v e r s in c e h i s c o n v e r s io n , h e h a s a tte n d e d th e sam e c h u rc h . A new a tte m p t i s m ade on h i s s o u l th ro u g h a p p e t i t e , a s p e i a l fo rm o f " d e lic a c y " w h ich h e s h a r e s w ith h i s m o th e r — t h i s i s a te m p ta tio n o f th e F le s h . H is f i e s h i s a ls o te m p te d to w a rd u n c h a s t i ty ; t h i s ta k e s a s t r o n g fo rm , p la y in g upon h i s p r iv a t e o b s e s s io n s . T h ro u g h G ra c e , h e f a l l s in lo v e w ith a v i r g in a l C h r i s t ia n g i r l o f a fa m ily a d v an c ed on h o l in e s s . He m e e ts m any new , i n t e l l i g e n t C h r i s t ia n f r i e n d s . T he g i r l 's o n ly f la w i s t h a t sh e n a iv e ly s e e s n o n - C h r is t ia n s a s a l i t t l e r i d ic u l o u s . But , h e i s l i v i n g a new k in d o f C h r i s t ia n l i f e among t r u l y c h a r i t a b l e p e o p le . T hey a r e "m ere C h r i s t ia n s " f o r whom th e f a i t h i s an en d in i t s e l f , n o t a m eans to an e n d . T he c o u r ts h ip c o n tin u e s ; th e v e ry e n c h a n tm e n t o f l i c i t s e x u a l d e s i r e i n c r e a s e s t h e i r c h a r i ty to w a rd o n e a n o th e r . He b e g in s t o p ra y a b o u t a p ro b lem o f d i s t r a c t i o n i n p r a y e r ; h e b e g in s t o m ake a h a b i t o f o b e d ie n c e .

Now th e d e v i l p r e p a r e s h i s f i n a l a t t a c k . W h ile th e young m a n 's m o th e r an d young woman p ra y f o r h im , h e ta k e s up d e fe n c e w o rk . T he a n t i c ip a t i o n o f bom bardm ent aw ak en s te m p ta t io n s to h a tr e d , f e a r , an d d e s p a ir ; b u t h e f e e l s sham e a t th e s e e x p r e s s io n s o f i n c i p i e n t c o w a rd ic e . I n h i s f i r s t a i r - r a i d , h e a c q u i t s h im s e lf w e l l; h e i s a f r a i d , an d asham ed o f h i s f e a r , b u t d o e s h i s d u ty an y w ay . F i n a l l y , h e i s k i l l e d in a n o th e r r a i d , s im u lta n e o u s ly b eco m in g a w are o f h i s te m p te r s , o f th e a n g e ls who h a v e p r o te c te d h im , an d o f C h r i s t H im se lf who g r e e t s h im , w e a rin g " th e fo rm o f a M an ."

We do n o t l e a r n th e u tim a te f a t e o f h i s m o th e r o r h i s young wom an, th o u g h th e y f i g u r e p ro m in e n tly in th e s t o r y . P e rh a p s th e u n p le a s a n t o ld la d y w i l l b e sa v e d by h e r s o n 's i n te r c e s s io n s , an d th e g i r l , m ade m ore m a tu re an d l e s s n a iv e by h e r b e re a v e m e n t, w i l l o n e d ay m eet him in H eav en , p e rh a p s a f t e r a l i f e t im e o f m a r r ia g e to som eone e l s e .

I h a v e s u g g e s te d in t h i s sum m ary, by my d iv is io n o f th e n a r r a t iv e i n to t h r e e p a r a g r a p h s , an d by th e la n g u a g e I h a v e u s e d , t h a t th e s u b je c t o f T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s i s te m p te d o f th e W o rld , th e F le s h , an d th e D e v il. F o r a t l e a s t f o u r c e n t u r ie s , A n g lic a n s h a v e p ra y e d t h a t n ew ly b a p tiz e d b a b ie s may " tr iu m p h a g a in s t th e d e v i l , th e w o r ld , an d th e f l e s h ." T h ese te rm s r e f e r to s p i r i t u a l s i n , s o c i a l s i n , an d p h y s ic a l s i n . In te rm s o f th e t r a d i t i o n a l S ev en D e ad ly S in s , th e s e c a t e g o r i e s m ig h t b e d iv id e d in to P r id e an d D e s p a ir ( th e D e v i l) ; A v a r ic e , E n v y , an d A nger ( th e W o rld ); an d G lu tto n y an d L u s t ( th e F le s h ) . D o ro th y L . S a y e rs w i t t i l y e n t i t l e d a n e s s a y "T h e O th e r S ix D e ad ly S in s " b e c a u se so few p e o p le h a v e h e a rd o f an y b u t th e l a s t ( L u s t ) , w h ile sh e c o n c lu d e d t h a t th e f i r s t ( P r id e ) w as th e fu n d am en t an d r u l e r o f th e o th e r s .

O f lu x u r ia ( L u s t ) , S a y e rs s a id b r i s k ly t h a t i t i s in d e e d a s i n ; t h a t u n t i l r e c e n t ly C a e s a r a g re e d w ith

th e C h u rch in c o m b a tin g i t , b u t now , no lo n g e r n e e d in g f a m i l i e s , h a s c e a s e d to c a r e ; an d t h a t p e o p le f a l l i n to i t by " s h e e r e x h u b e ra n c e o f a n im a l s p i r i t s " b u t e q u a lly e a s i l y by " s h e e r boredom an d d i s c o n te n t ." [1 ] L u s t , a lo n g w ith i r a (W ra th ) an d g u la ( G lu tto n y ) S a y e rs c a l l s th e " w a rm -h e a rte d , o r d i s r e p u ta b le s i n s . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 5 9 .) T he o th e r s sh e a c e r b ic a l l y c a l l s " th e c o ld - h e a r te d o r r e s p e c ta b le s i n s . " T h ese a r e a v a r i t i a (C o v e to u s n e s s ) ; i n v id i a (E n v y ); a c e d ia ( S lo th ) o f w h ich sh e s a y s " I n th e w o rld i t c a l l s i t s e l f t o le r a n c e ; b u t in h e l l i t i s c a l l e d d e s p a i r ," ( I b i d . , p . 1 7 6 .) an d s u p e r b ia ( P r id e ) w h ic h i s " th e s i n o f t r y in g to b e G o d ." ( I b i d . , 1 7 7 .) T h is l a s t i s , o f c o u r s e , th e s i n o f S a ta n .

To L e w is , o n e n e ed n o t lo o k p a s t o n e 's own e x p e r ie n c e to h a v e a k n o w led g e o f s i n :

In a l l b u t a few w r i t e r s th e "g o o d " c h a r a c te r s a r e th e l e a s t s u c c e s s f u l , an d e v e ry o n e who h a s e v e r t r i e d t o m ake e v e n th e h u m b le s t s to r y o u g h t t o know w hy. To m ake a c h a r a c te r w o rse th a n o n e s e lf i t i s o n ly n e c e s s a ry t o r e le a s e im a g in a tiv e ly fro m c o n tr o l som e o f th e b ad p a s s io n s w h ic h , in r e a l l i f e , a r e a lw a y s s t r a in i n g a t th e le a s h . . . . [ 2 ]

In d e e d , th e v o ic e o f S c re w ta p e (b y i n te n t io n a c h a r a c te r w o rse th a n " o n e s e lf " ) i s th e v o ic e o f th e young L ew is a s r e v e a le d i n h i s own e a r ly l e t t e r s : s u p e r c i l i o u s , m o ck in g , c r u e l ly c a l c u l a t i n g , b e l i t t l i n g , an d a n x io u s f o r p o s i t io n , an d c e r t a i n l y h e d rew upon h i s own l i f e , h i s own te m p ta t io n s , i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s .

T he c h a r a c te r o f W orm w ood's p a t i e n t i s n o t q u i te E v ery m an . He r e s i d e s i n a tow n l a r g e en o u g h to u n d e rg o b o m b ard m en t, r a th e r th a n a v i l l a g e o r on a fa rm . He l i v e s w ith h i s m o th e r (a n e c h o , s u r e ly o f L e w is 's s u r r o g a te m o th e r,- M rs . J a n ie M o o re ), an d h a s s e v e r a l c o n tr a s t in g c i r c l e s o f f r i e n d s who r e f l e c t th e i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r r e n t s o f th e o f th e d a y , in c lu d in g C h r i s t i a n i t y . He i s a n A n g lic a n ( n o t a "m ere C h r i s t i a n " ) , a m em ber o f a s p e c i f i c p a r is h o f th e C h u rch o f E n g la n d . We do n o t le a r n how h e m akes h i s l i v i n g b u t s u s p e c t i t i s n o t a s a l a b o u r e r . P e rh a p s h e w o rk s a t a d e sk i n a l a r g e b u re a u c ra c y , so t h a t Wormwood i s h i s i n f e r n a l c o u n te r p a r t : a j u n io r te m p te r f o r a j u n io r c le r k ! H is p r iv a t e l i f e o f r e la t i o n s h ip s w ith f a m ily , f r i e n d s , an d c o u r te d g i r l a r e d e p ic te d , b u t h i s l i f e a s a w o rk e r , w h ich w o u ld h a v e o c c u p ie d m o st o f h i s d a y lig h t h o u r s , i s n o t d is c u s s e d in th e s t o r y . T he b u r e a u c r a t ic H e ll w h ich L ew is h a s c o a t e d may h a v e ta k e n i t s p la c e , s e t t i n g f o r t h th e d i a b o l i c a l a s p e c ts o f t h i s l i f e s t y l e w ith v ig o u r . I t i s a ls o p o s s ib le t h a t th e young m an, l i k e L e w is 's f r i e n d A r th u r G re e v e s , h ad no em p lo y m en t, b u t l iv e d w ith h i s m o th e r on th e p ro c e e d s o f h e r i n h e r i t a n c e , w h e th e r fro m h e r fa m ily o r h e r h u sb a n d . A lth o u g h h e i s o f a n a g e f o r m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e , th e young man d o e s n o t v o lu n te e r an d i s n o t c a l l e d : h e s e r v e s in s te a d a t home in d e fe n c e w o rk , an d in d e e d , d ie s a t h i s p o s t . P e rh a p s h e i s s l i g h t l y d i s a b le d , a s G re e v e s r e p o r te d ly w a s , by a f a u l t y h e a r t .

D e s p ite th e s e s p e c i f i c s , h o w e v e r, h i s y o u th , h i s la c k o f p a r t i c u l a r em p lo y m en t, an d h i s m em b ersh ip in th e s t a t e c h u rc h , g iv e him a p a r t i a l l y g e n e r a liz e d i d e n t i t y . L ew is m u st h a v e w a n ted a c h a r a c te r s p e c i f i c en o u g h to b e b e l ie v a b le b u t g e n e r a l en o u g h to b e u n d e r s ta n d a b le by th e m a jo r i ty o f h i s r e a d e r s . T he book b e g an a s a s e r i e s p r in te d i n th e M a n c h e s te r G u a rd ia n

MYTHLORE 43: Autum n 1985 Page 49

e a r l y i n W orld War I I , a n d w as i n t e n d e d f o r r e a d e r s a w a re o f i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r r e n t s .

I h a v e s u g g e s t e d a b o v e t h e a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l e le m e n t i n t h e p a t i e n t ' s d i f f i c u l t m o th e r : a n o th e r f e a t u r e , a v a i l a b l e t o u s s i n c e t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e L e w is -G re e v e s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , i s h i n t e d i n t h e t e m p t a t i o n s t o u n c h a s t i t y . T h e s e i n c l u d e r e f e r e n c e s t o r a a s t u r b a to r y f a n t a s y — " s o l i t a r y v i c e " a n d " p e r s o n a l o b s e s s io n " — w h ic h f o r t h e y o u t h f u l L ew is t o o k t h e fo rm o f im a g in e d s a d i s m . He may a l s o h a v e b e e n u n c h a s t e , a s h e h i n t s i n S u r p r i s e d by J o y ( h i s d a n c in g t e a c h e r ) a n d T he P i l g r i m 's R e g r e s s ( t h e b row n g i r l ) . As f a r a s we know , h e n e v e r won t h e l o v e o f a v i r g i n a l C h r i s t i a n g i r l , b u t h e h a d a num ber o f f r i e n d s h i p s w i th young women o f t h e t y p e h e d e s c r i b e s i n t h e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e p a t i e n t ' s "y o u n g w om an ," f e m a le c o u s i n s an d f a m i ly a c q u a in t a n c e s o f h i s B e l f a s t y o u th , i n c l u d i n g J a n e M c N e i l l . H is w i f e , a s b e f i t t e d h i s m a t u r i t y , w as a b r i l l i a n t d i v o r c e d woman who o f f e r e d him i n t e l l e c t u a l e q u a l i t y a n d e x p e r i e n c e d s e x u a l p a r t n e r s h i p . B u t t h a t l a y a h e a d o f h im when h e w r o te T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s .

T he boo k i s a n e p i s t l a t o r y n a r r a t i v e i n a fo rm c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f a n u m b er o f V i c t o r i a n w o rk s o f f a n t a s y i n c l u d i n g D r a c u la by Bram S t o k e r a n d The M o o n s to n e by W ilk ie C o l l i n s . T h i s fo rm w as a l s o u s e d by r e l i g i o u s w r i t e r s a n d L e w is 's s p e c i f i c s o u r c e h a s b e e n s t a t e d t o h a v e b e e n L e t t e r s From H e l l (1 8 8 5 ) by W aldem ar A d o lp h T h i s t e d . L e w is w r o te f ro m G r e a t B ookham , w h e re h e w as b e in g t u t o r e d f o r O x f o r d , t o h i s f r i e n d G re e v e s on 18 J u l y , 1 9 1 6 : " I w o n d e r w h a t a bo o k c a l l e d 'L e t t e r s fro m H e l l ' p u b l i s h e d a t 1 / - by M a c m illa n w o u ld b e l i k e ? " [ 3 ] By 25 J u l y h e h a d l e a r n e d t h a t t h e e d i t i o n h a d a n i n t r o d u c t i o n by G e o rg e M acD o n ald , a l r e a d y known t o h im fro m P h a n t a s i e s . When t h e boo k s o b r e a t h l e s s l y a w a i te d w as f i n a l l y r e a d , L e w is w r o te t o G re e v e s t h a t h e h a d g iv e n i t " t o a ju m b le s a l e f o r t h e r e d c r o s s o r s o m e th in g " a n d t h a t " I am a t p r e s e n t e n jo y i n g t h e m a l i c i o u s p l e a s u r e o f e x p e c t i n g t h a t t h e b u y e r w i l l b e a s d i s a p p o i n t e d a s I w a s ." ( I b i d . , 1 5 1 . )

T h is b o o k b e g in s " I f e l t t h e a p p r o a c h o f d e a t h . " No w o n d e r t h e young L e w is h a d f e l t a t t r a c t e d t o i t when h e f i r s t o p e n e d i t ! B u t w h a t f o l l o w s i s a d r y m em oir r e c o r d e d d u r i n g a s o j o u r n i n h e l l , i n t e r s p e r s e d w i th b i z a r r e v i s i o n s o f s y m b o l ic i m p o r t : a c i t y w i th a n i g h t l y " a u t o - d a f e , " a c i t y o f P o l i t i c i a n s w h e re t h e s t a te s m e n f a l l t o b i c k e r i n g . T h e s e im a g e s s u g g e s t m o t i f s w h ic h r e a p p e a r i n T h a t H id e o u s S t r e n g t h . A l l t h e w h i l e , t h e l i g h t s lo w ly f a d e s , a s i t d o e s i n h e l l i n T he G r e a t D i v o r c e . T h e re i s a w ro n g ed m a id e n , who f i n d s h e r way t o h e a v e n , w i t h o u t t h e p r o t a g o n i s t , a h i n t o f t h e C h r i s t i a n g i r l i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , p e r h a p s . I n d e e d , a t t h e e n d , t h e dam ned s o u l m e e ts h i s own m o th e r on t h e s t y g i a n s h o r e a n d th e y s i n k i n t o a f i n a l d e s p a i r , p r o v i d in g a t l e a s t t h e germ o f t h e m o th e r i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . T he s t y l e i s o r n a t e , e v e n e l e g a i c , b u t t h e c o n t e n t s a r e e x t r e m e ly d i f f u s e . P re su m a b ly L e w is h ad c h a n c e s b e y o n d t h i s t o o b s e r v e t h e C i ty o f D i s : h i s b r o t h e r M a jo r W arre n L e w is w r o te i n h i s d i a r y o f a p a r t o f L iv e r p o o l ( t h e s a d s e a p o r t t o w h ic h t h e c h i l d L ew is w as f e r r i e d a t t h e e n d o f e a c h h o l id a y fro m B e l f a s t t o h i s t e r r i b l e s c h o o l i n E n g la n d ) : " I , a f t e r a s i e s t a , w e n t f o r a m ore e x te n d e d s t r o l l i n B irk e n h e a d t h a n I h a v e y e t h a d ; i t i s e x a c t l y H e l l d e s c r i b e d by J i n t h e o p e n in g c h a p t e r o f G ran d D iv o r c e . How c a n a n y g o v e rn m e n t e x p e c t c o n t e n t f ro m t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f s u c h a p l a c e ? " [ 4 ]

B u t L ew is d i d , p e r h a p s , d e r i v e a v e r y c o n c r e t e , an d f i n a l l y m ore i m p o r t a n t , i d e a fro m t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e boo k by G e o rg e M acD o n ald , who w r o te t h a t L e t t e r s

fro m H e l l w as " f u l l o f t r u t h . " I n h i s c o m m e n ts , M acD onald p e n n e d t h i s p o w e r f u l s t a t e m e n t :

M en, i n d e f a c in g t h e im a g e o f God i n t h e m s e l v e s , c o n s t r u c t f o r th e m s e lv e s a w o r ld o f h o r r o r a n d d is m a y ; t h a t o f t h e o u t e r d a r k n e s s o u r own d e e d s a n d c h a r a c t e r a r e t h e i n f o r m in g o r in w a r d ly c r e a t i n g c a u s e ; t h a t i f a man w i l l n o t h a v e G od, h e n e v e r c a n b e r i d o f h i s w e a ry a n d h a t e f u l s e l f . [ 5 ]

I n t h e e s s a y , " S c r e w ta p e P r o p o s e s a T o a s t , " (1 9 6 1 ) w h ic h L e w is com p o sed tw o d e c a d e s a f t e r T he S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s , h e m ak es S c r e w ta p e s a y t h a t t h e dam ned w o u ld p o s s e s s " a h a r d , t i g h t , s e t t l e d c o r e o f r e s o l u t i o n t o go on b e in g w h a t i t i s . " T h is c o n s i s t s o f " a v e r y s m a l l c o r e , " L e w is r e i t e r a t e s , a n d , d ra w in g u p o n t h e m o s t t e r r i b l e im a g e h e k new : " a l m o s t , i n i t s own w a y , p r im a n d d e m u re ; l i k e a p e b b le , o r a v e r y y o u n g c a n c e r . " [ 6 ] I n t h i s p a s s a g e we s e e i n a n u l t i m a t e n u t s h e l l , L e w i s 's t e a c h i n g on s i n . He w as c l o s e , by t h e n , t o h i s own d e a t h .

M ic h a e l P a t e r n o s t e r p o i n t s o u t t h a t w h i l e C h a r l e s W il l ia m s c a n "m anage w i t h o u t a p e r s o n a l d e v i l , " h i s f r i e n d " C .S . L ew is . . . c l e a r l y d o e s n o t m e r e ly u s e e v i l s p i r i t s a s a l i t e r a r y d e v ic e b u t b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e i r e x i s t e n c e h e l p s t o e x p l a i n t h e phenom enon o f e v e r y d a y e x p e r i e n c e . " [ 7 ] T he p u r p o s e o f t h e p r e s e n t e s s a y i s t o e x a m in e L e w i s 's d e p i c t i o n o f e v i l , by u s i n g im a g e s ( a s o n e m u s t f o r t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f a l l p s y c h ic o r s p i r i t u a l p h en o m en a) i n T he S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s . I n t h i s w o rk , an d t h i s w o rk o n ly ( e x c e p t i n g i t s v e r y l a t e " c h a p t e r " j u s t q u o te d ) e v i l a p p e a r s p e r s o n i f i e d i n p r e c i s e l y d i a b o l i c a l fo r m . L e w is h a d a l r e a d y w r i t t e n b o o k s w i th e v i l c h a r a c t e r s — Dymer ( 1 9 2 9 ) , T he P i l g r i m 's R e g r e s s (1 9 3 3 ) a n d O u t o f t h e S i l e n t P l a n e t (1 9 3 8 ) — a n d h e w as t o w r i t e P e r e l a n d r a (1 9 4 3 ) w i th t h e Un-m an a s a hum an b e in g p o s s e s s e d by " m a c r o b e s ." T he W h ite a n d G re e n W itc h e s o f t h e N a r n ia C h r o n i c l e s ( 1 9 5 0 -1 9 5 5 ) a r e e v i l f e m a le b e i n g s , w h i l e T a s h i s m o d e l le d upo n a m a le v o le n t N e a r E a s t e r n d i v i n i t y , a n d i n t h e l a s t f a n t a s y , T i l l We H ave F a c e s (1 9 5 6 ) t h e r e a r e no s u c h c h a r a c t e r s .

I n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , h o w e v e r , we h a v e d e v i l s d e p i c t e d a s t h e m s e l v e s , p e r s o n i f i e d a s i n d i v i d u a l s p i r i t u a l b e i n g s . W ith o u t t r y i n g t o d e f i n e e v i l i n i t s e l f , we c a n a g r e e w i th J e f f r e y B u r to n R u s s e l l ' s d e f i n i t i o n , i n T he D e v i l : " E v i l i s f r e q u e n t l y an d i n many s o c i e t i e s f e l t a s a p e r s o n i f i e d f o r c e , a n d i t i s p e r c e iv e d a s p e r s o n i f i e d . . . E v i l i s n e v e r a b s t r a c t . I t m u s t a lw a y s be u n d e r s to o d i n t e r m s o f t h e s u f f e r i n g o f a n i n d i v i d u a l . " [ 8 ] T h is l a t t e r i d e a i s e x p lo r e d by L e w is i n T he P ro b le m o f P a i n . T he b e in g L e w is w as d e p i c t i n g i s b a s e d u p o n " t h a t o l d s e r p e n t , c a l l e d t h e D e v i l , a n d S a t a n , w h ic h d e c e i v e t h t h e w h o le w o r l d , " who " w e re c a s t o u t w i th h im ," a s i s r e p o r t e d i n R e v e l a t i o n 1 2 : 9 .

T h i s p e r s o n i f i e d e v i l a n d t h e s u f f e r i n g o f a n i n d i v i d u a l a r e p r e c i s e l y w h a t T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s i s a b o u t . To t h e o f t e n - p u t q u e s t i o n o f w h e th e r h e r e a l l y b e l i e v e d i n t h e d e v i l , L e w is w r o te t h i s r e p l y : " i f by ' t h e D e v i l ' you m ean a p o w er o p p o s i t e t o God a n d , l i k e G od, s e l f - e x i s t e n t f ro m a l l e t e r n i t y , t h e a n sw e r i s c e r t a i n l y N o ." B u t , h e , c o n t i n u e d , a s t o w h e th e r h e b e l i e v e d i n d e v i l s , " I d o . T h a t i s t o s a y , I b e l i e v e i n a n g e l s , a n d I b e l i e v e t h a t som e o f t h e s e , by t h e a b u s e o f t h e i r f r e e w i l l , h a v e becom e e n e m ie s t o God a n d , a s a c o r o l l a r y , t o u s . " [ 9 ] I n t e r e s t i n g l y , o n e o f L e w is 's c r i t i c s a g r e e s w i t h h im , on a e s t h e t i c g r o u n d s . D ia n a W aggoner r e m a r k s t h a t " I t i s a n a r t i s t i c m is ta k e t o

Page 50 MYTHLORE 43: Autum n 1985

in v e n t an e v i l b e in g who e x i s t s p u r e ly to d o , an d to r e p r e s e n t , 'e v i l ' ; i t p u ts th e s u b c r e a to r in th e p o s i t io n o f a God who d e l i b e r a t e l y c r e a te s th e D e v il in o r d e r to m ake th in g s m ore i n t e r e s t i n g . " [1 0 ] S c re w ta p e i s no in v e n t io n . He i s a n im a g e , an d s t a te d to b e an im a g e , o f th e d i a b o l i c a l f o r c e s so m any c u l t u r e s h a v e d e te c te d . As R u s s e ll p u ts i t , "T h e D e v il i s th e h y p o s ta s is , th e a p o th e o s is , th e o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n o f a h o s t i l e f o r c e o r h o s t i l e f o r c e s p e rc e iv e d a s e x te r n a l to o u r own c o n s c io u s n e s s . ( R u s s e l l (1 9 7 9 ) p . 3 4 .) T h is b e in g i s "n o ou tm oded f i g u r e , b u t a phenom enon o f en o rm o u s an d p e r e n n ia l pow er i n , o r o v e r , th e hum an s p i r i t . " ( I b i d . , p . 3 5 .)

In th e New T e s ta m e n t t h i s f i g u r e i s c a l l e d S a ta n : a H ebrew te rm c a r r i e d o v e r fro m th e O ld T e s ta m e n t. The w ord r e f e r s t o " a b e in g who h in d e r s f r e e , fo rw a rd m o v em en t," an a d v e r s a ry o r a c c u s e r ." [1 1 ] T he G reek w ord a ls o u se d in th e New T e s ta m e n t a s th e e q u iv a le n t o f S a ta n , i s D ia b o lo s . w h ich i s t r a n s l a t e d i n to E n g lis h a s " D e v i l ." L i t e r a l l y , i t to o m eans " to th ro w a c r o s s ." As Jo h n S a n fo rd p u ts i t , " i t i s a s th o u g h th e d ia b o lo s th ro w s so m e th in g a c r o s s o u r p a th to i n t e r f e r e w ith o u r p r o g r e s s ." T he S a ta n o f th e New T e s ta m e n t c a u s e s b o th p h y s ic a l an d m e n ta l i l l n e s s , an d " s t r i v e s to tu r n man fro m God by i n c i t i n g h im to s in an d r e b e l l i o n . " ( I b i d . , p . 3 7 .) T h is d ia b o lo s o r S a ta n f ig u r e i s th e p a t t e r n fro m w h ich L e w is 's S c re w ta p e i s c u t .

T he b e s t com m entary on th e d e p ic t io n o f e v i l in T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s i s by L ew is h im s e lf , in th e P r e fa c e h e p re p a re d to a new e d i t i o n w h ich in c lu d e d th e e s s a y " S c re w ta p e P ro p o s e s a T o a s t." A d m ittin g t h a t h e b e l ie v e s in a n g e ls an d c o n s e q u e n tly in d e v i l s , h e o f f e r s f i v e p a ra g ra p h s o f s o p h i s t i c a te d com m entary on th e d e p ic t io n o f a n g e ls an d d e v i l s in W e s te rn a r t an d l i t e r a t u r e . He su m m ariz es th e t r a d i t i o n a l m eth o d s in t h i s p i th y an d w it ty re m a rk : " D e v ils a r e d e p ic te d w ith b a t s ' w in g s an d good a n g e ls w ith b i r d s ' w in g s . . . b e c a u se m o st men l i k e b i r d s b e t t e r th a n b a t s . " (L ew is (1 9 6 2 ) p . v i i i . ) M ost t e l l i n g l y , h e s t a t e s o f a n g e ls , "T hey a r e g iv e n hum an fo rm b e c a u se man i s th e o n ly r a t i o n a l c r e a tu r e we know . C r e a tu r e s h ig h e r i n th e n a tu r a l o r d e r th a n o u r s e lv e s . . . m u st b e r e p re s e n te d s y m b o lic a lly i f th e y a r e to b e r e p re s e n te d a t a l l . "

A f te r r e f e r r i n g s p e c i f i c a l l y to th e d e v i l s in D an te (w h ic h " a r e th e b e s t " ) , M ilto n (w h ic h " h a v e done g r e a t h a rm " ) , an d G o e th e (w h o se M e p h is to p h e le s i s " th e r e a l l y p e r n ic io u s im a g e " ) , ( I b i d . , p . i x . ) L ew is re m a rk s ( o f h im s e lf ) t h a t " a l i t t l e man may so m e tim es a v o id som e s in g le e r r o r m ade by a g r e a t o n e ," an d t h a t h e hop ed "ray own sy m b o lism sh o u ld a t l e a s t n o t e r r in G o e th e 's w a y ." As to h i s own m ethod in T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . " I l i k e b a ts much b e t t e r th a n b u r e a u c r a ts .. th e g r e a t e s t e v i l i s n o t now d o n e in . . . 'd e n s o f c r im e ' . . . [ o r ] e v en in c o n c e n tr a t io n cam ps an d la b o u r c a m p s ." R a th e r , " i t i s c o n c e iv e d an d o rd e re d . . . i n c le a n , c a r p e te d , w arm ed, an d w e l l - l ig h te d o f f i c e s . " In s h o r t , "my sym bol f o r H e ll i s so m e th in g l i k e th e b u re a u c ra c y o f a p o l ic e s t a t e o r th e o f f i c e s o f a th o ro u g h ly n a s ty b u s in e s s c o n c e r n ." ( I b i d . , p . x . ) L ew is p u b lis h e d th e s e w o rd s in th e E n g lan d o f 1 9 6 1 . R e a d e rs o f th e p r e s e n t , som e tw o d e c a d e s f u r t h e r o n , w i l l h av e no re a s o n to d is p u te h i s c h o ic e o f sym bol an d p e rh a p s re c o g n iz e h i s re m a rk a b le p o w ers o f p ro p h e c y !

S c re w ta p e , th e n , i s th e em bod im en t o f e v i l c o n c e iv e d a s on e o f a g ro u p o f f a l l e n s p i r i t s . T he d e v i l s a r e f a l l e n a n g e ls , b e in g s c r e a te d good b u t f r e e , who h av e c h o se n to r e b e l a g a in s t t h e i r m a k e r. L e w is , in a book h e p u b lis h e d in th e sam e y e a r a s T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , d is c u s s e d th e m ean in g o f S a ta n . He s t a t e s in A P re fa c e to P a r a d is e L o s t (1 9 4 2 ) t h a t " M ilto n h a s c h o se n

to t r e a t th e S a ta n ic p re d ic a m e n t in th e e p ic fo rm an d h a s t h e r e f o r e s u b o rd in a te d th e a b s u r d i ty o f S a ta n to th e m is e ry w h ich h e s u f f e r s an d i n f l i c t s . " [1 2 ] T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , th e n , i s a w ork c o n tr a M i l to n 's m e th o d : " i t i s a m is ta k e to dem and t h a t S a ta n . . . s h o u ld b e a b le to r a n t and p o s tu r e th ro u g h th e w h o le u n iv e r s e w ith o u t, so o n e r o r l a t e r , aw ak in g th e co m ic s p i r i t . " S c re w ta p e i s , an d i s in te n d e d to b e , a co m ic f i g u r e : "m ere C h r i s t i a n i ty co m m its e v e ry C h r i s t ia n to b e lie v in g t h a t 't h e D e v il i s ( i n th e lo n g r u n ) an a s s . '" ( I b i d . , p . 9 6 .)

T he d e v i l an a s s ? Why? B e ca u se " a c r e a tu r e r e v o l t in g a g a in s t a c r e a to r i s r e v o l t in g a g a in s t th e s o u rc e o f h i s own p o w e rs ." ( I b i d . , p . 9 6 .) T he d e v i l i s a c r e a te d b e in g , a s w as th e A d v e rs a ry , S a ta n , i n th e O ld T e s ta m e n t. T he r e b e l l i o n o f su c h a b e in g i s u l t im a te ly la u g h a b le b e c a u se w h a t i s a tte m p te d i s in th e en d im p o s s ib le . W hy, th e n , w ould a s p i r i t u a l b e in g o f th e h ig h e s t c r e a te d o r d e r tu r n t o su c h h o p e le s s r e b e l l io n ? L ew is h a s an a n sw e r — q u o tin g P a r a d is e L o s t I , 98 — S a ta n s u f f e r s " a s e n s e o f i n j u r 'd m e r i t . " A P r e f a c e to P a r a d is e L o s t i s d e d ic a te d to C h a r le s W illia m s , w hose th o u g h ts on M ilto n in f lu e n c e d L ew is j u s t a s h i s th o u g h ts on D a n te in f lu e n c e d S a y e r s . In h i s P r e f a c e to T he P o e t ic a l W orks o f M ilto n (1 9 4 0 ) W illia m s s t a t e d : "m uch o f P a r a d is e L o s t c a n b e f e l t to r e v o lv e , la u g h in g ly an d h a rm o n io u s ly , ro u n d th e so lem n an d h e lp le s s im ag e o f p r i d e ." [1 3 ] T h is i s th e s in o f P r id e , w h ich g o e s a t th e h e ad o f th e l i s t i n S a y e r s 's com m ents on th e S ev en D e ad ly S in s , r a is e d t o i t s u l t im a te l e v e l . As W illia m s p u ts i t , "H e i s f u l l o f in ju r e d m e r it . . . He i s th e f u l l ex am p le o f th e s e l f - lo v i n g s p i r i t . " ( I b i d . , p . 3 0 .)

C h a r le s W ill ia m s 's co m m en ta ry , w h ich p ro v id e d L ew is w ith h i s c e n t r a l i n s i g h t i n to P a r a d is e L o s t , c o n ta in s o n e o f W ill ia m s 's m o st fam o u s a p h o r is m s : " H e ll i s a lw a y s i n a c c u r a t e ." ( I b i d . ) T h is i s th e th em e o f T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , a s H e ll s t r u g g le s an d f a i l s to co m prehend th e d iv in e i n t e n t io n s . I t i s a s e l f - w i l l e d f a i l u r e : h a v in g g o tte n th e ' b a s ic o r d e r o f th e p re m ise — c r e a to r - c r e a t e d — w ro n g , how c o u ld a n a c c u r a te c o n c lu s io n b e draw n fro m i t ? L ew is c a l l s t h i s in a c c u ra c y " t h i s doom o f N o n s e n s e ," an d u s e s th e sam e th em e in h i s b a n q u e t sc e n e i n T h a t H id e o u s S t r e n g th .

B u t w h a t h a s t h i s w ar in H eav en , t h i s s p i r i t u a l r e b e l l i o n in h ig h p la c e s , to do w ith e a r th an d h u m ank ind? W hat i n t e r e s t h a s th e d e v i l in u s? L ew is e x p la in s t h i s in h i s sum m ary o f M i l to n 's S a ta n :

He b e g in s by f ig h t in g f o r " l i b e r t y , " h ow ever m is c o n c e iv e d ; b u t a lm o s t a t o n c e s in k s to f i g h t in g f o r "H o n o u r, D o m in io n , g l o r i e an d re n o u n e ." D e fe a te d in t h i s , h e s in k s to t h a t g r e a t d e s ig n . . . o f r u in in g tw o c r e a tu r e s who had n e v e r d o n e h im an y harm . . . T h is b r in g s him a s a sp y in to th e u n iv e r s e , an d so o n n o t e v e n a p o l i t i c a l s p y , b u t a m ere p e e p in g Tom l e e r in g , and w r i th in g in p r u r ie n c e a s h e o v e r lo o k s th e p r iv a c y o f tw o lo v e r s . . . a s " th e D e v i l ," — th e s a la c io u s g r o te s q u e , h a l f bog ey an d h a l f b u f fo o n , o f p o p u la r t r a d i t i o n . From h e ro to g e n e r a l , fro m g e n e r a l to p o l i t i c i a n , fro m p o l i t i c i a n to s e c r e t s e r v ic e a g e n t , an d th e n c e to a th in g t h a t p e e r s i n a t bedroom o r b a th ro o m w in d o w s, an d th e n c e to a to a d , an d f i n a l l y to a sn a k e — su c h i s th e p r o g r e s s o f S a ta n . [1 4 ]

In my E p ig ra p h , I q u o te a fam ous u t te r a n c e o f Sam uel B u t l e r 's , c o m p la in in g t h a t we do n o t h e a r S a ta n 's s id e o f th e m a t te r . M ark T w ain a ls o to o k t h i s w h im sic a l

M YTHLORE 43: Autum n 1985 Page 51

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v ie w p o in t i n a n e s s a y : " I t may b e t h a t I l e a n a l i t t l e h i s w ay , on a c c o u n t o f h i s n o t h a v in g a f a i r sh o w . A l l r e l i g i o n s i s s u e b i b l e s a g a i n s t h im , an d s a y t h e m o st i n j u r i o u s t h i n g s a b o u t h im , b u t we n e v e r h e a r h i s s i d e . " T h e se s t a t e m e n t s a r e , o f c o u r s e , t o n g u e - i n - c h e e k . T hey im p ly t h a t s u c h a n i n v e r t e d p o i n t o f v iew i s i n t r i n s i c a l l y c o m ic , j u s t a s L e w is s a y s .

I r e f e r r e d a b o v e t o s e v e r a l w o rk s i n t h e e p i s t l a t o r y m an n e r fro m t h e V i c t o r i a n e r a . I n f a c t , t h e E d w a rd ia n p e r io d y i e l d s e v e n m ore p r e c i s e c o u n t e r p a r t s t o L e w is 's m eth o d i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s , an d th o u g h t h e r e i s no e v id e n c e h e r e a d th e m , a d e s c r i p t i o n o f tw o su c h w o rk s , p o p u la r r e l i g i o u s t r e a t i s e s p u r p o r t i n g t o g iv e t h e d e v i l ' s p o i n t o f v ie w , may g iv e a s e n s e o f t h e a t t i t u d e s w h ic h in fo rm e d L e w is 's y o u t h . T hey h a v e j u s t t h a t j a u n t y , c o m ic e le m e n t w h ic h c h a r a c t e r i z e s n e a r l y a l l p o p u la r w o rk s on r e l i g i o n . L e w is 's a b i l i t y t o t a k e t h i s s t a n c e an d y e t w r i t e w o rk s o f s u r p a s s i n g pow er i s w h a t I s u p p o s e m o s t i n f u r i a t e s h i s c r i t i c s .

I n S erm o n s by t h e D e v i l ( 1 9 0 4 ) , t h e R ev . W .S. H a r r i s e x p l a i n s h i s p l o t : " t h e p a r t t h a t S a t a n p l a y s i n t h e d ram a o f a human l i f e i s o f t e n l a r g e r t h a n a p e r s o n w i l l a d m i t . E ach o n e o f u s i s n o t o n ly a c t i n g , b u t we a r e c o n s t a n t l y a c t e d upo n by o n e o r t h e o t h e r o f tw o g r e a t i n f l u e n c e s . The Good S p i r i t e n d e a v o u r s t o l e a d u s t o t h e s k i e s , an d i t s a n g e l s a r e e v e r w i l l i n g t o m i n i s t e r t o a n y r e a l n e e d s . T he E v i l S p i r i t , e i t h e r o p e n ly o r u n d e r c o v e r , s e e k s t o d e s t r o y o u r m ind w i th t h e u n t r u t h by p r e a c h in g t o u s h i s b l a c k se rm o n s o f d e a t h . " E ach " s e rm o n " i s a l i t t l e d ram a i n w h ic h a human c h a r a c t e r u n d e r g o e s t e m p t a t i o n ( c o u n te r e d by r e s p o n s e s fro m "a good a n g e l " ) . A d v is in g p a r e n t s i n c h i l d - r e a r i n g , f o r e x a m p le , S a ta n s u g g e s t s : " C o n s t a n t ly t e l l h im , by y o u r a c t i o n s an d y o u r w o rd s , t h a t r e l i g i o n i s n o t i n te n d e d t o g i v e a man g r e a t e r l i b e r t y t h a n he w ou ld o t h e r w i s e e n jo y , b u t , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , i t o f t e n t e n d s t o n a r ro w a man down t o a s e t o f h a r d r u l e s . " [1 5 ] I n "An E s s a y D e l iv e r e d t o t h e D e v i l an d h i s C a b in e t by a T h e o l o g i c a l S p e c i a l i s t , " t h e e s s a y i s t c h e e r f u l l y r e p o r t s t h a t "You w i l l a l l a g r e e w i th me t h a t t h i n g s a r e d r i f t i n g i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n . " ( I b i d . , p . 2 4 7 . ) He p r o p o s e s a s e r i e s o f g u i d e l i n e s f o r m o d ern p a s t o r s , c o n c lu d in g w i th w o rd s t h a t c o u ld h a v e b e e n u t t e r e d by S c r e w ta p e : " I f you c a n n o t s u c c e e d w i th t h e s p e c u l a t i v e a r g u m e n t, t h e n t r y t h e s e n s a t i o n a l f a d . T h e re a r e n o t a few who c a n b e t u r n e d o f f a t t h i s a n g l e , a n d , i n s t e a d o f p u t t i n g a l i t t l e s p i c e i n t o t h e s e rm o n , th e y c a n b e p e r s u a d e d t o m ake i t n e a r l y a l l s p i c e . " ( I b i d . , p . 2 5 6 . )

A s i m i l a r b o o k , by t h e R e v . J . R . M i l l e r , T he D e v i l o f T oday (1 9 0 3 ) i s w r i t t e n i n t h e fo rm o f a n a l l e g o r y , w i th c h a r a c t e r s i n c l u d i n g n o t o n ly S a ta n a n d A G u a rd ia n A n g e l , b u t M iss S i n c e r e , Widow F a i t h , M r. H y p o c r i t e , an d E v a n g e l i s t , a s w e l l a s p a s t o r s l i k e t h e R e v . M r. Good an d t h e R e v . M r. P l e a s e - A l l . S a ta n i s p r o v id e d w i th a i d e s : D e c e p t io n , B e l i a l , F a u l t f i n d e r , a n d H e r e s y . The book b e g in s : " I n my v i s i o n i t w as m o r n in g ." [ 1 6 ] I n a t y p i c a l p a s s a g e S a ta n a n d H e re s y d i s c u s s a t t a c k s on t h e B i b l e : " 'L e t u s ben d o u r u n i t e d e n e r g i e s to w a r d s c o n f u s in g t h e f a i t h o f C h r i s t i a n s i n t h e i r o l d b o o k , ' ad d ed t h e f i e n d . " ( I b i d . , , p . 2 4 2 . ) F o r t h w i t h , M r. H y p o c r i te g i v e s M iss S i n c e r e a book " i n t h e h o p e o f l i b e r a l i z i n g h e r s im p le f a i t h . He sp o k e g l i b l y o f t h e s i d e l i g h t s r e c e n t l y d i s c o v e r e d by m o d ern i n v e s t i g a t i o n and s c i e n c e , w h ic h h ad som ew hat c h a n g e d t h e la n d m a rk s o f h i s t o r i c f a i t h . " A t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e b o o k , M iss S i n c e r e a n d Widow F a i t h a r e l a s t s e e n e n t e r i n g H e av e n :

S ta n d in g w i t h i n t h e d oorw ay w i th t h e i r g u i d e , t h e y b e h e ld b e f o r e th em a c lo u d i n w h ic h sh o n e t h e g l o r y o f t h e w o r ld i n v i s i b l e , a n d w i t h i n i t w e re a h o s t o f c e l e s t i a l b e in g s , c h a n t i n g t h e so n g o f t h e t r i u m p h a n t . "

( I b i d . , p . 4 5 4 . ) T he r e s e m b la n c e o f t h i s im a g e t o t h e l a s t c h a p t e r o f T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s w i l l b e a p p a r e n t .

I n d i s c u s s i n g t h e human p l o t o f L e w is 's book we r e d u c e d i t t o a s e r i e s o f s e n t e n c e s s u m m a riz in g c h a p t e r s . I n s i g h t s i n t o t h e d i a b o l i c a l w o r ld o f S c re w ta p e c a n b e g a in e d by a p p ly i n g a s i m i l a r m e th o d . I n C h a p te r I , S c re w ta p e w r i t e s t o Wormwood, t h e " p a t i e n t ' s " t e m p t e r . T h e r e a f t e r , h e e x p r e s s e s a n g e r an d p r o m is e s p e n a l t i e s f o r W orm w ood's p e r fo r m a n c e i n l e t t i n g h i s p a t i e n t becom e a C h r i s t i a n . G lu b o s e , t h e t e m p te r o f t h e p a t i e n t ' s m o th e r , * i s i n t r o d u c e d . S c re w ta p e c r i t i c i z e s W orm w ood's i d e a s . He s c o l d s h i s nephew an d in v o k e s t h e v ie w s o f S c a b t r e e , a d i a b o l i c a l t h e o r i s t . Wormwood, who h a s i n q u i r e d , i s t o l d t o k e e p h i m s e l f s e c r e t fro m h i s p a t i e n t . T he y o u n g e r t e m p te r m is ta k e n ly t h i n k s h i s man i s l o s i n g h i s f a i t h ; S c re w ta p e b la m e s S lu b g o b , h e a d o f t h e T r a i n i n g C o l l e g e . T r ip tw e e z e r e p o r t s t h a t t h e p a t i e n t h a s new w o r ld ly f r i e n d s . S c re w ta p e c o n g r a t u l a t e s Wormwood on t h i s d e v e lo p m e n t ; h e t e l l s him h e i s m ak in g " e x c e l l e n t p r o g r e s s , " b u t when t h e p a t i e n t r e p e n t s , S c re w ta p e b la m e s Wormwood f o r i t .

T he s e n i o r t e m p te r recom m ends f e a r o r o v e r - c o n f id e n c e a s a new a p p r o a c h . He s a y s W orm w ood's r e c o r d s o f a r i s n o t g o o d : t h e p a t i e n t s t i l l a t t e n d s t h e sam e c h u r c h . S c re w ta p e a c c u s e s Wormwood o f ig n o r a n c e on t h e s u b j e c t o f G l u t to n y , r e f e r r i n g t o G lu b o se a g a i n . He m akes a d d i t i o n a l s l i g h t i n g re m a rk s a b o u t S lu b g o b , and i n t h e n e x t l e t t e r h e a n x io u s ly i n s i s t s t h a t h e d i d n ' t m ean t h a t God r e a l l y l o v e s hum ans o r t h a t S lu b g o b i s i n c o m p e te n t , b u t h e t e l l s h i s nephew t o h i d e h i s l e t t e r s an y w ay . He e x p r e s s e s im p a t ie n c e t h a t God h e lp s d e f e n d t h e p a t i e n t a g a i n s t a t t a c k s on h i s c h a s t i t y . , an d d e c l a r e s t h a t S a ta n w i l l s u r e l y w in t h i s s o u l th r o u g h c o n q u e s t . The S e c r e t P o l i c e now v i s i t S c re w ta p e a f t e r Wormwood h a s in fo rm e d on h im . When c o n f r o n te d w i th t h e p a t i e n t ' s n e w ly -m e t "y o u n g w om an," a s w e e t C h r i s t i a n g i r l , S c re w ta p e b ecom es so o v e rw ro u g h t t h a t h e t u r n s i n t o a c e n t i p e d e an d i s s i g n e d f o r by T o a d p ip e .

W orld an d F l e s h h a v in g f a i l e d , S c re w ta p e p r o p o s e s c o r r u p t i o n th r o u g h t h e s p i r i t . He a d v i s e s on how t o c o r r u p t th r o u g h t h e c o u r t s h i p , a n d w is h e s t h a t S lu m tr im p e t , t h e t e m p te r o f t h e g i r l , w o u ld c u r b h e r s e n s e o f t h e r i d i c u l o u s . S c re w ta p e r e m a rk s t h a t Wormwood i s d o in g v e r y l i t t l e good i n h i s e f f o r t s , an d

Page 52 M YTHLORE 43: A utum n 1985

i n s i s t s on r e p o r t s , n o t o n w ar i t s e l f , b u t on i t s e f f e c t s on t h e p a t i e n t . He f o r e s e e s t h a t G erm any w i l l so o n bom bard t h e to w n . When t h i s com es t o p a s s , w h i le Wormwood h a s e n jo y e d t h e b o m b ard m en t, t h e S e c r e t P o l i c e r e p o r t on t h e p a t i e n t ' s p e r fo rm a n c e (m o s t u n s a t i s ­f a c t o r y fro m t h e d i a b o l i c a l p o i n t o f v i e w ) . S c re w ta p e o p e n ly w a rn s Wormwood: " B r in g u s b a c k fo o d o r b e fo o d y o u r s e l f . " And i n L e t t e r XXXI h e r a p t u r o u s l y and r a v e n o u s ly g r e e t s h i s n ep h ew , b e c a u s e , h a v in g l o s t t h e p a t i e n t , h e w i l l now becom e a m ea l i n h e l l .

I n t h e s t o r y o u t l i n e d a b o v e , we l e a r n t h e nam es o f e i g h t d e v i l s :

Wormwood ( t h e p a t i e n t ' s t e m p te r )

S c re w ta p e (H is A bysm al S u b l i m i t y , U n d er S e c r e t a r y , T . E . , B . S . , e t c . an d W orm w ood's u n c l e )

G lu b o se ( t h e t e m p te r o f t h e p a t i e n t ' s m o th e r )

S c a b t r e e ( a h i g h - r a n k i n g d i a b o l i c a l t h e o r i s t )

S lu b g o b ( t h e h e a d o f t h e T r a i n i n g S c h o o l )

T r ip tw e e z e (who in f o r m s up o n Wormwood t o S c r e w ta p e )

T o a d p ip e ( S c r e w ta p e 's s e c r e t a r y who s i g n s f o r him when h e t u r n s i n t o a c e n t i p e d e )

S lu m tr im p e t ( t h e t e m p te r o f t h e p a t i e n t ' s "y o u n g wom an")

L e w is 's t a l e n t f o r i n v e n t i n g nam es i s r i c h l y e x e r c i s e d i n t h e s e c h a r a c t e r s : W orm w ood's i s t h e o n ly o n ed i r e c t l y an d e n t i r e l y d e r iv e d i n i t s p r e c i s e fo rm n o t o n ly fro m n a t u r e i t s e l f b u t f ro m t h e B i b l e .

Wormwood i s a s u b s ta n c e u s e d b e c a u s e o f i t s c o n t e n t o f s a n t o n i n , a s a v e rm ifu g e ( t o e x p e l l w o rm s), an d t o g iv e i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f l a v o u r t o A b s in th e . R e f e r r i n g t o a n y o f t h e g e n u s A r t e m i s i a , a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r t o t h e E u r a s ia n p e r e n n i a l A r t e m is i a a b s in th u m , Wormwood i s a d a r k g r e e n o i l w i th a b i t t e r t a s t e . I n i t s s e c o n d a r y d e f i n i t i o n i t m eans an y" b i t t e r , u n p l e a s a n t , " o r , s i g n i f i c a n t l y , " m o r t i f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e . " R e f e r e n c e s t o Wormwood — D eu tero n o m y 2 9 :1 8 , P r o v e r b s 5 : 4 , J e r i m i a h 9 : 1 5 , 2 3 : 5 , L a m e n ta t io n s 3 : 5 , 1 3 , an d Amos 5 :7 — i n t h e O ld T e s ta m e n t r e l a t e b o th t o t h e b i t t e r n e s s o f i t , l i t e r a l l y andf i g u r a t i v e l y , and t o i t s u s e i n i n t o x i c a t i n gs u b s t a n c e s . The P r o v e r b i s t s a y s o f t h e " s t r a n g e woman" ( a N e a r E a s t e r n te m p le p r o s t i t u t e ) : " h e r end i s b i t t e r a s w orm w ood," an d t h e L a m e n ta t io n s s p e a k o f b e in g made " d ru n k e n w i th W ormwood." T h e s e a r e t h e s e n s e s o f t h e fam o u s New T e s ta m e n t im ag e i n R e v e l a t i o n 8 : 1 1 , "And t h e name o f t h e s t a r i s c a l l e d Wormwood; a n d many men d ie d o f t h e w a t e r s , b e c a u s e th e y w e re m ade b i t t e r . "Wormwood, i n o t h e r w o rd s^ p o i s o n s h i s p a t i e n t ' s m in d , o r t r i e s t o . P e r h a p s S c r e w t a p e 's m o st s i g n i f i c a n t a d v ic e i s t h a t s i n c e God m ade t h e p l e a s u r e s i t i s t h e i n t e n t o f h e l l t o d im in i s h o r s p o i l th em : Wormwood i s t o e m b i t t e r h i s p a t i e n t ' s s im p le j o y s an d r e n d e r a l l h i s e x p e r i e n c e s i n t o worm wood. T h is i s t h e t h r u s t o f t h e t e m p t a t i o n s a g a i n s t c h a s t i t y , i n w h ic h t h e o b j e c t m u st be a c o r r u p t e d f i g u r e , l i k e t h e s t r a n g e woman o f P r o v e r b s , f o r t h e p a t i e n t ' s s e x u a l a t t r a c t i o n t o h i s "y o u n g woman" o n ly s e r v e s G o d 's w i l l . I n d e e d , t h i s s w e e t ly n a t u r a l p h y s i c a l a t t r a c t i o n i s s o c o n t r a r y t o S c r e w t a p e 's w is h e s t h a t h e m e ta m o rp h o se s t o a c e n t i p e d e i n c o n te m p la t io n o f t h e g i r l i n a l l h e r p u r i t y .

W orm w ood's name a l s o in v o k e s e c h o e s o f w ood-w orm , wormy w ood, w o rm in e s s a n d w o o d e n n e s s . T h e s e s u g g e s t

im a g e s o f h id d e n w e a k e n in g , o f b o r i n g s fro m w i t h i n i n o ld h o u s e s , f u r n i t u r e , an d a r t i f a c t s . O ld wood i s g e n e r a l l y f u l l o f w o rm -h o le s i n E n g la n d , [ 1 7 ] a n d t h e wood-w orm w as a t h r e a t i n B r i t i s h e x p e r i e n c e b o th t o t h e w ooden p i l i n g s o f d o c k s an d t o t h e w ooden s h i p s t h a t d o c k ed t h e r e . I c a n n o t a g r e e w i th Norman B rad sh aw t h a t t h i s c h o ic e o f name h a s some s p e c i a l r e s o n a n c e f o r L ew is b e c a u s e o f a n o b s e s s io n h e p u r p o r t e d l y h ad w i th w orm s, a t t r i b u t e d by B rad sh aw t o L e w is 's im a g in in g o f t h e " w o rm - l ik e a c t i o n o f d e v o u r in g t h e b o d y " i n t h e c a n c e r w h ic h consum ed h i s m o th e r . [ 1 8 ] L ew is w as q u i t e c a p a b le o f u s i n g c a n c e r a s a n im ag e i n i t s e l f , a s we h a v e s e e n . One n e ed n o t b e t h e v i c t i m o f a n o b s e s s io n t o f e e l t h e r e s o n a n c e o f t h e s e im a g e s , w h ic h a r e — a t l e a s t f o r t h e l i t e r a t e — a p a r t o f t h e i n h e r i t a n c e o f W e s te rn c u l t u r e . N ot o n ly i s t h e w ord "wormwood" d e e p ly f i x e d i n t h e v o c a b u la r y o f t h e O ld a n d New T e s ta m e n t , s o t o o i s t h e c o n c e p t o f t h e d e v o u r in g worm , i n i t s s p i r i t u a l s e n s e : M ark 9 : 4 4 , 4 6 , a n d 48 r e i t e r a t e sC h r i s t ' s t e r r i b l e r e f r a i n upo n h e l l : " w h e re t h e i r worm d i e t h n o t , a n d t h e f i r e i s n o t q u e n c h e d ." F u r th e r m o r e , t h e worm — t h a t i s , t h e m ag g o t w h ic h d e v o u r s c a r r i o n — i s a sy m b o l o f b o d i ly c o r r u p t i o n a n d a r e i t e r a t e d f i g u r e i n E u ro p e a n t h o u g h t . B o th d e v o u r in g a n d d e f i l i n g a r e a n c i e n t o p e r a t i v e im a g e s o f e v i l , a s w i l l b e show n b e lo w .

The r e s t o f t h e e i g h t d i a b o l i c a l n am es a r e c l e v e r p o r t s m a n te a u x , c o m b in a t io n s o f im a g e s o f L e w is 's own c o in a g e : S c r e w ta p e , G lu b o s e , S c a b t r e e , S lu b g o b , T r ip ­tw e e z e , T o a d p ip e , a n d S lu m tr im p e t . M ost o f t h e s e w o rd s h a v e a n u n p l e a s a n t s e n s e — " t r i p " m u st r e f e r t o t r i p p i n g u p , n o t t a k i n g a t r i p — a n d in v o k e a v a r i e t y o f t h i n g s p e o p le d o n ' t l i k e . As L ew is s a y s , " I a im ed m e re ly a t m ak in g th em n a s t y . " (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . x i i i . ) He e l a b o r a t e s :

I f a n c y t h a t S c r o o g e , s c r e w , th u m b s c re w ,ta p e -w o rm , a n d r e d t a p e a l l do som e w o rk i nmy h e r o ' s nam e, a n d t h a t s l o b , s l o b b e r .s l u b b e r , an d gob h a v e a l l g o n e i n t o S lu b g o b .( I b i d . )

F o l lo w in g L e w is 's m eth o d we may s u g g e s t t h e p o s s i b l e a s s o c i a t i o n o f t h e o t h e r d i a b o l i c a l n am es:

G lu b o s e : g l u e , g l u c o s e , g l u b , v e r b o s e

S c a b t r e e : s c a b , s c a b b y , t r e e , c r a b , s c r a b b l e , s c a b i e s , c r a b t r e e

T r ip tw e e z e : t r i p , t w e e z e r , t e a s e , t i p , t e a z l e , tw e e z e

T o a d p ip e : t o a d , p i p e , p e e r , t a p e , t o p e r

S lu m tr im p e t : s l i m e , s l i m , t r u m p e t , s lu m , t r i m , t r i p , s c r im p , s l i p , lu m p , l i m p e t , s lu m p , l im p

S c r e w t a p e 's i n f e r n a l t i t l e s i n c l u d e tw o g iv e n by i n i t i a l o n ly — " T .E . , B .S ." — f o r w h ic h I s u g g e s tT e m p te r E m e r i tu s an d B a n is h e d S p i r i t a s p o s s i b l e m e a n in g s w h ic h a r e n o t r i b a l d . When S c re w ta p e p r o p o s e s h i s t o a s t a t t h e "A n n u a l d i n n e r o f t h e T e m p te r 's T r a i n i n g C o l le g e " ( u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f D r . S lu b g o b ) , h e a d d r e s s e s h i s a u d ie n c e a s "M r. P r i n c i p a l , y o u r Im m in e n ce , y o u r D i s g r a c e s , my T h o r n s , S h a d i e s , and G e n t l e d e v i l s . " The o n ly o t h e r s p e c i f i c s p i r i t u a l b e in g s o f whom we l e a r n t h e t i t l e s a r e S a ta n h i m s e l f : "O urF a t h e r B e lo w ," an d G od, c a l l e d by S c re w ta p e " t h e E n em y ." B u t we do l e a r n o f a num ber o f i n f e r n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s , a s b e f i t s a b u r e a u c r a t i c h e l l : " t h eo f f i c e , " t h e S e c r e t P o l i c e , t h e H ouse o f C o r r e c t io n f o r In c o m p e te n t T e m p te r s , t h e P h i l o l o g i c a l Arm, th e I n f e r n a l P o l i c e , an d t h e T r a i n i n g C o l le g e . And h e l l

M YTH LO RE 43: A utum n 1985 Page 53

i t s e l f g e t s tw o t i t l e s : t h e Mi s e r i f i c V i s i o n , a n d t h e Kingdom o f N o is e . A p p r o p r i a t e l y , S c re w ta p e s w e a r s by B e e lz e b u b .

On t h e o t h e r h an d t h e nam es o f human s u b j e c t s a r e few — i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e Name o f J e s u s , we r e a d o f P a u l , A p o l l o s , M a r i t a i n , H o o k e r , T hom as A c q u in a s , a n d S o c r a t e s — a l l e m in e n t w a r r i o r s who h a v e f o r c e d t h e i n f e r n a l f o r c e s t o t a k e a c c o u n t o f th e m . " F r . S p ik e " i s p re s u m a b ly a s o u b r i q u e t : t h i s i s n o t t h e I n f e r n o , i n w h ic h D a n te p l a c e d e v e ry b o d y h e d i s l i k e d o r d i s a p p r o v e d o f . T he human c h a r a c t e r s who a c t u a l l y a p p e a r i n t h e s t o r y a r e n o t named a t a l l : t h e p a t i e n t ( i r o n i c a l l y c a l l e d a f t e r t h e in m a te o f a h o s p i t a l o r m e n ta l i n s t i t u t i o n ) , h i s m o th e r , h i s y o u n g woman, a w o r ld ly c o u p le , a n d a C h r i s t i a n f a m i l y . P e r h a p s t h e " C h r i s t i a n " nam es o f hum ans a r e n o t g e n e r a l l y known t o d e v i l s , h a v in g b e e n g iv e n i n B a p tis m i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e T r i n i t y , w h ic h w o u ld h a v e b e e n a s u f f o c a t i n g c lo u d o f s i l e n c e t o t h e n e w ly - a s s ig n e d t e m p t e r . O n ly i n " S c r e w ta p e P r o p o s e s a T o a s t " do we l e a r n t h e nam es o f an y human in m a te s o r f r i e n d s o f h e l l : F a r i n a t a , H en ry V I I I , H i t l e r , M e s s a l i n e , C a s a n o v a , R o u s s e a u , a n d H e g e l . O n ly A r i s t o t l e i s m e n t io n e d i n w h a t we w o u ld r e g a r d a s a f a v o u r a b l e s e n s e , an d t h a t t w i c e . S c re w ta p e h a s t o lo o k up e v e ry b o d y i n r e c o r d s an d d o s s i e r s ; a p p a r e n t l y o n ly a n i n d i v i d u a l t e m p te r i s i n c o n t a c t w i th an i n d i v i d u a l hum an: d e v i l s a r e n o t o m n ip r e s e n t a s God i s . S c re w ta p e l o o k s up c h u r c h e s " i n t h e o f f i c e " w h e re p re s u m a b lu y a d i a b o l i c a l f i l e o f th em i s k e p t .

L ew is i s a t p a in s t o i n d i c a t e t h a t h i s i n f e r n a l s u b j e c t i s s p i r i t u a l : "Y o u , b e in g a s p i r i t , " S c re w ta p e b e g in s o n e l e t t e r t o W ormwood. He u s e s a d e l i c a t e l y d i s g u i s e d synonym i n t h e s u g g e s t i o n o f s p i r i t s . When Wormwood ( a n a g e n t o f o n e fo rm o f l i q u e u r , rem e m b e r) w r i t e s t h a t h e i s " d e l e r i o u s w i th j o y " o v e r t h e new w a r , S c re w ta p e t a r t l y r e t o r t s : "You a r e n o t d e l e r i o u s ; you a r e o n ly d r u n k . " [ 1 9 ] Wormwood h a s " t a s t e d t h a t w in e w h ic h i s t h e re w a rd o f a l l o u r l a b o u r s — t h e a n g u is h a n d b e w i ld e r m e n t o f a human s o u l . " H is s u c c e s s w i th h i s p a t i e n t w i l l b e re w a rd e d w i th " a b r i m - f u l l l i v i n g c h a l i c e o f d e s p a i r a n d h o r r o r a n d a s to n i s h m e n t w h ic h yu c a n r a i s e t o y u r l i p s a s o f t e n a s you p l e a s e . " ( I b i d . , p . 3 0 ) And S c re w ta p e a t t h e i n f e r n a l b a n q u e t n o t e s t h a t a fe w b o t t l e s o f t h e " o l d so u n d v i n t a g e P h a r i s e e " h a v e b e e n p r e s e r v e d , w i t h i t s m in g le d f l a v o u r o f "D ark f i r e . " (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 1 7 1 . ) T he r e f e r e n c e t o a t o a s t ( a n o f f e r i n g o f w in e ) r e m in d s u s t h a t w in e i n o t h e r h a n d s i s a n e le m e n t o f t h e S a c r a m e n t , b u t t h e l i f e - b l o o d i t c o n t a i n s i s d i v i n e a n d i s p a r t a k e n by a human s o u l , n o t t h e o t h e r way a ro u n d a s i n h e l l ' s i n v e r t e d p a r o d y .

H id d e n n e s s , a t r a i t o f t h e s p i r i t u a l , i s t o be s o u g h t by d e v i l s : "O u r p o l i c y , f o r t h e m om ent, i s t o c o n c e a l o u r s e l v e s . " (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 3 9 . ) I n d e e d , " I f any f a i n t s u s p i c i o n s o f y o u r e x i s t e n c e b e g in s t o a r i s e i n h i s m in d , s u g g e s t t o h im a p i c t u r e o f s o m e th in g i n r e d t i g h t s , a n d p e r s u a d e h im t h a t s i n c e h e c a n n o t b e l i e v e i n t h a t . . . h e t h e r e f o r e c a n n o t b e l i e v e y o u ." ( I b i d . , p . 4 0 ) T he l a u g h t e r a r o u s e d by t h i s im a g e i s o f c o u r s e n o t a p l e a s a n t s o u n d ; l a u g h t e r i s " d i s g u s t i n g a n d a d i r e c t i n s u l t t o t h e r e a l i s m , d i g n i t y , and a u s t e r i t y o f H e l l . " ( I b i d . , p . 5 8 . ) S c re w ta p e i s o f f e n d e d by t h e p a t i e n t ' s y o u n g woman b e c a u s e s h e i s " t h e s o r t o f c r e a t u r e w h o 'd f i n d ME f u n n y ! " ( I b i d . , p . 1 1 2 . ) T he h id d e n n e s s o f t h e d i a b o l i c a l w o r ld may b e a n i m i t a t i o n o f t h e i r b l i n d e d p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e D iv in e : G ra c e i s e x p e r i e n c e d by th em a s " t h e a s p h y x i a t i n g c lo u d w h ic h p r e v e n te d y o u r a t t a c k i n g t h e p a t i e n t on h i s w a lk fro m t h e O ld M i l l . " ( I b i d . , p . 6 6 . ) When t h e s o u l o f h i s p a t i e n t s l i p s aw ay fro m h im i n t o t h e P r e s e n c e o f

G od, "You r e e l e d b a c k d i z z y a n d b l i n d e d , " — b u t "w h a t i s b l i n d i n g , s u f f o c a t i n g f i r e t o y o u , i s now c o o l l i g h t t o him . . . an d w e a r s t h e fo rm o f a M an ." [ 2 0 ]

T he b u r e a u c r a t i c im a g e , o f a n e t h e r h e i r a r c h y , o r a s L e w is r e v e r s e s i t , " L o w e r a r c h y ," r e c e d in g dow nw ards i n r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e u p w a r d - s e e k in g a l t i t u d e s o f H e a v e n , i s d raw n i n p a r t f ro m D a n t e 's Com media D i v i n a . b u t t h e m o d ern to u c h e s a r e L e w i s 's ow n. H e l l seem s t o b e a n i n s t i t u t i o n d e v o te d t o d a t a : w h a t f u n L e w is c o u ld h a v e h ad w i th t h e i d e a o f a n i n f e r n a l c o m p u te r ! I n t h e e f f o r t t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t t h e Enemy (G od) i s r e a l l y up t o , "m ore a n d m ore c o m p l i c a te d t h e o r i e s , f u l l e r an d f u l l e r c o l l e c t i o n s o f d a t a , r i c h e r r e w a r d s f o r r e s e a r c h e r s who m ake p r o g r e s s , m ore a n d m ore t e r r i b l e p u n is h m e n ts " ( I b i d . , p . 9 8 . ) f o r f a i l u r e a r e n e e d e d . I s t h e r e a n a c a d e m ic o f t h e e i g h t i e s who h a s n o t a l r e a d y v i s i t e d t h e s e h a l l s ? C e r t a i n l y , t h i s b u r e a u c r a t i c n ig h tm a r e w i l l b e a f a m i l i a r h a b i t a t t o many o f i t s i n m a t e s ; o f t h o s e who c a r e m ore f o r " m e e t in g s , p a m p h le ts , p o l i c i e s , m o v em e n ts , c a u s e s , a n d c r u s a d e s " ( I b i d . , p . 4 2 . ) t h a n f o r " p r a y e r s a n d s a c r a m e n t s an d c h a r i t y , " S c r e w ta p e s a y s " I c o u ld show you a p r e t t y c a g e f u l down h e r e . " ( I b i d . , p . 4 3 . )

T he en d o f a l l t h e e n d e a v o r s o f h e l l i s t w o - f o l d : f i r s t , "O u r w ar a im i s a w o r ld i n w h ic h O ur F a t h e r B elow h a s d raw n a l l o t h e r b e in g s i n t o h i m s e l f . " ( I b i d . , p . 4 6 . ) T h is i s a p e r v e r s i o n o f t h e s a y i n g o f J e s u s , " I , i f I be l i f t e d u p , fro m t h e e a r t h , w i l l d raw a l l men u n to m e ." ( J o h n 1 2 :3 2 ) When p e o p le a r e d raw n u n to J e s u s th e y f i n d th e m s e lv e s m em bers o f t h e C h u rc h w h ic h i s H is B o d y , a One w h ic h i s n o n e t h e l e s s m any . I f e v e r y b e in g w e re d raw n i n t o S a t a n t h e r e w o u ld b e o n ly o n e b e in g , b e c a u s e h e w o u ld h a v e e a t e n a l l t h e o t h e r s . The s e c o n d en d i s t o c o m p re h en d t h e p u r p o s e s o f G od, w h ic h th o u g h r e j e c t e d by S a ta n n o n e t h e l e s s p r e o c c u p ie s h im . I n d e e d , " i f we e v e r cam e t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t H e m eans by L o v e , t h e w ar w o u ld b e o v e r a n d we s h o u ld r e - e n t e r H e a v e n ." ( I b i d . , p . 9 8 . ) To g a in t h i s e n d , o r r a t h e r , t o f i n d o u t w h a t God i s r e a l l y up t o , s i n c e , S c re w ta p e d e c l a r e s t h a t "He c a n n o t r e a l l y l o v e : n o b o d y c a n ; " ( I b i d . ) t h e L o w e ra rc h y l a b o u r s t o p ro d u c e i t s c o m p l i c a te d t h e o r i e s . And th e y im a g in e t h a t God f o r H is p a r t h a s n ' t " t h e l e a s t i n k l i n g o f t h a t h ig h a n d a u s t e r e m y s te r y t o w h ic h we r i s e i n t h e M i s e r i f i c V i s i o n , " ( I b i d . , p . 1 1 2 . ) t h e v i s i o n b e in g t h e i n t e n t i o n o f S a ta n t o a b s o r b a l l t h i n g s i n t o h i m s e l f . As L e w is p u t s i t , " H is d ream i s o f t h e d ay when a l l s h a l l b e i n s i d e h im a n d a l l t h a t s a y s ' I ' c a n s a y i t o n ly t h r o u g h h im ." (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . x i i . )

The s u g g e s t i o n a b o v e t h a t a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f G o d 's t r u e p u r p o s e w o u ld r e t u r n t h e f a l l e n a n g e l s t o H eav en i s t h e o n e c l e a r s p o t i n h i s c lo u d y v i s i o n . The i d e a t h a t e v e n f a l l e n dem ons c a n be re d ee m e d seem s t o b e a p e c u l i a r l y A n g l ic a n n o t i o n . R o g e r L lo y d , i n h i s C h r i s t i a n f a n t a s y T he T r o u b l in g o f t h e C i ty (1 9 6 2 ) d e p i c t s t h e a rch d em o n V i t r i o s o f t h e S e l e c t C o l le g e o f d a r k s p i r i t s ( s u r e l y m o d e l le d a f t e r L e w is 's c r e a t i o n ) . He i s s e n t t o e a r t h i n human fo rm ( c a u s i n g him t o f e e l " d im in i s h e d " a n d " c h a f e d " ) . [2 1 ] W ith t h e a i d o f t h e f a m i l i a r dem ons o f W in c h e s te r , — M a n d r i l l , V i l i f o r , S n i r t l e , an d S lo o m b an e — a n d a g ro u p o f v i v i f i e d g a r g o y l e s , h e a t t e m p t s t o s u b v e r t t h e c i t y . A t t h e c l im a x o f t h e boo k t h e r e i s a c o n f r o n t a t i o n o f S t . S w ith u n a n d t h e s e a d v e r s a r i e s a t W in c h e s te r C a t h e d r a l . F i r s t , a g a r g o y le r e p e n t s a n d i s f o r g i v e n : "A s h e s to o d t h e r e , t h e s c a r r e d s t o n e b o d y , t h e m is - s h a p e n f a c e , t h e s c o r n f u l e y e s a l l seem ed t o b e p e e l e d fro m h im , l i k e a d i r t y s c a b fro m a h e a l e d c u t . " ( I b i d . , p . 2 0 6 . ) T h is im ag e m u s t b e m o d e l le d upo n t h e c l i m a c t i c f r e e i n g o f W orm w ood's p a t i e n t f ro m h i s d i a b o l i c a l i n f e s t a t i o n ,

Page 54 M YTHLORE 43: A utum n 1985

" a s i f a s c a b had f a l l e n a n o ld s o r e . " (L e w is ( 1 9 4 2 ) , p p . 1 5 6 - 5 7 .) T h e n , V i l i f o r , an " o r i g i n a l f i e n d " — one o f t h e com pany o f a n g e l s who f e l l from H eaven a lo n g w i th L u c i f e r — s t e p s f o r w a r d . He r e p e n t s o f " t h e su p rem e s i n o f r e b e l l i o n , " (L lo y d ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 2 0 8 . ) a n d , q u i c k e n in g , t r a n s f i g u r i n g a s h e g o e s , h e r u n s i n t o t h e o u t s t r e t c h e d a rm s o f " t h e C h r i s t o f t h e g r e a t r e r e d o s " ( i b i d . , p . 2 1 1 . ) w h ich g a th e r him i n t o " e n f o ld i n g l i g h t . " T h i s , t o o , e c h o e s L e w is 's im ag e o f t h ee n c o u n te r o f W orm w ood's p a t i e n t w i th "H im ," t h e " c o o l l i g h t " w h ich " w e a rs t h e fo rm o f a M an ." L lo y d h a s t r a n s f e r r e d t h e im ag e o f a s a v e d s o u l t o t h e im age o f a s a v e d dem on, a r i s k y b u t a t t r a c t i v e c o n j e c t u r e t o t h o s e ( l i k e G eo rg e M acD onald) w i th a t a s t e f o r U n iv e r s a l i s m .

As L ew is h im s e l f h a s s u g g e s t e d , h i s im a g e s o f t h e d i a b o l i c a l a r e d raw n fro m t h e w e l l s p r i n g s o f W e s te rn c u l t u r e d e s p i t e h i s u s e o f m odern d r e s s ( o r m ore a c c u r a t e l y , m odern o r g a n i z a t i o n a l t e c h n iq u e a n d m odern t e c h n o l o g y ) . I n h i s s tu d y o f m y th o lo g y d e v o te d t o The P o w ers o f E v i l , R ic h a rd C a v e n d ish l i s t s t h r e e m a jo r s u p e r n a t u r a l b e in g s a s s o c i a t e d w i th e v i l : t h e D e v i l ,D e a th , and F a t e . M o t i f s u se d i n e x p r e s s i n g t h e e v i l s i n c l u d e " t h e c o n n e c t io n s b e tw e e n e v i l and t h e a n im a l w o rld . . . t h e d re a d o f b e in g d e v o u r e d , t h ec o n t r a d i c t o r y a t t i t u d e s t o t h e d e v i l , t h e l i n k s b e tw ee n d e a t h , e v i l , and s e x , t h e f e a r o f d i s o r d e r , [ a n d ] t h e r e f u s a l t o b e l i e v e i n c h a n c e . " [2 2 ] From t h i s l i s t , L ew is h a s c h o se n o n ly tw o . The f i r s t i s h i s u s e o f one a n im a l m o t i f , ' t h e c e n t i p e d e . I n c o n te m p la t in g th e p a t i e n t ' s "y o u n g w om an," S c re w ta p e w r i t e s ( v i a h i s s e c r e t a r y ) t h a t " I f i n d I h a v e i n a d v e r t e n t l y a l lo w e d m y s e lf t o a ssu m e t h e fo rm o f a l a r g e c e n t i p e d e . " (L ew is( 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 1 1 4 .) L ew is in d e e d made u s e o f a p e r s o n a l o b s e s s iv e f e a r .

The im age i s g iv e n f u l l f o r c e i n P e r e l a n d r a( 1 9 4 3 ) . As Ransom c o n f r o n t s t h e Un-man f o r t h e f i n a lt im e , h i s a d v e r s a r y , c r a w l in g o u t o f a h o l e , i s f o l lo w e d by " a h u g e , many le g g e d , q u i v e r i n g d e f o r m i ty " — d e s c r i b e d i n h o r r i b l e d e t a i l an d c o n ta i n in g e v e ry f e a t u r e t h a t i s d e t e s t a b l y i n s e c t i l e . When t h e Un-man d i e s , t h i s a p p a r i t i o n i s r e n d e r e d m e re ly a n " a n im a te d c o r r i d o r t r a i n . " L ew is s a y s " A l l t h a t he h ad f e l t fro m c h ild h o o d a b o u t i n s e c t s a n d r e p t i l e s d i e d t h a t m o m en t." [2 3 ] T h is p a s s a g e w as a n e x o rc is m f o r L ew is o f h i s own c h ild h o o d " i n s e c t f e a r s , " f i r s t e v o k ed by a n u r s e r y book i l l u s t r a t i o n o f Tom Thumb t h r e a t e n e d by a s t a g b e e t l e w i th m o v ea b le m a n ib l e s , a s h e t e l l s u s i n S u r p r i s e d by J o y . [ 2 4 ] I n T he S i l v e r C h a i r (1 9 5 3 ) t h e c e n t i p e d e o f The S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s (1 9 4 2 ) r e c u r s : onr e a c h in g th e dom ain o f t h e G re en W itc h , t h e c h i l d r e n and t h e i r g u id e c o n f r o n t a h u g e b o w -sh ap e d b r i d g e , r i c h l y c a r v e d w i th " m o u ld e r in g f a c e s an d fo rm s o f g i a n t s , m in o t a u r s , s q u i d s , c e n t i p e d e s , an d d r e a d f u l g o d s ." [2 5 ]

As C a v a n d is h h a s s u g g e s t e d , i t i s n o t t h e a n im a l fo rm p e r s e t h a t c r e a t e s r e v u l s i o n , b u t t h e i d e a o f m e ta m o rp h o s is . The human t u r n e d c o c k r o a c h o f F ra n z K a f k a 's s t o r y i s a w e ll-k n o w n e x a m p le . S c re w ta p eh im s e l f h i n t s a t a M i l to n i c s o u r c e f o r h i s e x p e r i e n c e : i n Book X, 1 1 . 5 0 5 -5 4 6 o f P a r a d i s e L o s t , t h e a s se m b le d dem ons m etam o rp h o se i n t o s e r p e n t s an d t h u s g r e e t S a ta n w i th u n e x p e c te d h i s s e s :

A g r e a t e r pow erNow r u l ' d h im , p u n i s h t i n t h e s h a p e h e s i n n 'd ,A c c o rd in g t o h i s doom . ( 1 1 . 5 1 5 -5 1 7 )

W hat s i n s S c re w ta p e h a s c o m m itte d i n t h e s h a p e o f a c e n t i p e d e , we a r e n o t t o l d , an d p e r h a p s do n o t w ish t o e n q u i r e !

T he s e c o n d m o t i f u se d by L ew is fro m C a v e n d is h ’ s c a t a l o g u e o f m y th o lo g ic a l e v i l s i s t h e f e a r o f b e in g d e v o u r e d . C a v e n d ish c h r o n i c l e s a num ber o f t h e s e im a g e s : t h e v u l t u r e s o f C a ta l Huyuk ( b e f o r e 600 0 BC) who a r e a c c o m p a n ie d by h e a d l e s s c o r p s e s (C a v e n d is h ( 1 9 7 5 ) , p .1 1 2 ) ; Am -m ut, t h e " e a t e r o f t h e d e a d " and B aba t h e " E a t e r o f S h a d e s ," from a n c i e n t E g y p t, an d a C o p t ic C h r i s t i a n h e l l w i th a d i t c h o f s e v e n -h e a d e d s c o r p i o n s an d a g i a n t s n a k e w h ic h "ch ew ed on t h e d ead f i v e d a y s a w e e k . . . [ b u t ] to o k t h e w eekend o f f " ( I b i d . , p .1 1 3 ) ( s u g g e s t i n g t h e r e f r i g e r i u m d e p ic t e d by L ew is i n T he G r e a t D iv o r c e ) . T he D e lp h ic demon E urynom us a t e t h e f l e s h o f c o r p s e s , an d H e s i o d 's T a r t a r u s , a " g i g a n t i c y aw n in g t h r o a t , " r e c e iv e d t h e d e s c e n d in g d e a d ( I b i d . , p . 1 1 6 ) , w h i le v a r io u s e a r t h l y g i a n t s an d o g r e s ( i n c l u d i n g P o ly p h e m u s) e a t p e o p le i n G re ek m y th o lo g y a s t h e y do i n t h a t o t h e r b r a n c h o f I n d o - e u r o p e a n p e o p le s , t h e N o r s e , from w h ic h L ew is d rew many o f h i s im a g e s i n t h e N a rn ia n C h r o n i c l e s .

H e l l , t o o , w i th i t s y aw n in g h e l l - m o u th ( I b i d . , p . 1 5 6 ) so comm only d e p ic t e d i n M e d ie v a l d ram a a n d t h e a r t d e r iv e d fro m i t , an d t h e D e v i l h i m s e l f , a s a " a h u g e , d e v o u r in g m o n s t e r , " p a r t a k e o f t h i s im a g e . I n d e e d a t t h e n e th e r m o s t p i t o f h e l l , f r o z e n i n t h e i c e y s e a , D a n t e 's S a ta n f o r e v e r d e v o u rs ( w i t h t h e m o u th s o f h i s t h r e e h e a d s ) t h r e e a r c h e t y p a l t r a i t o r s i n c l u d i n g J u d a s . C a v e n d ish e v en q u o te s a s e c u l a r im ag e fro m C a r l y l e ' s S a r t o r R e s a r t u s : t h e u n i v e r s e i t s e l f i s p e r c e iv e d a s " t h e b o u n d le s s ja w s o f a d e v o u r in g M o n s te r , w h e re in I , p a l p i t a t i n g , w a i te d t o b e d e v o u r e d ." ( I b i d . , p . 157)

I n h i s u s e o f t h i s v e ry im ag e i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . L ew is i s p e r f e c t l y c l e a r : S c re w ta p e s a y s t o Wormwood: " B r in g u s b a c k f o o d , o r b e fo o d y o u r s e l f . " (L e w is ( 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 1 5 1 ) T he e v e n t i s d e p i c t e d e n t i r e l y i n s p i r i t u a l t e r m s : t h a t i s , we r e a d o f t h e h u n g ry a n t i c i p a t i o n o f o n e s p i r i t a s h e p r e p a r e s t o d e v o u r a n o t h e r . S c r e w ta p e , h a v in g a d d r e s s e d Wormwood a s "My d e a r , my v e ry d e a r , Wormwood, my p o p p e t,m y p i g s n i e " ( t h a t i s , my d e l i c i o u s b i t t e r d r i n k , my d o l l , my p i x i e ) , a n n o u n c e s , " I t h i n k th e y w i l l g iv e you t o me now; o r a b i t o f y o u . L ove you? Why, y e s . As d a i n t y a m o r s e l a s e v e n I g rew f a t o n . " L e w is , o f c o u r s e , knew p e r f e c t l y w e l l w h a t h e w as d o in g . He w r o te i n h i s P r e f a c e o f 1 9 6 1 : " I f e i g n t h a t d e v i l s c a n , i n a s p i r i t u a l s e n s e , e a t o n e a n o t h e r ; an d u s . E ven i n human l i f e we h a v e s e e n t h e p a s s io n t o d o m in a te , a lm o s t t o d i g e s t , o n e 's f e l l o w ; t o make h i s own i n t e l l e c t u a l an d e m o t io n a l l i f e m e re ly a n e x t e n s i o n o f o n e 's own — to h a t e o n e 's h a t r e d s a n d r e s e n t o n e 's g r i e v a n c e s and i n d u lg e o n e 's e g o ti s m th r o u g h him a s w e l l a s th r o u g h o n e s e l f . " (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . x i ) T h e re i s e v id e n c e t h a t som e o f L e w is 's s t u d e n t s i n t h e l a t e 1 9 3 0 s th o u g h t t h a t h e w as t r y i n g t o do t h i s t o th em ! He c o n t i n u e s , "On e a r t h t h i s d e s i r e i s o f t e n c a l l e d ' l o v e . ' I n H e l l I f e i g n t h a t t h e y r e c o g n i z e i t a s h u n g e r . " ( I b i d . )

As I h a v e h i n t e d a b o v e , t h i s th em e o f d e v o u r in g h a s a n a w e fu l an d m ac ab re a p p l i c a t i o n o f t e n e x p r e s s e d i n t h e f i g u r e o f t h e d e v o u r in g worm . I w is h I c o u ld w r i t e t h a t to d a y m o st p e o p le a r e o n ly f a m i l i a r w i th t h e a c t i o n o f m ag g o ts upon c a r r i o n th r o u g h e x p e r i e n c e s l i k e my c h i ld h o o d e x a m in a t io n o f a d e ad b i r d , i n w h ic h I made t h e h o r r i f i e d d i s c o v e r y o f t h e c h e e r f u l l l y a c t i v e "w o rm" - l i f e w i t h i n . U n f o r t u n a t e ly , many p e o p le i n t o d a y 's w o r ld u n d e r s ta n d w e l l eno u g h t h e e f f e c t , th r o u g h t h e p r o d u c t io n o f c o r p s e s l e f t f o r d i s c o v e r y by v a r i o u s m a l ig n a n t and w a r r in g s t a t e s . M ag g o ts a r e n o t , s t r i c t l y s p e a k in g , w orm s, b u t i n f a n t f l i e s , w h ic h o f f e r c a r r i o n t h e sam e s e r v i c e th e y o f f e r e x c re m e n t . B e e lz e b u b , t h e o n ly h i s t o r i c a l d e v i l i s h name in v o k e d by S c r e w ta p e , m eans " t h e L o rd o f t h e F l i e s , " an d w o rk s o f

M YTH LO RE 43: A u tum n 1985 Page 55

Wormwood

l i t e r a t u r e f ro m G o l d i n g 's n o v e l o f t h a t nam e t o s t u d i e s o f t h e A m i t y v i l l e H o r r o r h a v e e x p l o i t e d t h i s f a c t .

C o n su m p tio n by w orm s i s a n a t u r a l f i g u r e r e i t e r a t e d i n t h e B i b l e : I n E x o d u s 1 6 :2 4 m anna k e p t to o lo n g a g a i n s t G o d 's w is h " b r e d w o rm s ," a n d i n D eu te ro n o m y 2 8 : 3 9 , v i n e y a r d k e e p e r s a r e w a rn e d t h a t t h e y s h a l l p l a n t b u t n e v e r d r i n k o f t h e s e g r a p e s , " f o r t h e w orm s s h a l l e a t th e m ." T h e s e im a g e s , o f c o r r u p t e d b r e a d a n d w in e , a s i t w e r e , a r e f o l lo w e d by m o re so le m n p i c t u r e s : J o b , p r e s u m a b ly d e s c r i b i n g t h e n a s t i e r r e s u l t s o f g a n g r e n e , c o m p la in s t h a t "my f l e s h i s c l o t h e d w i th w orm s" ( J o b 7 : 5 ) a n d t h e a c t i o n o f m oth l a r v a e i s n o t n e g l e c t e d : I s a i a h 5 1 :8 s a y s o f t h o s e o p p o se d t o h i s h e a r e r s t h a t worm s " s h a l l e a t th em l i k e w o o l . " S p e c i f i c im a g e s o f m a g g o ts c o n su m in g t h e d e a d a p p e a r i n J o b , i n c l u d i n g t h e i r o n i c p h r a s e , " t h e worm s h a l l f e e d s w e e t ly o n h im ." ( J o b 2 4 :2 9 ) God p r e p a r e s a worm t o s m i t e t h e g o u rd g i v i n g s h a d e t o J o n a h ( J o n a h 4 : 7 ) a n d H e r o d i s " e a t e n o f w orm s" i n A c ts 1 2 :2 3 . B u t t h e s e a r e a l l n a t u r a l im a g e s w h ic h o c c u r e v e r y d a y a n d a r e b u t o n e p a r t o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c h o n e s ty a n d o p e n n e s s a b o u t n a t u r a l phen o m en a w h ic h m ak es t h e B i b l e t h e v i g o r o u s d o c u m e n t t h a t i t i s .

I t i s t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l im a g e n o t o f b o d i l y d e a t h b u t o f s p i r i t u a l d e a t h w h ic h S c r e w ta p e d e p i c t s . As J e s u s s a y s i n M a tth e w 1 0 :2 8 — " f e a r n o t th em w h ic h k i l l t h e b o d y , b u t a r e n o t a b l e t o k i l l t h e s o u l : b u t r a t h e r f e a r h im w h ic h i s a b l e t o d e s t r o y b o th bod y a n d s o u l i n h e l l . " T h i s i s S c r e w t a p e 's w i s h .

P r o b a b ly t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t s t u d y o f my s u b j e c t i s P a u l R i c o e u r 's T h e S y m b o lism o f E v i l . R ic o e u r p r o p o s e s a th em e n o t m e n t io n e d by C a v e n d i s h , w h ic h i s a t h i r d m a jo r im a g e i n T h e S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s , t h i s i s t h e sy m b o lism o f " d e f i l e m e n t , " w h ic h R ic o e u r c a l l s o n e o f t h e " P r im a r y S y m b o ls ." T he O ld T e s ta m e n t b e g in s i t s d i s c u s s i o n o f e v i l w i t h s y m b o ls : " t h e p r o f o u n d la n g u a g e o f f a u l t [ i s ] . . . b a s e d o n i m a g e r y . " [ 2 6 ] R ic o e u r s t a t e s , " S i n , a s a l i e n a t i o n fro m o n e s e l f , i s a n e x p e r i e n c e e v e n m ore a s t o n i s h i n g , d i s c o n c e r t i n g , a n d s c a n d a l o u s , p e r h a p s , t h a n t h e s p e c t a c l e o f n a t u r e , a n d f o r t h i s r e a s o n i t i s t h e r i c h e s t s o u r c e o f i n t e r r o g a t i v e t h o u g h t . " ( I b i d . , p . 8 . ) I n t h i s l o n g - l a s t i n g s e q u e n c e o f q u e s t i o n s , t h e i d e a o f d e f i l e m e n t i s m ore a r c h a i c t h a n t h e i d e a o f s i n . D e f i le m e n t i s " s p o k e n o f u n d e r t h e sy m b o l o f a s t a i n o r b l e m i s h . " ( I b i d . , p . 9 . ) I t i s " t h e i d e a o f a q u a s i - m a t e r i a l s o m e th in g t h a t i n f e c t s a s a s o r t o f f i l t h , t h a t h a rm s by i n v i s i b l e p r o p e r t i e s , a n d t h a t n e v e r t h e l e s s w o rk s i n t h e m an n e r o f a f o r c e i n t h e f i e l d o f o u r i n d i v i d u a l l y p s y c h i c a n d c o r p o r a l e x i s t e n c e . " ( I b i d . , p p . 2 5 - 2 6 . ) R i t u a l w a s h in g o f h a n d s o r f e e t i n J u d a i s m , C h r i s t i a n i t y , a n d I s l a m , t o g e t h e r w i th t h e w a s h in g aw ay o f s i n s i n B a p t i s m , a r e b a s e d u p o n t h i s p r i m i t i v e v i e w p o i n t . R ic o e u r s u g g e s t s t h a t we f e e l we h a v e l e f t t h i s c o n c e p t b e h in d , ( I b i d , , p . 2 6 . ) b u t t h a t i n t h e a r e a o f s e x i t i s s t i l l f u n c t i o n a l : s e x i s c o n s i d e r e d t h e " p r i m o r d i a l d e f i l e m e n t . " ( I b i d . , p . 2 9 . ) E ven s o , i t i s a s y m b o l ic s t a i n : " D e f i l e m e n t i s n o t a s t a i n , b u t l i k e a s t a i n . " ( I b i d . , p . 3 6 . )

L ew is u s e s t h i s im a g e , a n d o n e o f i t s r e l a t e d m o t i f s , i n t h e c l i m a c t i c s c e n e o f T he S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s , a s S c r e w ta p e d e s c r i b e s t h e s a v e d s o u l ' s r e l e a s e fro m W ormwood. " J u s t t h i n k ( a n d l e t i t b e t h e b e g i n n i n g s o f y o u r a g o n y ) w h a t h e f e l t a t t h a t m om ent, a s i f a s c a b h ad f a l l e n fro m a n o l d s o r e , a s i f h e w e re e m e rg in g fro m a h i d e o u s , s h e l l - l i k e t e t t e r , a s i f h e s h u f f l e d o f f f o r goo d a n d a l l a d e f i l e d , w e t , c l i n g i n g g a r m e n t . By H e l l , i t i s m is e r y e n o u g h t o s e e th em i n t h e i r m o r t a l d a y s t a k i n g o f f d i r t i e d a n d u n c o m f o r t a b l e c l o t h e s a n d s p l a s h i n g i n h o t w a t e r a n d g i v i n g l i t t l e

g r u n t s o f p l e a s u r e — s t r e t c h i n g t h e i r e a s e d l im b s ! W h a t, t h e n , a t t h i s f i n a l s t r i p p i n g , t h i s c o m p le te c l e a n s i n g ? " (L e w is ( 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 1 5 7 . ) T he r u l i n g im ag e h e r e i s o f d e f i l e m e n t by mud o r b o d i l y e x c r e t i o n s , b u t t h e r e i s t h e a d d i t i o n o f t h e im a g e o f t h e s c a b ( i n j u r y ) a n d t h e t e t t e r ( s k i n d i s e a s e ) : o n e t h i n k s o f p o o r J o b s i t t i n g u p o n h i s d u n g h e a p a n d s c r a t c h i n g h i s a f f l i c t e d s k i n w i th a p o t s h e r d ! T h e co m m o n p lace p h r a s e , " r a d d le d w h o r e ," w h ic h L e w is u s e s i n t h e sam e c h a p t e r , i s b a s e d o n t h e s o r e s c a u s e d by v e n e r e a l d i s e a s e , b u t a n y s k i n d i s e a s e w as a f i g u r e o f d e f i l e m e n t i n t h e B i b l e , e s p e c i a l l y t h e fo rm s o f p s o r i a s i s a n d o t h e r d i s e a s e s lu m p ed t o g e t h e r a s t h e w h i t e n e s s o f " l e p r o s y " i n b o th T e s ta m e n t s .

T he im a g e o f d e f i l e m e n t i s g iv e n a f i n a l e x p r e s s i o n i n T h e S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s a s L e w is i n t r o d u c e s h i s fam o u s h i n t o f t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f P u r g a t o r y , w h ic h h e w as t o e x p r e s s e v e n m ore c l e a r l y i n T he G r e a t D i v o r c e . M ic h a e l P a t e r n o s t e r i n h i s s t u d y o f t h e a f t e r l i f e , T hou A r t T h e r e A l s o , m ak es c o n s i d e r a b l e u s e o f q u o t a t i o n s fro m C .S . L e w is , a n d o f T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s : " t h e t e m p t e r s a y s o f t h e v i c t i m who h a s e s c a p e d : 'P a i n s h e may s t i l l h a v e t o e n c o u n t e r , b u t t h e y e m b ra c e t h o s e p a i n s . " [2 7 ] He r e g a r d s L e w is a s a n e x a m p le o f "M odern p o p u l a r r e l i g i o u s w r i t e r s " who seem t o t a k e t h e d o c t r i n e o f P u r g a t o r y " f o r g r a n t e d . " ( I b i d . , p . 6 4 . ) L e w is w as t o u s e t h e f i g u r e s o f P u r g a t o r y a s t h e c l e a n s i n g o f d e f i l e m e n t w i th v i g o u r i n o t h e r p l a c e s , b u t h i s m e n t io n o f i t f o l l o w in g h i s p a e a n t o f i n a l c l e a n l i n e s s i s p o w e r f u l l y s u g g e s t i v e .

So f a r we h a v e a d d r e s s e d t h e s e im a g e s a s d e p i c t i o n s o f s p i r i t u a l r e a l i t y ; a s L ew is s a y s i n h i s P r e f a c e t o l a t e r e d i t i o n s , " t h i s i s a l l o n ly m yth a n d s y m b o l ." (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . x i i . ) One a s p e c t o f t h e s p i r i t u a l r e a lm m u st b e i t s r o l e i n p s y c h i c r e a l i t y , t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e human m in d . I n t h e hum an p s y c h e , a s d e s c r i b e d by J o h n A . S a n f o r d , a C h r i s t i a n w r i t e r who u s e s t h e c a t e g o r i e s o f C .G . J u n g , t h e r e a r e a num ber o f f o r c e s s h o r t o f a b s o l u t e o r t o t a l l y p e r s o n i f i e d E v i l , w h ic h m u s t b e d e a l t w i t h . M ost i m p o r t a n t i s t h e O ld T e s ta m e n t A d v e r s a r y o f J o b , a c r e a t e d b e in g w ho, b e c a u s e God h a s p a d e him p r e c i s e l y f o r t h e p u r p o s e w h ic h h e p e r f o r m s , a p p a r e n t l y sh o w s t h e " d a r k s i d e o f G o d ," who com es t o hum ans a s a n " a d v e r s a r y " o r " d a r k

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p o w e r" w h ic h may b e d e s t r u c t i v e b u t " c a n n o t b e s a i d t o b e i n t r i n s i c a l l y e v i l . " ( S a n f o r d ( 1 9 8 1 ) , p . 1 2 6 . ) T h is i d e a c a n b e fo u n d i n t h e w r i t i n g s o f G e o rg e M acD onald an d C h a r l e s W i l l i a m s , b o th o f whom i n f l u e n c e d L e w is . T h is i s n o t a God who i s r e a l l y a d e v i l , o r a d e v i l who i s r e a l l y a G o d . T h is i s t h e a c t i o n o f God w ho, l i k e a s u r g e o n m u st wound i n o r d e r t o h e a l .

An i d e a r e l a t e d t o t h i s b u t n o t t h e sa m e , i s t h e "h a p p y f a u l t , " t h e f e l i x c u lp a — t h e e v i l d e p i c t e d i n t h e G o s p e ls w h ic h i s b e n t by God t o "som e D iv in e P u r p o s e . " J e s u s p r e d i c t s woe f o r t h e p e r p e t r a t o r s o f s u c h e v i l , b u t w h i l e t h i s " e v i l i s r e a l l y e v i l , t h e r e i s n e v e r t h e l e s s a n o v e r r i d i n g P u r p o s e , w h ic h i t m u st s e r v e . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 2 7 . ) T he p r im a r y im ag e i n t h i s c a t e g o r y i s , o f c o u r s e , t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n a s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e C r u c i f i x i o n .

A g a in , t h e r e i s " t h e human S h a d o w ," a n a s p e c t o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y w h ic h se e m s t o a c t o u t e v i l when s p l i t f ro m t h e w h o le , b u t w h ic h c a n b e m ade c o n s c io u s a n d l o s e i t s s a t a n i c c h a r a c t e r . I n J u n g ia n t h o u g h t , t h e Shadow i s t h e p a r t o f o n e 's own p e r s o n a l i t y w h ic h o n e d a r e n o t o r c a n n o t s e e , t h o s e t r a i t s w h ic h a p p e a r " d a r k " b e c a u s e we do n o t know we h a v e th e m . T h ey a r e a f i g u r e f o r t h e i n v i s i b i l i t y o r t h e c lo a k o f d a r k n e s s w h ic h s h r o u d s t h e e n t i r e u n c o n s c io u s fro m u s , a n d when we b e g in t o come t o t e r m s w i th t h i s a d v e r s a r y , we c a n b e g in t o " s e e " w h a t h a s b e e n h id d e n b e f o r e .

I n a n o th e r s e n s e , t h e d e v i l im ag e c a n b e u n d e r s to o d a s " a p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f t h e p ow er d r i v e o f t h e e g o . " T h i s , t o o , t u r n s o u t t o b e a f o r c e o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y w h ic h may b e n e c e s s a r y f o r e g o d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n . ( I n J u n g ia n t h o u g h t t h e Ego i s n o t t h e c e n t e r o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y b u t o n e a s p e c t o f i t . ) F i n a l l y , " t h e d e v i l b eco m es a k in d o f c o l l e c t i v e shadow f i g u r e . . . w h o se d a r k n e s s c o m p e n s a te s a t o o r i g i d an d o n e - s i d e d c o n s c io u s a t t i t u d e . " A l l o f t h e s e e le m e n ts a r e r e l a t i v e , a p p a r e n t e v i l s , n o t t r u e e v i l .

B u t S a n f o r d d o e s n o t d e n y t h e e x i s t e n c e o f e v i l . He t u r n s t o t h e d o c t r i n e o f t h e p r i v a t i o b o n i s u g g e s te d by A r i s t o t l e an d f a v o u r e d by O r ig e n , A u g u s t in e , A c q u in a s , a n d , i n d e e d , by C .S . L e w is . I n S a n f o r d 's w o rd s : "T h e b a s i c i d e a o f t h e d o c t r i n e . . . i s t h a t good a lo n e h a s s u b s t a n c e , an d t h a t e v i l h a s no s u b s ta n c e o f i t s ow n, b u t e x i s t s by m eans o f a d im in u t io n o f t h e g o o d ." ( I b i d . , p . 1 3 5 . ) J u n g seem s t o h a v e th o u g h t t h a t t h e o r i g i n o f e v i l w o u ld h a v e t o b e s b u g h t i n God H im s e l f , a n d t h a t t h e C h r i s t i a n i d e a o f a God who i s s o l e l y good i s t o o o n e - s i d e d . S a n f o r d s e t s f o r t h t h e o b j e c t i o n o f J u n g t o t h e d o c t r i n e o f p r i v a t i o b o n i . a n d , i n t h e t r u e s p i r i t o f a J u n g ia n d i s c i p l e , a r g u e s w i th h i s t e a c h e r i n "A C r i t i q u e o f J u n g 's View o f t h e P r i v a t i o B o n i . " S a n f o r d d e f i n e s e v i l t h u s : "We c a n s a y t h a t i n t r i n s i c e v i l i s a f o r c e o f d e s t r u c t i v e n e s s t h a t d e s t r o y s w h o l e n e s s ." ( I b i d . , p . 1 4 5 . ) He d e f e n d s t h e p r i v a t i o b o n i a s a d o c t r i n e w h ic h a f f i r m s b o th t h e r e a l i t y o f e v i l a n d t h e u l t i m a t e pow er o f G od, and c o n c lu d e s by e m p h a s iz in g t h e " b a s i c o p tim is m i n t h e C h r i s t i a n a t t i t u d e to w a rd e v i l . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 5 1 . )

T he c o n c e p t o f e v i l a s a d im in u t io n o f , o r a c o r r u p t i o n o f g o o d , i s m ade c l e a r i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . As S c re w ta p e s a y s , "No n a t u r a l phenom enon i s r e a l l y i n o u r f a v o u r , " (L e w is ( 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 8 0 . ) an d " N o th in g i s n a t u r a l l y on o u r s i d e . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 1 3 . ) I n d e e d , " E v e r y th in g h a s t o be t w i s t e d b e f o r e i t ' s an y u s e t o u s . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 1 2 . ) E ven t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f h e l l i s a p a ro d y o f H e a v e n , a n d t h e t e m p te r a n i n v e r t e d v e r s i o n o f t h e g u a r d ia n a n g e l : o n ly a t t h e en d o f T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s d o e s S c re w ta p e a d m i t t h e p r e s e n c e o f

a n g e l i c a d v e r s a r i e s : a s t h e p a t i e n t d i e d , " h e a l s o saw T h em ." ( I b i d . , p . 1 5 2 . )

B u t t h e r e i s a f u r t h e r a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h i s d o c t r i n e , w h ic h i s r e f l e c t e d i n G e o rg e M a c d o n a ld 's d e c l a r a t i o n i n W eighed a n d W a n t in g : "H e who i s p a r t e d fro m God h a s no o r i g i n a l n o th in g n e s s w i th w h ic h t o t a k e r e f u g e . He i s a l i v e d i s c o r d , a n a n t i - t r u t h . He i s a d e a t h f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t l i f e . " [ 2 8 ] I n t h e e a r l y 1 9 6 0 s a b r i l l i a n t a d d i t i o n w as m ade t o t h e t h e o lo g y o f e v i l by B r o t h e r D u n s ta n J o n e s o f t h e A n g l ic a n r e l i g i o u s o r d e r , t h e C om m unity o f t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n , i n h i s e s s a y , " C r e a t i o n a n d t h e F a l l . " He b e g in s by s u g g e s t i n g t h a t t h e F a l l i s r e l a t e d t o C r e a t i o n n o t a s a s i n g l e e v e n t p e r p e t u a t e d , t h r o u g h S a t a n , i n h u m a n k in d , b u t b e g in s m uch e a r l i e r i n t h e p r o c e s s r e v e a l e d by t h e f o s s i l r e c o r d . He f i n d s a s p e c i f i c m o t i f w h ic h r u n s th r o u g h t h e B i b l e — " C r e a t i o n t h r o u g h c o n f l i c t . " [2 9 ] D i s c u s s in g t h i s i d e a a n d i t s N e a r E a s t e r n m y th o lo g ic a l a n t e c e d e n t s , h e l i n k s i t w i th c r e a t i o n o u t o f " n o t h i n g , " ( i b i d . , p . 1 2 4 ) a n i d e a w h ic h i s t h e i n v e n t i o n o f J u d a i s m . I n J e w is h t h o u g h t , t h e C r e a t i o n i s r e v e a l e d by God a s b e in g e x n i h i l o . W hen, t h e n , com es t h e F a l l ? N o t o n ly h u m a n k in d , b u t t h e e n t i r e C r e a t i o n s u f f e r s i n t h e c r e a t i o n p r o c e s s , w h ic h when a p p re h e n d e d i n t i m e , i s o n - g o i n g . T he c o r r u p t i o n i s n o t b a s e d i n m a t e r i a l i t y , f o r e v e r y t h in g m ade by God i s good ( G e n e s i s 1 : 3 1 ) . E v en t h e c o r r u p t s p i r i t s b e g a n a s g o o d , s i n c e God m ade th em t o o . B u t C r e a t i o n i s n o t a " p o i n t i n t i m e , " t o u s e a c u r r e n t b a r b a r i s m — i t i s a n e v e n t o u t s i d e o f t im e a n d h e n c e e v e r - p r e s e n t . A l l r e s i s t a n c e t o God i s r e s i s t e n c e t o c r e a t i o n su b s p e c i e a e t e r n i t a t i s — " I f t h e n t h e w o r ld o r som e o f i t s p a r t s r e s i s t t h e i r c r e a t i o n , t h e y r e s i s t t h e i r c r e a t i o n i n t h e t i m e l e s s a c t s o f t h e i r b e in g c r e a t e d . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 3 6 . ) T h is r e s i s t a n c e t a k e s t h e fo rm o f " t h e d e s i r e t o u n - b e . " B r o t h e r D u n s ta n c o n t i n u e s : " S in i s b a s i c a l l y t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o r e s i s t C r e a t i o n . . . T h is r e b e l l i o n i n i t s f u l l n e s s we a t t r i b u t e t o s p i r i t u a l c r e a t u r e s . " ( I b i d . , p . 1 3 7 . ) I n d e e d , " G o d 's p e r f e c t i n t e n t i o n f o r t h e C r e a t i o n i s n o t o b t a i n e d e x c e p t by o v e rc o m in g t h e r e s i s t a n c e o f som e c r e a t u r e s t o t h e i r own c r e a t i o n an d t h e i r c o r r u p t i n g o f t h e r e s t o f c r e a t i o n th r o u g h t h i s r e s i s t a n c e . " ( I b i d . , p p . 1 3 7 - 3 8 .)

I t i s t h e s p i r i t u a l e f f o r t t o b r e a k t h e w i l l t o be i n a s i n g l e hum an t h a t i s d e p i c t e d i n T he S c re w ta p e L e t t e r s . When t h i s e f f o r t i s o v e rc o m e , t h e s o u l " c a n s t a n d u p r i g h t a n d c o n v e r s e w i th s p i r i t s b e f o r e whom y o u , a s p i r i t , c o u ld o n ly c o w e r ," S c re w ta p e a n g r i l y t e l l s Wormwood. (L e w is ( 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 1 5 8 . ) T he s o u l h a s f a c e d d e a t h a n d i n d y in g i t h a s becom e a f r e e c i t i z e n o f H e a v e n .

I t i s G od’ s p u r p o s e t o c o m p le te H is C r e a t i o n , by a l l o w i n g a l l i t s m em bers t o c h o o s e f r e e l y t o b e p a r t o f i t . When e v e r y b e in g a f f i r m s a n d a c c e p t s i t s own e x i s t e n c e a n d t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a l l o t h e r b e in g s ( l o v in g n e ig h b o r a s s e l f ) , G o d 's C r e a t i o n w i l l b e c o m p le te . The f u l f i l l m e n t o f H is p l a n w i l l b e t h e f u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e b e in g o f a l l H is c r e a t u r e s . I n t h i s m an n er e v e r y c r e a t u r e w i l l u t t e r " I " th r o u g h H im , f o r He who made th em c a l l e d H im s e lf by n am e, " I a m ." J e s u s , when i n t e r r o g a t e d upo n h i s i d e n t i t y , m ade t h e sam e r e p l y , an d a l l G o d 's c r e a t u r e s a r e f r e e t o s a y t h e sam e!

L ew is e x p l a i n s h i s own m ea n in g t h u s : "God t u r n s t o o l s i n t o s e r v a n t s a n d s e r v a n t s i n t o s o n s , s o t h a t t h e y may b e a t l a s t r e u n i t e d t o Him i n t h e p e r f e c t f re e d o m o f a l o v e o f f e r e d fro m t h e h e i g h t o f t h e u t t e r i n d i v i d u a l i t i e s w h ic h h e h a s l i b e r a t e d them t o b e . " (L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . x i i . ) B u t t h i s en d i s h id d e n fro m

M YTH LO RE 43: A utum n 1985 Page 57

S c r e w ta p e , w h o se l a m e n t , " I f we c o u ld o n ly f i n d o u t w h a t He i s r e a l l y up t o ! " i s o n e o f t h e l a s t s e n t e n c e s h e p e n s i n T he S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s .

NOTES

1 D o ro th y L . S a y e r s , "T h e O th e r S ix D e a d ly S i n s , " T heW h im s ic a l C h r i s t i a n (New Y o rk : M a c m il la n , 1 9 7 8 ) , p .1 5 8 .2 C .S . L e w is , P r e f a c e t o P a r a d i s e L o s t (L o n d o n : O x fo rd U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 1 0 0 .3 C .S . L e w is , T h ey S ta n d T o g e t h e r , e d i t e d by W a l te r H o o p er (L o n d o n : C o l l i n s , 1 9 7 9 ) , p . 1 2 3 .4 W .H. L e w is , B r o t h e r s a n d F r i e n d s , e d i t e d by C ly d e S . K i lb y a n d M a r j o r i e Lamp Mead (S a n F r a n c i s c o : H a r p e r an d Row, 1 9 8 2 ) , p . 1 8 8 .5 L e t t e r s From H e l l (New Y o rk a n d L o n d o n : F u n k a n dW a g n a l l s , 1 8 8 5 ) , w i t h a P r e f a c e by G e o rg e M acD o n a ld , p p . v i - v i i . I am h a p p y t o s a y t h a t I fo u n d t h i s b o o k a t a ju m b le s a l e m y s e l f !6 C .S . L e w is , T h e S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s a n d S c r e w ta p e P r o p o s e s a T o a s t (New Y o rk : M a c m il la n , 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 1 5 7 .7 M ic h a e l P a t e r n o s t e r , T hou A r t T h e r e A ls o (L o n d o n : SPCK, 1 9 6 7 ) , p p . 1 2 7 - 1 2 8 .8 J e f f r e y B u r to n R u s s e l l , T he D e v i l (New Y o rk :M e r i d ia n , 1 9 7 9 ) , p . 1 7 .9 L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . v i i .10 D ia n a W a g g o n e r , T h e H i l l s o f F a ra w ay (New Y o rk : A th en eu m , 1 9 7 8 ) , p . 6 3 .11 J o h n A. S a n f o r d , E v i l (New Y o rk : C r o s s r o a d , 1 9 8 1 ) , p . 3612 C .S . L e w is , A P r e f a c e t o P a r a d i s e L o s t , p . 9 5 .13 C h a r l e s W i l l i a m s , " J o h n M i l t o n , " T he Im ag e o f t h e C i t y , e d i t e d by Anne R i d l e r (L o n d o n : O x fo rd U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 5 8 ) , p . 2 8 .14 L e w is , A P r e f a c e t o P a r a d i s e L o s t , p . 9 9 .15 W .S . H a r r i s , S e rm o n s by t h e D e v i l ( [ S i m u l t a n e o u s l y p u b l i s h e d USA a n d U n i te d K ingdom ; p r i v a t e l y p u b l i s h e d ] , 1 9 0 4 ) , p . 9 2 . A ls o fo u n d i n a ju m b le s a l e !16 J . R . M i l l e r , T he D e v i l o f T o d ay ( n o p l a c e : nop u b l i s h e r , 1 9 0 3 /1 9 0 6 ) , p . 4 1 . T h i s b o o k w as l e n t t o me by J a n e U r q u h a r t , a n d i s g r a t e f u l l y a c k n o w le d g e d .17 And i n C a n a d a : d u r i n g t h e w r i t i n g o f t h i s p a p e r , t h e t a b l e b e in g u s e d w as u n e x p e c te d ly d i s c o v e r e d t o b e u n d e r g o in g a t t a c k by a c o lo n y o f w oodw orm s.18 Norm an B ra d s h a w , "T h e E x t r a o r d i n a r y B e in g , " T he C a n a d ia n C .S . L e w is J o u r n a l ( S p r i n g 1 9 8 3 ) , p . 1 2 . As f o r B r a d s h a w 's A s s e r t i o n t h a t " a n o b s e s s i o n w i t h ' t h e v e r m i c u l a r ' . . . a n d ' t h e W orm' . . . w as ham m er home so p e r s i s t e n t l y , i n b o th 'S c r e w t a p e ' b o o k s , " I s e a r c h e d T he S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s f o r t h e w ord "w orm " o u t s i d e o f W orm w ood 's n am e , a n d c o u ld n o t f i n d i t .19 C .S . L e w is , T h e S c r e w ta p e L e t t e r s (L o n d o n : G e o f f r e y B l e s , 1 9 4 2 ) , p . 2 9 .20 I b i d . , p . 1 5 9 . T h i s p a s s a g e i s s u g g e s t i v e o f D a n ie l 3 : 2 5 : " L o , I s e e t h r e e men . . . w a lk in g i n t h e m id s t o f t h e f i r e , . . . a n d t h e fo rm o f t h e f o u r t h i s l i k e t h e Son o f G o d ."21 R o g e r L lo y d , T h e T r o u b l i n g o f t h e C i t y (L o n d o n : G e o rg e A l l e n a n d U n w in , 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 1 5 .22 R ic h a r d C a v e n d is h , T h e P o w e rs o f E v i l (L o n d o n : R o u t le d g e a n d K egan P a u l , 1 9 7 5 ) , p . v i i i .23 C .S . L e w is , P e r e l a n d r a (L o n d o n : T he B o d le y H e a d ,1 9 4 3 ) , p . 2 0 9 .24 C .S . L e w is , S u r p r i s e d by J o y (L o n d o n : G e o f f r e yB l e s , 1 9 5 5 ) , p . 1 6 .25 C .S . L e w is , T h e S i l v e r C h a i r (New Y o rk : M a c m il la n ,1 9 5 3 ) ,p . 7 2 .26 P a u l R i c o e u r , T h e S y m b o lism o f E v i l ( B o s to n : B eaco n P r e s s , 1 9 6 7 ) , p . 9 .27 P a t e r n o s t e r ( 1 9 6 7 ) , p . 6 4 : t h e q u o t a t i o n i s f ro m L e w is ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p . 1 5 8 .

Sarum an, continued from page 44

T h i s i s s u p p o s e d t o be a n ic k n a m e m o d if i e d t o f i t t h e Common S p e e c h ( i n t h e E n g l i s h t e x t a n g l i c i z e d ) , b a s e d on o r k i s h s h a r k u " o l d m an " .

4 T h is s e n s e may w e l l b e t h e W e s te rn c o l l o q u i a l d e r o g a t o r y m e a n in g , a s i t h a s b e e n i n E n g l i s h f o r m ore t h a n 3 0 0 y e a r s .

5 T h e s e v o lu m e s w e re i s s u e d by t h e S o c i e t y o f B i b l i c a l A r c h a e o lo g y , o f w h ic h t h e O x fo rd P r o f e s s o r o f C o m p a ra t iv e P h i l o l o g y , A .H . S a y c e , w as p r e s i d e n t . T o l k i e n ' s w r i t i n g s i n d i c a t e f a m i l a r i t y w i t h S a y c e 's P r i n c i p l e s o f C o m p a ra t iv e P h i l o lo g y (1 8 7 4 ) a n d a l s o w i th many o t h e r o f h i s w o rk s on t h e a n c i e n t N e a r E a s t .

6 S e e , f o r e x a m p le , W eek ley ( o p . c i t . ) , p .1 3 3 3 .

7 O th e r ( s e m a n t i c a l l y n e u t r a l ) b o r r o w in g s on t h i s r o o t i n c l u d e : s a r c e n e t , s a r s n e t ( a t h i n s i l k ) ; s a r s e n . ( e a r l i e r S a r a c e n 's s t o n e ) , e t c . T h u s t h e r e i s f u r t h e r e v id e n c e o f t h e common t r a n s l a t i o n o f A r a b ic s h - t o E n g l i s h s —.

8 S e e L e s l i e D i n k l i n g , T he G u in e s s Book o f Names ( 1 9 7 4 ) , p .1 2 2 w h e re t h e a s s o c i a t i o n i s l i n k e d w i th " a p i r a t e so n a m e d ." A S h a rk e y p i r a t e a l s o a p p e a r e d i n a s t o r y by A. C onan D o y le

9 T a k e n , f o r c o n v e n ie n c e o f b r e v i t y , f ro m J . E .A . T y l e r ' s g u i d e , T he T o lk i e n C om pan ion ( 1 9 7 6 ) , p .4 2 0 .

10 P e r h a p s a h i n t o f A r a b ic s c i e n c e a n d m e d ic in e w h ic h w as a t i t s h e i g h t a s e a r l y a s t h e n i n t h c e n t u r y A .D .

11 S e e p p . 4 2 0 -4 2 1 o f W.W. S k e a t , P r i n c i p l e s o f E n g l i s h E ty m o lo g y . S e c o n d S e r i e s ( 1 8 9 1 ) .