Till We Have Faces

Till We Have Faces (1956)
Lewis’s final novel retells the myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Orual, Psyche’s older sister. Written as Orual’s “complaint against the gods,” the story unfolds in the ancient kingdom of Glome. Orual, plain and unloved, raises the beautiful Psyche as her own. When Psyche is sacrificed to a mysterious god and taken to a hidden palace, Orual visits and—unable to see the divine palace herself—convinces Psyche to disobey her unseen husband. Psyche’s punishment and exile follow, and Orual ascends the throne, ruling wisely but haunted by guilt. In old age she writes her bitter accusation against the gods, only to experience visions revealing her own possessiveness and distorted love. Her “face” is at last uncovered—she sees herself truly and accepts divine love. Blending myth, psychology, and theology, Lewis’s novel explores self-deception, jealousy, and the transformation of love from grasping to self-giving.