Orual’s jealous and possessive love also blinds her to recognizing the reciprocal love her 3 lovers show her. This mad quest blinds her to the fact that her love is actually a destructive force that devours the 3 loves of her life: (1) Psyche (half-sister of Orual & epitome of perfection both morally & physically – a Christ figure in the novel) – forcing Psyche, by threat of murder & suicide, to betray her divine husband and be subsequently banished into exile (2) the Fox (Greek slave and teacher of the princesses of Glome) – selfishly embracing the Fox’s decision not to return home to Greece (3) Bardia (captain of palace guard & advisor of Queen Orual) – working him to death on the battlefield & in the council room (and away from his family). To compensate, Orual is determined to secure the love of others.

Orual, the narrator of the novel, understands at a young age by her father that she is ugly – too ugly to ever get married.

In a dream one day, when her father removes her veil, Orual discovers in the mirror that she has the face of Ungit, she realizes that she too has devoured her lovers for her own selfish gain. Although she tries to leave the old Orual behind, she emerges as the devouring Ungit. Interiorly, Orual undergoes a transformation into the also-veiled Ungit.

On an interior level – the veil hides Orual’s spiritual defects (impurity of motive & impact her actions have on others).

Orual comes to enjoy this mysterious aspect of her appearance – giving her a sense of power as she leaves behind the old Orual and takes on the new persona as the Queen.

On an exterior level – the veil hides Orual’s physical defects (her ugliness & emotions).

Later in the novel, after her beloved Psyche’s exile, Orual decides to permanently don a veil.

Lewis forces a deeper examination of Orual’s motives and thereby allows strong Christian themes to shine forth.Īt a young age, Orual was forced by her father to wear a veil to his wedding to hide her ugliness.

By making Psyche’s palace invisible to Orual, C.S.

Lewis’ modern retelling of the classic myth of Cupid & Psyche from the Latin work, Metamorphoses, written by Lucius Apuleius Platonicus in the 2nd century.

Cs lewis until we have faces