Big spoiler alert if you haven't read the book and plan to, since I'll mention some of the big plot lines and surprises. Lewis retells the Greek mythology of Cupid and Pschye, from the perspective of Pschye's sister, Orual. She starts out writing the book as a complaint to the gods. She is considered ugly and often wears a veil to hide her face because of this. She ends up being a great Queen, excelling in politics, economics, and war, and the people love her. However she still feels incomplete because of her lack of beauty and love in her life.
Her sister, Pschye, was the only person she really ever loved. Pschye was beautiful, but much of this beauty came from her ability to make other people feel beautiful. Psyche is a type of Christ as she is sacrificed for the people. When she discovers Pschye is still alive, she convinces Pschye to light a lamp to see who her husband is, since death would be preferable to dishonor. Psyche does so, and discovers it is the god Cupid, who was trying to hide marriage from his mother. Pschye is thus cast out, but Orual is cursed with the anguish that Pschye would have experienced, although she doesn't understand this until close to death.
When Orual finally gets to present her complaint to the gods, they don't answer her in words, their answer is themselves. She was shown grace, and got to see Pschye accomplish the impossible tasks, and in the end became beautiful like Pschye because she was judged together with Pschye. When we get to heaven, we will be found clothed in Christ's righteousness, and judged beautiful because of it too! Most of the book was sad, but it ended up encouraging, and gave me new insight on the nature of beauty.
Her sister, Pschye, was the only person she really ever loved. Pschye was beautiful, but much of this beauty came from her ability to make other people feel beautiful. Psyche is a type of Christ as she is sacrificed for the people. When she discovers Pschye is still alive, she convinces Pschye to light a lamp to see who her husband is, since death would be preferable to dishonor. Psyche does so, and discovers it is the god Cupid, who was trying to hide marriage from his mother. Pschye is thus cast out, but Orual is cursed with the anguish that Pschye would have experienced, although she doesn't understand this until close to death.
When Orual finally gets to present her complaint to the gods, they don't answer her in words, their answer is themselves. She was shown grace, and got to see Pschye accomplish the impossible tasks, and in the end became beautiful like Pschye because she was judged together with Pschye. When we get to heaven, we will be found clothed in Christ's righteousness, and judged beautiful because of it too! Most of the book was sad, but it ended up encouraging, and gave me new insight on the nature of beauty.
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