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Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3

An archived study of the second book of Lewis' theological science fiction Space Trilogy.

Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3

Postby Kanakaberaka » November 25th, 2004, 6:45 am

This particular chapter study has really gone adrift, like Perelandra's floating islands. So I will now tie it all down.

Up to this point Ransom has been conversing with the Green Lady from across a narrow strait between the island he is on and the one occupied by her. When he asks her permission to cross over to "her island" she asks him "Which do you call my island?". apparently she has no idea of ownership. This is odd because she also knows that she is the Queen of her world. Maybe Lewis is trying to show that there is more to royalty than material possesions. After Ransom swims over he takes a nap and the conversation is continued.
It proves to be a very frustrating conversation for Ransom as he attempts to get a straight answer about who the King is. Apparently the Green Lady and her male companion are the first couple to populate Perelandra. To make matters more confusing, the Green Lady thinks that Ransom is also the King of his own world. When he explains to her that our own "Queen" (Eve) died long ago, the Green Lady suddenly understood Ransom's situation. She also changed her attitude towards him as a mere commoner. I found this rather odd since as a lone Queen she has no experience in talking down to the lower classes. I would have imagined she would have an almost democratic view of her world's future community. Yet Lewis notes that her tone of vioce changes apon hearing this news from Ransom. I realize that she is not simply putting on airs and that there should be no need for false modesty in such an unfallen world. Maybe it's Lewis' British background that made him comfortable with this attitude about class (Yes, I know CSL was from Northern Ireland).
Another awkward passage in this chapter was when it was noted that the Green Lady's prescence elevated the position of the animals around her from pets to slaves. I would have thought that pets were more highly regarded than people held in servitude. But I suppose that Lewis is trying to say that the animals were made almost human by her contact with them.
And yet the most disturbing comment made by the Green Lady has to be when she suggests to Ransom that he may have been sent by Maleldil to teach her about death. Ransom is at a loss for words to explain the gravity of it to her.
so it goes...
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Re: Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3

Postby Stanley Anderson » November 25th, 2004, 4:11 pm

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Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3 -- Stanley's comments

Postby Stanley Anderson » November 25th, 2004, 4:14 pm

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Re: Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3 -- Stanley's comments

Postby Guest » November 26th, 2004, 2:01 pm

Hi, Stan!

Singing grace, oratorio ... I don't particularly remember that passage from when I re-read Perelandra ... oh, within the past year-and-a-half it must have been.

So my initial thought (which may in fact have little to do with what Lewis was about, there) had to do with the Eucharist, and the fact that traditionally, the entire Liturgy is sung. One might sing grace before a meal, and it would be a most gracious grace; but for the sacramental Meal which is more than physical sustenance, an Oratorio would not be overdoing things, at all.

You know the Mozart Ave verum corpus, of course ...?

Pace e bene,
~Karl
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Floating Downstream

Postby Kanakaberaka » November 27th, 2004, 2:52 pm

so it goes...
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Re: Floating Downstream

Postby Stanley Anderson » November 27th, 2004, 3:18 pm

[from K]:
>What I was trying to refer to is the fact that most posters took the
>initiative to move beyond the little tid bits I had written in each posting
>on to other things in this chapter.

I think the only problem (if one can even call it that) is that it perhaps wasn't quite clear where each "section" of the chapter ended, and so responders took a guess, but I think the it worked reasonably well even so. But whatever method you feel most comfortable with is fine.

>It's just that I'm more than a bit cynical about the behaviour of real life
>noblemen.

As well you should be, since any "real life" (by which we must mean "fallen" of course) noblemen cannot hope to truly reflect the glory of the position in its intended use properly. In fact, as Jesus pointed out in both his words and his actions, true leadership and servanthood can be nearly the reverse of how they most often get applied here on this fallen Earth.

--Stanley
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Re: Floating Downstream

Postby Guest » November 27th, 2004, 7:34 pm

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Re: Floating Downstream

Postby Kanakaberaka » November 28th, 2004, 2:45 pm

so it goes...
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Re: Floating Downstream

Postby Guest » November 28th, 2004, 6:24 pm

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Re: Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3 -- Stanley's comments

Postby Stanley Anderson » November 29th, 2004, 8:53 pm

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Re: Perelandra Chap. 5 - pt. 3 -- Stanley's comments

Postby Stanley Anderson » November 29th, 2004, 9:55 pm

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