Psyche as a Sort of Savior Figure

A Christian metaphor in a retold pagan myth?

I realize Lewis’ purpose in writing Till We Have Faces was not to draw parallels to the Christian faith. However, there is one comparison that seemed far too obvious for me to leave unmentioned: that of Psyche as a savior figure. Though mortal, there is an aspect of godliness in her that makes people treat her as if she is immortal. They call her “a goddess. . .Ungit herself in mortal shape” (32).

She is not just a goddess in physical appearance but is also thought to have a healing/miraculous touch. A woman meets her on the roadside and asks her to touch her so that her baby might have good health. And, later, when the plague haunts Glome, all the sick come to the palace begging for her healing. “They fell at her feet and kissed her feet and the edge of her robe and her shadow and the ground where she had trodden. And still she touched and touched. There seemed to be no end of it; the crowd increased instead of diminishing” (32). Similarly, Jesus worked among crowds of people, healing those who were hurting with his mere touch.
The people left offerings for her outside the palace, myrtle branches, garlands, honeycakes, and pigeons (33). Interestingly enough, palm branches were laid at Jesus’ feet as well. But, then the tides change in the stories of both savior figures . . . from worship and reverence to slander and scorn.

Not long after the “healing” episode at the palace, the people turn against Psyche, calling her the “Accursed” and throwing stones at her. In Orual’s words, Psyche “healed them, and blessed them, and took their filthy disease upon [herself]. And these are their thanks” (39). It is soon demanded by Ungit that Psyche be sacrificed for the sake of the people. The King has no argument. After all, “It’s only sense that one should die for many” (61). The same people that fell at Jesus’ feet similarly turned against him, mocking him, despising him, and demanding his death.

Psyche, when accused, is calm and collected. Instead of displaying anger towards her accusers, she shows grace. Orual wishes Psyche to send a curse on their sister Redival, who though being a blood relative, does not try to defend her sister against death (69). To this, Psyche replies, “No, no. She also does what she doesn’t know.” This wording is similar to what Christ said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Psyche not only seems to forgive her accusers, but she also is willing to die for them. “How can I be the ransom for all Glome unless I die?” (72). She has a strange longing for death, almost as if she were born for the purpose of dying and discovering something greater beyond her life (74). Christ also came willing to die.

After being led up the mountain to the place of sacrifice, Psyche is bound to “the Tree” (85). “They say there was not a tear in her eye, nor did so much as her hand shake. . . she died full of all things that are really good; courage, and patience. . .” In the same way, Christ died on the cross, full of humility. When Orual went up to the mountain to retrieve Pscyhe’s remains, she found living flesh, not bones. Though not dead, Psyche’s sacrifice had resurrected Glome to its old health and prosperity. Similarly, when the women came to Jesus’ tomb, they found he was not dead but alive, his death and resurrection having accomplished our redemption.

I am not sure that Lewis intended any of these parallels. This savior metaphor certainly has some flaws. After all, Psyche is mortal, and she is kept from the privilege of seeing the face of her Lover, who is a god. She has limitations. For instance, when she touched the sick, we don’t really know that she literally healed them. But, at the same time, she possesses many qualities that suggest she has redemptive purposes to fulfill. One such redemptive purpose might even be the eventual change that occurs in Orual. It is only through Psyche’s trials that Orual realizes her own distorted, jealous love and finds her true face. Just as in Christ, we realize the ugliness of our selfish, sinful faces and find our true faces in him (1 Cor. 13; 2 Cor. 3).