Till We Have Faces

By Dennis Haack (1)

Mythological Origins: 

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis is a more modern retelling of the myth of Eros and Psyche. Published in 1956, this book was written by Lewis because he considered some of the main characters in the myth to have acted illogically (2). 

The myth originates from Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis writings in the Metamorphoses, also known as the Golden Ass, written later in the second century (3).  As described in the series of poems, this is the myth of Eros and Psyche, which has been seen by many as an allegory for the human soul.  

The myth beings with Psyche, a mortal princess whose beauty rivaled that of Aphrodite, to the point that people began worshipping her instead of the goddess. Despite her beauty Psyche was very lonely, as she was seen as someone to be admired and adored from afar than someone to be wed (9). However, since people were worshipping Psyche rather than Aphrodite, the goddess decided to take her revenge on the princess by planning to have her fall in love with a hideous creature and summons her son Eros. Eros is known as a god of romantic/passionate love however he is also seen as a primordial force that even the other gods fear. Eros has unavoidable arrows that cause anyone, no matter if they are god or mortal, struck by them to fall in love (4), which Aphrodite ordered Eros to use on Psyche so she would fall in love with a disgusting creature. However, when Eros goes to visit Psyche at night, he is struck by her beauty and accidentally pricks himself with one of his own arrows, causing him to fall in love with Psyche (9).

Cupid and Psyche by Giuseppe Maria Crespi (7)

Psyche, in her loneliness, seeks out the oracle to find if she will ever find true love and to her dismay is foretold that she will, but to a terrible monster that even the gods fear (9). Psyche is left on a cliff as a sacrifice to this monster, where Zephyr, god of the West Wind, carries her to a luxurious palace where she is told by an invisible Eros that she will be taken care of, but she may never see him even when they are intimate (8). Psyche is content with the situation until her two sisters visit where they convince her to look at her unknown lover with a lamp by convincing Psyche that he is dangerous and may bring harm to her. Her sisters say these words since they are jealous of the beautiful palace Psyche resides in and want to take her place. Psyche, pregnant and fearful for her unborn child, lights a lamp that night and to her astonishment finds that the mysterious monster that has been visiting her each night is none other than Eros (9). 

Cupid and Psyche by Antonio Canova 1794 (5)

 Eros awakens, betrayed, and flies away, leaving Psyche terrified and unsure of her fate. Aphrodite, enraged by the betrayal Psyche has committed, commands that in order to win back Eros she must complete four tasks, which Psyche agrees to (9). Psyche's sisters later jump off the same cliff face Psyche was left on, trying to replace Psyche as the brides for Eros, but ultimately fall to their deaths when Zephyr does not intervene (8). Psyche completes the first three of these tasks, often with help from various gods and goddesses who take pity on her; sorting a pile of seeds, retrieving golden fleece, and gathering water from the River Styx. For her final task Aphrodite commands Psyche to go to the Underworld, meet with Persephone and have her put some of her beauty in a magical box, and bring it back to her (9). Psyche does so without a problem, until curiosity gets the best of her and she opens the box. Rather than beauty, the box held a powerful sleep which immediately sends Psyche into a deep slumber. 

Eros finds Psyche and revives her using his power, represented as a kiss (5). He then takes Psyche up to Olympus where she is transformed into a goddess. Psyche and Eros are married as equals and their child is named Hedone, known as the goddess of pleasure, delight, and enjoyment. 

Psyche is also the word for butterfly and soul in Greek, which is important as she become the goddess of soul and often appears with butterfly wings as a goddess. The myth of Psyche and Eros is often seen as the metaphorical union of heart and soul, which results in pleasure and delight (8). 

The Abduction of Psyche William-Adolphe Bouguereau (8)

Psyche Abandoned Pietro Tenerani (12)

Characters, Objects, Themes, and Storylines

Till We Have Faces retells the myth of Eros and Psyche through the lens of one of Psyche's older sisters, Orual, who is the ugly older half-sister of Istra, which translates to Psyche in Greek. Despite the setup for Orual to be the villain of the story and the antagonist to Psyche, Orual raises and cares for Psyche as if she were her own daughter. She loves Psyche, to the point of unhealthy possessiveness and harm (10). Orual is telling the story as an old woman who is airing her grievances out against the gods, but along the way reflecting on herself and her relationships to come to self-discovery and view of the gods actions in a whole new light (11).

The book uses symbolism throughout the plot, especially centered on Orual and the veil she wears. As Orual is seen as ugly she hides her face behind a veil for most of the book, at first because she is told to do so, but then by choice once she loses Psyche to Eros. However, this veil also symbolizes the self-deceit that Orual also displays, hiding parts of herself both from others as well as her own self (11). When Orual comes to own self-realization at the end of the book she is able to shed her veil and truly comprehend herself, flaws and all.  

This work truly goes into an exploration of beauty versus ugliness not just in terms of physical appearance, but also interior morality and goodness (10). While Orual is no villain, she is a very complex character who struggles with jealousy, bitterness, and self-doubt. The sacrifice of Psyche to Eros, which Orual is against, terrifies Orual at the prospect of losing Psyche. However, in the end it is Orual, and not Eros, who causes the Orual to never see her sister again through events that occur later in the book. 

 

How the Adaptation Adds to Representations of Greek Mythology

This story adds to the conversation to be had in the scope of Greek Mythology retellings by asking the question "'why don't the gods come right out and say what they want instead of hiding behind obscure signs and prophecies'" (10) which is important for religious readers, but also an important concept in the pursuit of self-discovery and introspection for everyone who reads this story. 

The book also focuses on the mean and expressions of love, especially how love can be twisted from life-giving to life-taking, despite whatever intentions one started out with (11). Till We Have Faces goes through many different types of love, from familial to romantic, and the many expressions in which love is acted out (10). Orual is, at the end of the day, a human in a land of gods and goddesses who is trying to hold on to the ones she loves, even if that means harm coming to them or herself. She is a person with flaws, characterization, and personality which brings more meaning and depth to the origin myths characterization of Psyche's sisters. She has a story to tell and C.S. Lewis does a great job at giving Orual a chance to tell her truth and help us to understand our own as well. 

Works Cited: 

1.  Haack, D. (2021, March 8). Book review: Till we have faces: A myth retold (C. S. Lewis, 1956): Critique-letters. Critique-Letters. https://critique-letters.com/book-review-till-we-have-faces-a-myth-retold-c-s-lewis-1956

2. “Till We Have Faces.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Mar. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Till_We_Have_Faces#cite_note-Literary_Encyclopedia-1.

3. Afra, Nusaiba. “Visiting the Story of Cupid (EROS) and Psyche.” The Science Survey, 21 Mar. 2022, thesciencesurvey.com/arts-entertainment/2022/03/01/visiting-the-story-of-cupid-eros-and-psyche/

4. “Eros.” Greek Mythology, www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eros/eros.html. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

5. Italian, Antonio Canova. “Antonio Canova: Cupid and Psyche: Italian, Rome.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1 Jan. 1794, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/188954

6. “By Pietro Tenerani (1789-1869), circa 1820.” Mutual Art, www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5984964. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

7. “Cupid and Psyche.” World History Encyclopedia, https://www.worldhistory.org#organization, 26 Mar. 2025, www.worldhistory.org/image/15164/cupid-and-psyche/.

8. Mark, Harrison W. “Psyche.” World History Encyclopedia, https://www.worldhistory.org#organization, 14 Feb. 2023, www.worldhistory.org/Psyche/.

9. “Miscellaneous Myths: Eros and Psyche.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Feb. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLo1jZA1iVw.

10. Tarvolon. “Fantasy Book Review: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis.” Tar Vol On, 13 Aug. 2024, www.tarvolon.com/2024/08/13/fantasy-novel-review-till-we-have-faces-by-c-s-lewis/.

11. LitCharts. “Till We Have Faces Themes.” LitCharts, www.litcharts.com/lit/till-we-have-faces/themes. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

12.“Psyche Abandoned by Pietro Tenerani.” Uffizi Galleries, 19 June 2024, www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/psyche-abandoned.