Which ancient myth inspired the central story of C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces?

C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche.

Published in 1956, the novel reworks the ancient story through the perspective of Orual, a princess in the fictional kingdom of Glome. The source myth, associated with Apuleius’s Latin novel The Golden Ass, concerns Psyche’s relationship with a mysterious divine husband whom she is forbidden to look at.

Lewis changes the setting, voice, and emphasis rather than simply reproducing the classical plot. Orual’s narration explores jealousy, grief, accusation, self-knowledge, and the difficulty of seeing another person clearly. The title comes from the novel’s concern with becoming fully honest and spiritually recognizable.

The book is sometimes described as Lewis’s last completed novel. It is not one of the Narnia books, and its mythological basis differs from the Norse material Lewis used elsewhere in his writing. The Cupid-and-Psyche connection is therefore a key identifier for this distinctive work.