Which myth provides the central inspiration for C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces?

Cupid and Psyche provides the central inspiration for C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces.

Published in 1956, the novel retells the ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche from the viewpoint of Psyche’s older sister, here named Orual. The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Glome and explores jealousy, love, sacrifice, religious belief, and the difficulty of honestly confronting one’s own motives.

Lewis had long been interested in classical literature and mythology. Instead of reproducing the familiar tale from Psyche’s perspective, he reshaped it into a psychologically complex first-person narrative. Orual’s version questions the gods and gradually reveals how her possessiveness and self-deception affect the people around her.

The title comes from the book’s concern with identity and self-knowledge. In the novel, “faces” suggest the truthful self that emerges when a person can no longer hide behind accusations or excuses. Till We Have Faces was Lewis’s last completed novel and is often regarded as one of his most mature literary works.