Volume 13 Number 1 Article 1

10-15-1986

Dante and Williams: Pilgrims in Purgatory Dante and Williams: Pilgrims in Purgatory

George Reynolds

Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore

Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Reynolds, George (1986) "Dante and Williams: Pilgrims in Purgatory," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 13 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol13/iss1/1

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact phillip.fitzsimmons@swosu.edu.

To join the Mythopoeic Society go to: http://www.mythsoc.org/join.htm

Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 - August 1, 2022 http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm

Abstract Abstract Analyzes All Hallows’ Eve in terms of the symbolism and structure of Dante’s Il Purgatorio. Asserts the importance of the purgatorial aspect, which not all critics recognize.

Additional Keywords Additional Keywords Dante. Purgatory—Influence on Charles Williams; Williams, Charles. All Hallows’ Eve—Relation to Purgatory; Sarah Beach

This article is available in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol13/iss1/1

MYTHLORE 47: Autumn 1986 Page 3

Dante and Williams: Pilgrims in PurgatoryGeorge Reynolds

Any novel th a t beg in s w ith two dead women w alking arm in arm th rough th e s t r e e ts o f London and ends w ith a v e r ita b le autum nal W alpurg isnacht i s bound to have d i f f i c u l t ie s in in te r p re ta t io n ; ju s t such a novel w ith ju s t such a d if f ic u l ty i s A ll H allow s' Eve by C h arles W illiam s. Begun in 1943, th e novel has th e London b l i t z as a background. But th e b a t t le h ere i s n o t between England and Germany; i t i s th e b a t t le o f lo v e and h a te , o f freedom and o f s la v e ry , o f p r in c ip a l i t ie s and of pow ers. U ltim a te ly i t i s th e b a t t le o f l i f e and d ea th on an e te rn a l s c a le .

But id e n tify in g th e c o n f lic ts does no t so lv e th e problem o f in te r p r e ta t io n . S ev era l c r i t i c s have a llu d ed to th e p u ra to r ia l a s p e c ts o f th e novel w ith o u t ex ten d in g th e in s ig h t to cover th e e n t ir e w ork. Thus, fo r exam ple, Thomas Howard w rite s o f R ich a rd , L e s te r 's liv in g husband, " e n te rin g h is own p u rg a to ry , so to speak ; b u t i t i s no t p u rg a to ry exp erien ced a s p ain and la b o r and h o rro r . F ar from i t . " [1 ] Howard a ls o sees th a t end o f th e novel i s bathed in D a n te 's a lle g o ry . "W illiam s," he w rite s , " i s borrow ing unabashedly from D a n te 's b lin d in g im agery o f P a ra d is e ." (Howard, p .180) And, w h ile n o t w ritin g c r it ic is m , Humphery C a rp e n te r, th e b io g rap h er o f th e In k lin g s , o f whom W illiam s was one, w ro te : "The novel was n o t p re c is e ly abou t heaven, bu t i f i t was no t P a ra d iso , A ll H allow s' Eve (a s he named i t ) proved to be W illiam s' trium phan t P u rg a to rio ." [2 ] The in v ita tio n i s th e re ; exam ine A ll H allo w 's Eve in th e l ig h t o f D a n te 's w ork, e s p e c ia lly th e P u rg a to rio . Thus th e in te n t o f th is paper i s to com pare W illiam s' l a s t novel and D a n te 's s e c tio n o f h is D ivine Comedy to see i f some l ig h t can be shed on a p e rp lex in g novel and to show th a t th e m edieval a lle g o ry and th e modern novel can be yoked to g e th e r w ith o u t doing v io le n ce to e i th e r . Such a ju x ta p o s itio n can alm ost be p re d ic te d o f W illiam s s in c e he was one o f th e forem ost D ante sc h o la rs o f h is day. In f a c t , h is study o f D ante, The F ig u re o f B e a tr ic e , i s s t i l l co n sid ered

one o f th e m ost in te r e s tin g in te r p re ta t io n s o f The D ivine Comedy in E n g lish . So fo r W illiam s to have in c o rp o ra te d D a n te 's im ages, f ig u re s , and them es in to h is own works n o t on ly u n d e rs ta n d a b le , i t i s in e v ita b le .

F u rth e r, W illiam s d e s ire d th a t h is n o v els be read in th e l ig h t o f h is o th e r books, e s p e c ia lly in th e l ig h t o f h is th e o lo g y . He w rote in D escent o f th e Dove; th e H isto ry o f th e Holy S p ir i t in th e C hurch:

I may perhaps be perm ited to add th a t th e them es o f th is book a re a ls o d isc u sse d , from d if e re n t p o in ts o f view , in o th e r books o f mind — in D escent in to H e ll. He came down from Heaven. and T a s lie s s in th rough L ogres.The f i r s t i s f ic t io n ; th e second i s n o t; and th e th ir d i s p o e try — w hether th a t i s o r i s n o t f ic t io n ." [3 ]

In th i s h is to ry , W illiam s g iv e s a ra th e r s in g u la r in te r p r e ta t io n , n o t on ly o f th e r o le o f th e Holy S p ir i t in tim e , b u t a ls o o f th e sim u ltan eo u s e x is te n c e o f a l l c re a tio n (an im p o rtan t them e in A ll H allow s' Eve) as w ell a s th e th eo lo g y o f s u b s t itu tio n , a s he c a lle d i t , which means th a t one n o t only can b u t m ust c a rry a n o th e r 's b u rd en s. In d eed , W iliam s sa id th a t no one can c a rry h is own b u rd en s, on ly a n o th e r 's . T h is p o in t too becomes im p o rtan t in th e n o v e l.

Both D ante and W illiam s shared a common, h ig h ly orthodox b e lie f in th e te n e ts o f C h r is t ia n ity . The T r in ity , th e In c a rn a tio n , g ra c e , heaven, h e l l , p u rg a to ry — a l l a re b e lie f s they co n sid ered b a s ic and e le m e n ta l. P a ra d ise i s fo r th o se who have d ied and have reached th e ir rew ard oa b le sse d n e ss ; th ey en joy f u l l p a r tic ip a tio n in th e s ig h t o f th e "W hite R ose," which i s D a n te 's image o f Godhead. Both th e m eaning and th e c o lo r a re im p o rtan t in A ll H allow s' Eve because i t i s

Page 4 M YTHLORE 47: Autum n 1986

th ro u g h th e p resen ce o f th e ro se l ig h t and s c e n t th a t we know o f g rac e o p e ra tin g on th e c h a ra c te r s . H e ll, o f c o u rse , i s fo r s in n e rs who have d ie d u n re p e n ta n t. For D ante (a s fo r o rthodox C h r is t ia n i ty i t s e l f ) h e l l i s a ch o ice d e lib e r a te ly made and a p la c e o f e te r n a l punishm ent. P u rg a to ry , how ever, needs g re a te r e x p la n a tio n .

T here a re th o se who, hav ing d ie d , m ust be p laced somewhere o th e r th a n heaven o r h e l l ; th e y have n o t been good enough to e n te r heaven im m ed ia te ly , no r have th ey been e v i l enough to d ese rv e h e l l . They s t i l l have some s ta in o f s in w hich m ust be removed b e fo re th ey can e n te r heaven , a lth o u g h heaven i s th e i r u ltim a te d e s tin a tio n . T h ere fo re th ey e n te r a realm o f tem poral punishm ent fo r a s long a s i t ta k e s fo r them to be purged o f th e i r d e s ire to ho ld on to th e i r s in . D an te , o f c o u rse , w rite s w ith broad s tro k e s and a llo w s each c h a ra c te r in h is Commedia on ly one m ain s in w hich i s b eing p u n ish ed . D ra m a tic a lly , th i s keeps a very c le a r co n n e c tio n betw een th e crim e and i t s pun ishm ent.

D ante adds a n o th e r a re a , a very s tra n g e o n e , w hich he c a l l s A n te -P u rg a to ry . T h is i s realm o f th e excom m unicated who have rep e n ted a t th e l a s t moment o f th e i r l iv e s , o f th e p reo c cu p ie d , o f th e u n sh riv en b u t so rro w fu l, and o f th e in d o le n t. T hese so u ls m ust come to P e te r 's G ate th ro u g h c o n fe s s io n , c o n tr i t io n , and s a t is f a c t io n b e fo re th ey can e n te r p u rg a to ry p ro p er and ascend to heaven . I t i s n o t h e l l , a lth o u g h i t has s im i la r i t i e s to h e l l . The so u ls in h e l l a re w ith o u t hope; "Abandon a l l hope, you who e n te r h e re ." A lthough A n te-P u rg a to ry i s n o t h o p e le ss , i t i s n o t a c tiv e p u rg a tio n e i th e r . I t i s a l le g o r ic a lly in th i s s tra n g e a re a th a t th e a c tio n o f A ll H allow s' Eve ta k e s p la c e .

S in ce th e c o n te n tio n o f th i s paper i s th a t th e P u rg a to rio a c ts a s a paradigm fo r A ll H allow s' Eve, th re e p a r t ic u la r ly te l l in g scen es from th e a lle g o ry and from th e no v el have been s e le c te d to i l l u s t r a t e th e r e la tio n s h ip . The f i r s t co n cern s th e w a te rs th a t D ante and L e s te r m ust en c o u n te r in th e i r jo u rn e y s . The second i s th e moment when D ante and L e s te r m ust make an a c t o f rep e n tan c e b e fo re th ey can le a v e A n te -P u rg a to ry . And th e th ir d i s th e c lim a c tic moment w hen, fo r D ante,, th e ro se l ig h t show ers on him in b lin d in g b r i l l i a n c e , and when, fo r L e s te r , th e ro se l ig h t and sm ell perm eate th e scene and e v i l i s conquered .

A fte r th e g r iz z ly en c o u n te rs w ith th e so u ls o f th e damned in th e In fe rn o . D ante a r r iv e s a t th e sh o re o f A n te -P u rg a to ry :

For b e t te r w a te rs now th e l i t t l e bark o f my in d w e llin g pow ers r a is e s h e r s a i l s and le a v e s beh ind th e se a so c ru e l and d a rk .

Now s h a ll I s in g th a t second kingdom g iven th e so u l o f man w herein to purge h is g u i l t and so grow w orthy to ascend to H eaven. [4 ]

The so u ls he m eets h e re m ust rem ain in th i s a re a fo r th re e tim es th e le n g th o f th e i r y e a rs on e a r th in o rd e r to p re p a re th em se lv es fo r th e a c tu a l work o f e x p ia tio n and re p e n ta n c e . They w ander, a s do th e lo s t s o u ls , b u t th e re i s an end to th e i r w an d erin g s.

In th e W illiam s n o v e l, L e s te r f in d s h e r s e lf a lo n e and b ew ild ered a s she s ta n d s on W estm in iste r B rid g e ;

She was a lo n e w ith th i s n ig h t in th eC ity — a n ig h t o f peace and l ig h t s ands ta r s , and o f b rid g e s and s t r e e t s she knew.But a l l in a s ile n c e she d id n o t know, soth a t i f she y ie ld e d to th e s ile n c e she would

n o t know th o se o th e r th in g s , and th e whole p la c e w ould be d if f e r e n t and d re a d fu l. [5 ]

Thus b o th D ante and L e s te r f in d th em se lv es in an a lie n la n d : fo r D ante i t i s A n te -P u rg a to ry ; fo r L e s te r i t i s th e C ity .

When D ante a r r iv e s a t th e G ate o f P u rg a to ry , he m ust make th e th re e fo ld a c t o f re p e n ta n c e ; c o n fe s s io n , c o n tr i t io n , and s a t is f a c to n . T hese a re sym bolized by th re e c o lo re d s te p s w hich he m ust a scen d :

We came to th e f i r s t s te p : w h ite m arble gleam ing

so p o lish e d and so sm ooth th a t in i t s m irro r I saw my tr u e r e f le c tio n p a s t a l l seem ing.

The second was s ta in e d d a rk e r th a n b lu e -b la c k and o f a ro u g h -g ra in ed and a f ir e - f la k e d

s to n e ,i t s le n g th and b re a d th c r is s c ro s s e d by many a

c ra c k .The th ir d and topm ost was o f p o rp h y ry ,

o r so i t seem ed, b u t o f a re d a s flam in g a s blood th a t s p u r ts o u t o f an a r te r y .

(IX : 94-102)

"The c o u rte o u s k eep er o f th e g a te ," an an g e l who h o ld s th e Keys o f P e te r , draw s a "P" (p e c c a ta = s in s ) w ith h is sw ord on D a n te 's fo re h ea d and t e l l s him : " E n te r . But f i r s t be w arned; do n o t lo o k b a c k /o r you w ill f in d y o u rs e lf once more o u ts id e " (IX : 1 3 2 -3 ).

A fte r D ante has e n te re d p u rg a to ry p ro p e r, he p a sse s th ro u g h th e c o rn ic e s o f th o se e x p ia tin g th e i r seven d ead ly s in s ( p r id e , envy , a n g e r, s lo th ,c o v e to u sn e ss , g lu tto n y , and l u s t ) . He re a c h e s th e end o f p u rg a to ry and f in d s th e E a rth ly P a ra d ise w hich i s s im ila r to th e G arden o f Eden. H ere an em issa ry from B e a tr ic e , M a tild a , m eets him :

The w ate r you se e h e re i s from no so u rceth a t needs re p le n ish m e n t from cloudy v a p o rs , l ik e stream s th a t r i s e and f a l l : w ith

c o n s ta n t fo rc eI t le a v e s a fo u n ta in th a t r e c e iv e s a g a in ,

from God’ s W ill, ev ery drop th a t i t pours f o r th

to th e two strea m s i t sen d s a c ro s s t h i s p la in .

On th i s s id e , i t rem oves a s i t flo w s down a l l memory o f s in ; on t h a t , i t s tre g th e n s th e memory o f ev ery good deed done.

I t i s c a lle d L ethe h e re : Eunoe th e re .And one m ust d rin k f i r s t t h i s and th e n th e

o th e rto f e e l i t s pow ers.

(X X V III: 121-31)

As we s h a l l s e e , th e same re p e n ta n c e th a t D ante d rin k s w ill a ls o be r e f le c te d in A ll H allow s' Eve.

B efo re c o n s id e rin g th a t how ever, l e t us f i r s t f in is h w ith th e l ig h t th a t p erm ates th e f in a l ca n to o f th e P u rg a to rio :

Time and ag a in a t dayb reak I have seen th e e a s te rn sky glow w ith a wash o f ro se w h ile a l l th e r e s t hung lim p id and s e re n e ,

And th e S u n 's fa c e r i s e tem pered from i t s r e s t so v e ile d by v ap o rs th a t th e naked eye co u ld lo o k a t i t fo r m in u tes u n d is tre s s e d ,

E x ac tly s o , w ith in a c lo u d o f flo w ersth a t ro se l ik e fo u n ta in s from th e a n g e ls '

handsand f e l l ab o u t th e c h a r io t in show ers,

MYTHLORE 47: Autumn 1986 Page 5

A lad y came in view : and o liv e crownw reathed h is im m aculate v e i l , h e r c lo ak was

g ree n ,th e c o lo rs o f l iv e flam e p layed on h er gown.

(XXX: 22-23)

W reathed in l ig h t , B e a tric e h as a r r iv e d . She a llo w s him to d rin k o f th e w a te rs o f L ethe fo r f o rg e tfu ln e s s , and o f Enuoe fo r rem em brance. And on ly th en i s D ante p e rm itted to le av e p u rg a to ry :

I came back from th o se h o lie s t w a te rs new, rem ade, re b o rn , l ik e a sun-w akened tr e e th a t sp read s new fo lia g e to th e S p rin g dew

in sw e e te s t fre s h n e s s , h ea led o f W in te r 's s c a rs ;

p e r f e c t, p u re , and ready fo r th e S ta r s .(XX X III: 142-6)

These sym bols and a c ts — th e w a te rs , th e th re e -c o lo re d s t a i r s o f re p e n ta n c e , th e l ig h t — a l l fin d th e ir ex p re ss io n in A ll H allow s' Eve, to w hich we s h a ll tu rn a f te r we have co n sid ered a n o th e r m a trix , th is tim e a th e o lo g ic a l o n e, w hich W illiam s u se s in h is n o v e ls :

The w hole o f th i s [ th e co rrespondence among th in g s ] re la tio n s h ip betw een man and God, and betw een man and man, i s d e s c rib a b le by th re e o f W illia m 's f a v o r ite te rm s; c o in h e ren c e , s u b s t itu tio n , and exchange.

The th re e te rm s a l l r e f e r to s in g lea s p e c ts o f th e same th in g s , and th i s th in gmay be c a lle d th e u n iv e rs a l p r in c ip le o fe x is te n c e . The p r in c ip le may be s ta te d n e g a tiv e ly by say in g th a t n o th in g , n o t even god e x is ts a lo n e w ith o u t re fe re n c e to an y th in g e l s e . The p a tte rn o f a l l e x is te n c e i s to be found in th e T r in ity : th i s i s th esuprem e exam ple o f co -in h e re n c e and exchange.And th e u n iv e rse , a s in th e n e o -P la to n ic t r a d i t io n , m irro rs o r adum brates th e e x is te n c e o f God. A ll th in g s c o -in h e re in each o th e r and in God b ecau se , l i t e r a l l y , th a t i s th e way e x is te n c e i s . . . w hether sa c red o r p ro fa n e . And s u b s t i tu tio n , th e model o f w hich i s th e R edem ption-A tonem ent, i s a fu r th e r a p p lic a tio n o f th i s samep r in c ip le . As a l l th in g s c o -in h e re and p ra c tic e exchange w ith each o th e r , so a l l th in g s s u b s t i tu te fo r each o th e r . More a c c u ra te ly , in th e c a se o f man, who i s a u n ity , a l l men s u b s t i tu te fo r each o th e r and th e reb y se rv e th e m s e lv e s ... But th e n a tu re o f s u b s titu tio n and exchange, p r in c ip le s o f e x is te n c e a s th ey a r e , does n o t p erm it them to be p ra c tic e d on ly a t th e whim o r w ill of th e p erso n s in v o lv e d ... F re q u en tly W illiam s u ses th e im age o f th e c i ty a s a symbol o f th e c o n tin u a l exchange th a t c o n s titu te s e x is te n c e ; th e c i ty e x is ts on ly a s a v a s t "exchange betw een c i t iz e n s ." [6 ]

In th e l ig h t o f th e D antean sym bols p lu s th e co n cep ts o f c o -in h e re n c e , s u b s t i tu tio n , and exchange. A ll H allow s' Eve becomes n o t on ly a fa s c in a tin g novel b u t a ls o an u n d ersta n d ab le o n e. L e s te r and E velyn , L e s te r 's f r ie n d , on th e i r way to m eet each o th e r , d ie when a p lan e c ra sh e s in to London. The f i r s t c h a p te r i s c a lle d "The New L if e ," an obv ious D antean a l lu s io n , and fo llo w s th e p ro g re ss o f th e two dead women a s th ey r e a liz e th e ir s i tu a tio n in th e C ity . Evelyn i s p a r tic u la r ly t e r r i f i e d and keeps re p e a tin g , "Why a re we

lik e th is ? I h a v e n 't done a n y th in g . I h a v e n 't; I t e l l you I h a v e n 't. I h a v e n 't done a n y th in g " (AHE, 1 8 ). And, o f c o u rse , th a t i s l i t e r a l l y tr u e ; she has done n o th in g w orthy o f e i th e r heaven o r h e l l . T h e re fo re she i s among th e in d o le n t who m ust w a it and w ander u n t i l th e y can make th e f i r s t movements tow ards re p e n ta n c e .

L e s te r , on th e o th e r hand , in s t in c t iv e ly re c o g n iz e s h e r need fo r some a c tio n , some g e s tu re tow ards lo v e , however f e e b le . She re a c h e s o u t when she se e s an a p p a r itio n o f h e r husband R ich a rd . Howard say s o f th a t g e s tu re :

B ecause she had had some r e a l com panionship w ith R ich a rd , and some commitment to him , h e , a p p a re n tly , c o n s titu te s th e on ly co n n ectio n she had w ith th e liv in g w orld o f o th e r s e lv e s . He was h e r sp o u se , and i f m arriag e i s an y th in g a t a l l , i t i s a t le a s t th e lo c a le w here we le a rn w hat knowing a n o th e r s e l f e n ta i l s — and th e re b y w hat knowing a l l th e o th e r s e lv e s e n t a i l s . . . . L e s te r had m issed a lm o st a l l o f th e cues because sh e was g e n e ra lly a s e l f i s h and i r r i t a b l e sp o u se ; bu t once a g a in , w hatever rag o f a u th e n tic ity c lung to w hatever f le e tin g a t t i tu d e she may ev e r have e x h ib ite d , w ill be made f u l l u se o f now by th e Mercy [W illia m 's term fo r G od 's a c tio n ] th a t i s g iv in g h er chance to move alo n g in th e d ir e c tio n o f th e jo y th a t she and a l l so u ls w an t, u ltim a te ly . You to le r a te d R ichard? You even had some p assio n in your a ttach m en t to him? Good. T hat w ill do fo r a s t a r t . We can b u ild on th a t . (Howard, pp. 154-55)

And L e s te r does b u ild on h er lo v e o f R ichard th ro u g h o u t th e n o v e l. She e x e m p lifie s s e v e ra l them es in th e th eo lo g y th a t W illiam s d erived - from D ante , w hat he c a l l s th e Way o f A ffirm a tio n and th e Way o f N eg atio n :

Both m ethods, th e A ffirm a tiv e Way and th e N egative Way, w ere to c o - e x is t; one m ight a ls o sa y , to c o - in h e re , s in c e each was to be th e key o f th e o th e r : in i n t e l l e c t a s in em otion , in m orals a s in d o c tr in e . "Your l i f e and your d ea th a re w ith your n e ig h b o r ." ...The one Way was to a ff irm a l l th in g s o rd e rly u n t i l th e u n iv e rse th robbed w ith v i t a l i t y ; th e o th e r to r e je c t a l l th in g s u n t i l th e re was n o th in g anyw here b u t He. ( R e illy , p . 158)

L e s te r a ff irm s h e r lo v e fo r R ichard a t th e same tim e she m ust r e je c t him a s som ething le s s th an d iv in e lo v e :

Y et even a s she spoke [ to B e tty ] she ir re v e r a n tly th o u g h t o f R ic h a rd 's eyes a t th e c o rn e r in H olborn — and b e fo re th a t — b e fo re th a t — b e fo re she was dead ; and she remembered how R ichard had come to m eet h er once and a g a in , and how h e r h e a r t had sw elled fo r th e g lo ry and v ig o r o f h is coming (AHE,135).

A lso , in d e a th , L e s te r m ust re p e n t o f h er s e lf is h n e s s and o f h e r in a d eq u a te resp o n se s to s i tu a tio n s in l i f e , in o th e r w ords, l ik e D ante s ta n d in g a t th e th re e s te p s a t th e G ate o f P u rg a to ry , she m ust c o n fe ss h e r s in , be so rry fo r i t , and ask fo rg iv e n e ss b e fo re she can make fu r th e r p ro g re ss in th e C ity . Once, she and Evelyn had ta u n te d B e tty , th e s a in t o f th e n o v e l; Evelyn had a c tu a lly been v ic io u s w h ile L e s te r had done n o th in g to s to p th e ta u n tin g . But s in i t was and she had to be fo rg iv e n :

Page 6 M YTH LO RE 47: A utum n 1986

. . . [ B e t ty ] s a id . "W h at's th e m a tte r? Can I do a n y th in g ? "

L e s te r looked a t h e r . . . . T h is w as no so rro w in g im po tence o f m ise ry , b u t an a rd o r o f w illin g n e s s to h e l p . . . . To a sk th a t [ th e s in ] sh o u ld be s e t a s id e , even to p le a d , was n o t n a tu ra l to L e s te r . B ut h e r need was to o g re a t fo r h e r to d e la y . She s a id a t o n ce ,"Y es, you can " ( AHE, 1 2 9 ).

At f i r s t , B e tty th in k s th e p o in t v e ry t r i v i a l an d ca n n o t u n d e rs ta n d w hat L e s te r w a n ts . B ut fo rg e tfu ln e s s i s n o t th e same a s fo rg iv e n e s s ; one m ust rem em ber in o rd e r to f o rg iv e :

As soon a s sh e knew th a t L e s te r w anted i t , sh e to o w anted i t ; so sim p le i s lo v e - in -p a ra d is e . She s to o d and th o u g h t . . . .She s a id , "Oh w e ll , how co u ld you know?"(AHE. 132)

B e tty d oes rem em ber and sh e f o rg iv e s L e s te r by rem em bering and d ism is s in g th e in c id e n t . From t h i s tim e o n , L e s te r i s c a p a b le o f s u b s t i tu t in g f o r B e tty in B e t ty 's hou r o f d e s p e ra te n e e d . " In some way [L e s te r ] had now been l e f t in ch a rg e o f B e tty . She m ust keep in c h a rg e . She m ust w a it" (AHE. 1 3 7 ). The tim e com es and L e s te r i s e q u a l to th e ta s k .

E v e ly n , th e o th e r dead p erso n in A n te -P u rg a to ry /th e C ity , i s a ls o g iv e n th e o p p o rtu n ity to make th e th r e e a c ts o f re p e n ta n c e fo r h e r p e t t in e s s and c r u e l ty . She com es to B e t ty 's h o u se , w hich i s sym b o lic o f th e G ate o f P u rg a to ry . She a sc e n d s th e s te p s , p a in f u l ly , and t r i e s to open th e d o o r; h e r in te n t i s to ta u n t B e tty once m ore:

She w ent r ig h t up to th e d o o r .. . and s to o d by i t l i s t e n i n g . B e tty was in s id e ; f o r a l l she knew he [Sim on] a ls o m igh t be in s id e . She even p u t h e r hand on th e d o o r. I t sank th ro u g h ; sh e began to p u ll i t back and found i t ca u g h t a s i f in a ta n g le o f th o r n s . She f e l t a lo n g sh a rp s c ra tc h b e fo re she g o t i t lo o s e . T e a rs came to h e r e y e s . She w as lo n e ly and h u r t . . . The hand i t s e l f was dim , b ecau se she had been c ry in g , and d i r t y , b ecau se she had been le a n in g a g a in s t th e s i l l ; and b le e d in g — a t l e a s t , i f sh e lo o k ed lo n g enough i t was b le e d in g (AHE. 1 7 4 ).

The th r e e c o lo re d s te p s a t th e G ate o f P u rg a to ry a re h e re : th e w h ite (h e r h a n d ), th e b la c k ( th e hand i s d i r t y ) , and th e re d (h e r hand i s b le e d in g ) , b u t h e re E velyn r e c o i l s from th e a c ts o f c o n t r i t io n ( th e w h ite ) , c o n fe s s io n ( th e b la c k ) , and s a t i s f a c t io n ( th e r e d ) ; she d esce n d s th e s t a i r s , re a d y f o r n o th in g y e t e x c e p t h e r own f o o lis h w an d e rin g s.

At th e end o f th e n o v e l, when L e s te r le a v e s fo r th e h ig h e r rea lm s o f p u rg a to ry , E velyn re m a in s . She w av e rs , a lm o st opens h e r s e lf to g e n e ro s ity and lo v e , and th e n r e f u s e s :

They saw th e im m o rta l f i x i t y o f h e r c o n s tr ic te d f a c e , g le e f u l in h e r supposed triu m p h , lu n a t ic in h e r e s c a p e , a s i t had had once a subduded lu n a t ic g le e in i t s c ru e l in d u lg e n c e s ; and th e n sh e b ro k e th ro u g h th e window a g a in and was gone in to th a t o th e r C ity , th e re to w a it and w ander and m u tte r t i l l sh e found w hat com panions sh e co u ld (AHE. 2 6 9 ).

E velyn i s se e k in g some com pan ionsh ip o r com m unity — h e l l i s t e r r i f y in g i s o la t io n — even i f i t i s s t i l l f o r

th e wrong re a s o n . " P e rh a p s ," W illiam s seem s to im p ly , "even th a t w il l be enough l a t e r ; j u s t n o t now ."

To c o n tin u e th e com parison o f sym bols in th e two w o rk s, we se e th a t w a te r i s an im p o rta n t sym bol in b o th th e m ed iev a l a lle g o ry and th e n o v e l. The two w orks b eg in w ith th e c ro s s in g o f w a te r , D ante f o r " b e tte r w a te rs in a l i t t l e b a rk ," and L e s te r fo r th e C ity beyond th e Thames a s sh e s ta n d s on W e stm in is te r B rid g e . And each r e a c ts to th e w a te rs a t th e end o f th e p u r g a to r ia l jo u r n ie s . D ante d r in k s o f th e R iv e r E nuoe, w hich a llo w s him to se e h is p a s t a s i t i s in i t s e l f ; L e s te r , once m ore s ta n d in g o v er th e Tham es, s e e s th e r iv e r f o r w hat i t i s :

The Thames was d i r ty and m essy . T w igs, b i t s o f p ap e r and wood, c o rd s , o ld boxes d r if te d on i t . Y et to th e new -eyed L e s te r i t was n o t a d e p re s s in g s ig h t . The d i r t in e s s o f th e w a te r w as, a t th a t p a r t ic u la r p o in t, w hat i t sh o u ld be and th e re fo r e p le a s a n t e n o u g h .... C o rru p tio n (so to c a l l i t ) was to le r a b le , even g lo r io u s . T hese th in g s a ls o w ere f a c t s .They co u ld n o t be f o rg o tte n o r l o s t in f a n ta s y ; a l l th a t had b een , w as; a l l th a t w as, w as. A sodden m ass o f ca rd b o a rd and p ap e r d r i f t e d b y , b u t th e so d d en ess was a jo y , f o r t h i s was w hat hap p en ed , and a l l th a t hap p en ed , in t h i s g r e a t m a te r ia l w o rld , was good (AHE. 2 2 2 ).

F in a lly , th e w a te r and th e l i g h t o f C anto XXX o f th e P u rg a to rio flo o d th e f in a l sc en e o f th e n o v e l. Thomas Howard in th e s ta te m e n t p re v io u s ly c i te d s a y s , "W illiam s i s bo rrow ing u n ab ash ed ly from D a n te 's b lin d in g im agery o f P a r a d is e ." (H ow ard, p .1 8 0 ) Howard i s sim p ly w rong, fo r W illiam s w ith th e o lo g ic a l d e f tn e s s and a l lu s iv e p re c is io n i s s t i l l r e f e r r in g to th e P u rg a to r io . B e a tr ic e com es to D ante am id "an e a s te rn s k y " aglow "w ith th e w ash o f ro s e " ( " l a p a r te o r e n ta l t u t t a r o s a ta " ) and " w ith in a c lo u d o f flo w e rs" (" d e n tro una n u v o la d i f i o r i " ) . In W illia m s, t h i s becom es th e " r a in o f r o s e s ," r a in b e in g im p l ic i t in th e "c lo u d o f f lo w e rs ." A lso , W illiam s com bines s e v e ra l sym bols o f th e T r in i ty w ith th e ro s e l i g h t : th e w a te rs o f b a p tism , th e sm e ll o f b lo o d and o f b u rn in g . A ll c o a le s c e in th e sc en e in w hich Simon i s v a n q u ish ed :

[ Sim on] w ent on a g a in s t th e [ th e r a in ] , b u t th e grow ing r o s e a l l i g h t co n fu sed him s t i l l m o r e . .. . He knew he needed tim e — tim e and s h e l te r from th e r a in and from th e r o s e - l ig h t and th e ro s e - s m e ll; w hich was n o t o n ly a ro s e -s m e ll b u t a sm e ll o f b lood and o f b u rn in g , o f a l l th o se g r e a t crim son t h i n g s . . . . The h a te seem ed to sw e ll in th e n ig h tm are b u b b le w ith in th e ro s e w hich was fo rm ing round them , c lo u d in c lo u d , o v e rly in g l ik e p e t a l s . . . . The sm e ll o f th e ro s e was ch an g in g to th e sm e ll o f h is l a s t a c t , to th e sm e ll o f b lo o d . He lo o k ed down; he saw below him th e d e p th o f th e ro s e (AHE. 2 6 5 -6 ).

B ecause Simon i s so o b v io u sly e v i l , i t i s d i f f i c u l t to av o id th e te m p ta tio n o f p la c in g th e n o v e l 's a c tio n in h e l l r a th e r th a n in p u rg a to ry . And G len C a v a lie ro d o es n o t av o id i t : "[T he C ity ] i s a w orld su g g e s tiv e b o th o f th e v e s tib u le to H e ll and o f Limbo in th e In fe rn o o f D an te ; and l ik e them i t i s a p la c e w here c h o ic e i s made know n." [7 ] He c o n tin u e s th a t th o u g h t: " th e n th e w ork ing o f th e C ity com pels th e i r tr u e n a tu re s to a s s e r t th e m se lv e s , so th a t L e s te r 's p a th e v e n tu a lly ta k e s h e r , th ro u g h h e r in h e re n t v ir tu e s and w illin g n e s s to g iv e h e r s e lf in ex ch an g e , 'u p w a rd s '

MYTHLORE 47: Autum n 1986 Page 7

to P u rg a to ry , w h ile Evelyn se lf-a b so rb e d and f u t i l e , i s in c ap a b le o f an y th in g b u t H e ll ." (C a v a lie ro , p . 93) C a v a lie ro sim ply b y p asses th e m eaning o f p u rg a to ry .

Thomas Howard comes c lo s e r to th e p u rg a to r ia l a sp e c t th a n does C a v a lie ro , b u t he p r a c tic a lly ap o lo g iz e s fo r h is in s ig h t: "The re a d e r does n o t need to a c c e p t any s p e c ia l r e lig io u s d o c trin e o f p u rg a to ry , o r even o f l i f e a f te r d e a th , to f e e l th e fo rc e o f w hat happens. The 'p u r g a - to r ia l ' a s p e c t o f th in g s may, i f one w ish e s, be seen sim ply a s a way o f c a s tin g a s p e c ia l l ig h t on human b e h a v io r, w hich i s w hat a l l n o v els tr y to do one way o r a n o th e r in any c a s e ." (Howard, p . 152)

In h is stu d y o f W illiam s, Law rence M orris in te r p r e ts th e novel in term s o f th e " s ta te o f co n sc io u sn ess o f a p erson who has ju s t d ie d ." [8 ] He c o n tin u e s :

The a n t i th e s is o f th e s ta te o f r ig id i ty and s ta g n a tio n [ th e dam nation o f Simon] i s th e p ro ce ss o f s p i r i tu a l tra n s fo rm a tio n of c o n sc io u sn e ss . W illiam s o f fe r s h is m ost d e ta ile d and com prehensive d e s c r ip tio n o f th i s p ro ce ss o f tra n s fo rm a tio n a s i t u n fo ld s in th e m ind, h e a r t and "body" o f L e s te r F u rn iv a l. (M o rris , p . 185)

In d eed , L e s te r i s s p i r i tu a l ly tran sfo rm ed , b u t i t i s h e r resp o n se to th e g rac e o f rep e n tan c e r a th e r th an o f th e developm ent o f know ledge. Not on ly i s i t th e Thames she a c c e p ts fo r w hat i t i s , she a ls o "saw te m p ta tio n p re c is e ly a s i t i s when i t has ce ase to tem pt — rep u g n a n t, im p la u s ib le , mean" (AHE, 9 4 ). F u rth e r , Sim on, fo r a l l th e c a p a c ity he h as fo r e v i l , i s n o t damned. He s t i l l l iv e s , now an im b e c ile , bu t he co n tin u e s to rec o g n ize th e p o te n tia l o f th e C ity . He q u o tes Psalm 139:

The C ity , so , was v is ib le to him . " I f I go down in to h e l l , thou a re th e re " ; b u t i f I go down to th e e — ? I f even y e t he cou ld a tte n d to th o se p o in ts , he would escap e h e l l ; he would never have been in h e l l . I f he could n o t, he had h is changing and un-changing fa c e s to s tu d y . He s ta re d a t them , im b e c ile ; im b e c ile , th ey s ta re d back — f a r th e r , deeper and d e e p e r, th ro u g h th e ro se and th e burn ing and th e b lood ( AHE. 2 6 6 ).

T here a re o th e r , a n c illa r y p a r a l le l s betw een th e two w orks w hich cou ld be d ev elo p ed . The m y stic moment in th e P u rg a to rio comes when B e a tric e sm ile s a t D ante ("show s h e r mouth to h im "); a f te r th e exchange and s u b s titu tio n betw een L e s te r and B e tty , th e no v el f a i r ly s p a rk le s w ith sm ile s and la u g h te r . A lso , a f te r D ante had passed th ro u g h th e G ate o f P u rg a to ry , he heard th e hymn, "Te Deum," th e f i r s t l in e o f w hich i s : "Te Deum laudam us. Te Dominum co n fitem u r" ["We p ra is e You, 0 God, we g iv e You th a n k s , 0 L o rd " ]. L e s te r , in le a v in g R ichard fo r th e l a s t tim e : "She s a id , 'D e a re s t, I d id lo v e you. F o rg iv e me. And than k you — Oh R ich ard , than k you! Goodbye, my b le s s in g " ( AHE. 2 6 9 ). And th e l a s t scen e o f th e novel i s a c o n s ta n t paean o f th an k s and p ra is e a s B e tty c u re s th o se who had been under S im on 's s p e l l .

I f i t w ere on ly A ll H allow s' Eve th a t su ffe re d from in s u f f ic ie n t re a d in g s , we would have no g re a t co n cern . However, i t i s a ls o W illiam s a s a n o v e lis t who s u f f e r s . W illiam Dowie, fo r exam ple, has no h e s ita tio n in h is e v a lu a tio n o f W illiam s: "As a r e lig io u s n o v e lis t o f th e tw e n tie th c e n tu ry , C h a rles W illiam s i s an

o d d ity , a f a s c in a tio n , and a f a i l u r e ." [9 ] He ends h is stu d y w ith :

M ira c le , h ie ro p h a n y , and m oral a re th e m ethods o f C h a rle s W illia m s 's r e lig io u s p e n e tra tio n . The f i r s t o f th e s e , l ik e a to n e from a d if f e r e n t s c a le , ca u se s d isso n an ce w ith in th e fram e-w ork o f th e r e a l i s t i c n o v e l.The te ch n iq u e i s a jo l t in g a s W illiam s m eant i t to b e ; b u t he o v eru se s i t and does n o t in s p ir e th e needed b e lie v a b li ty . H is h ie ro p h a n ic moments vary in d ep th and p la u s ib i i ty . At th e i r b e s t when le a s t a b s ta c t and se rm o n iz in g , th e y o c c a s io n a lly evoke a sen se o f O th ern ess in v o lv ed in th e u n iv e rse .H is m oral d ia le c t ic based upon a n o tio n o f u n iv e rs a l c o -in h e re n c e i s co n v in c in g when i t i s n o t o v e re x p lic a te d . In o th e r w ords, b i ts and p ie c e s o f a l l th e s e te c h n iq u e s w ork; b u t th e to t a l accom plishm ent i s le s s th an s u c c e s s fu l. As a n o v e l is t , he rem ains a fa s c in a tin g f a i l u r e . (D ow ie, p . 58)

To f a u l t W illiam s fo r u sin g th e to o ls o f th eo lo g y in a r e lig io u s no v el i s r a th e r l ik e g ro u sin g a t D ante fo r w ritn g ab o u t a l l th o se dead p e o p le . T .S . E lio t had answ ered D ow ie's o b je c tio n in advance: "b u t i t i s a ls o tru e in a m easure to say th a t W illiam s in v e n ted h is own form — o r to say th a t no form , i f he obeyed i t s c o n te n tio n a l la w s, cou ld have been s a tis f a c to r y fo r w hat he w anted to sa y . What i t i s , e s s e n t ia l ly , th a t he had to say came n ea r d e fy in g d e f in i tio n " ( AHE, x i i i ) .

C h a rle s W illiam s was th e m aste r o f th e th e o lo g ic a l t h r i l l e r . H is w orld i s bo th fa m ilia r and e x o tic ; h is p lo ts a re bo th sim p le and co n v o lu ted ; h is c h a ra c te rs a re bo th r e a l and d rea m lik e . No one d e n ie s th e ex c item en t he g e n e ra te s in h is n o v e ls . T .S . E lio t sa id i t b e s t: "Some o f h is b o o k s ... w ere fra n k lyp o t- b o ile r s ; b u t he alw ays b o ile d an h o n est p o t" (AHE. x i i ) . Seen in th e l ig h t o f D a n te 's e x c u rsio n th ro u g h p u rg a to ry , A ll H allow s' Eve i s , I b e lie v e , one o f th e m ost h o n est p o ts o f a l l .NOTES

[1 ] Thomas Howard, The N ovels o f C h a rles W illiam s. London: O xford U n iv sity P re s s , 1983), p . 162.[2 ] Humphrey C a rp e n te r, The I n k lin g s . (B oston : Houghton M if f lin , 1979), p . 194.[3 ] C h a rle s W illiam s, The D escent o f th e Dove: AH is to ry o f th e Holy S p ir i t in th e C hurch. (New York: M erid ian Books, 1956), p . x iv .[4 ] D ante A lig h e ri, The P u rg a to rio . tr a n s . John C ia rd i, (New Y ork: New Am erican L ib ra ry , 1957), p . 32 . A ll fu r th e r re fe re n c e s to th i s work ap p ear in th e te x t .[5 ] C h a rles W illiam s, A ll H allow s Eve. in t r o . T .S .E lio t,(N ew Y ork: Noonday P re s s , 1963), p . 3 . A ll fu r th e r re fe re n c e s to th i s work appear in th e te x t .[6 ] R .J . R e illy , Rom antic R e lig io n : A Study o f B a rf ie ld . L ew is. W illiam s, and T o lk ie n . (A thens: U n iv e ris ty o f G eorgia P re s s , 1971), pp . 154-55.[7 ] G len C a v a lie ro , C h a rles W illiam s : P oet o f T heology. (London:M acm illan P re ss L td ., 1983), p .9 1 .[8 ] Lawrence A. M o rris , "C h arle s W illa im s’ N ovels and th e P o s s ib i l i t ie s o f S p ir i tu a l Renewal in th e T w entieth C e n tu ry ," D iss . New M exico 1979, p . 149.[9 ] W illiam J . Dowie, "R e liio u s F ic tio n in a P ro fane Time: C h a rles W illa im s, C .S . L ew is, and J .R .R . T o lk ien " D iss . B randeis 1970 ,p . 31.BIBLIOGRAPHY

C a rp e n te r, Humphrey. The In k lin g s : C .S . L ew is, J .R .R . T o lk ie n . C h a rles W illiam s and T h e ir F rie n d s . B oston: Houghton M if f lin , 1979. C o n tin u ed on p ag e 50