Summary

C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, published in 1945, is a thought-provoking Christian allegorical novel that explores the concepts of Heaven and Hell. Originally titled “Who Goes Home?", this compact work of 118 pages offers a unique perspective on the afterlife, suggesting that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. Lewis's vivid imagination and profound theological insights make this book a cornerstone of Christian literature.

The novel draws inspiration from diverse sources, including the works of St. Augustine, Dante Alighieri, and John Milton. Lewis's portrayal of the afterlife is particularly influenced by George MacDonald, who appears as a character in the story. The book's title is a reference to William Blake's poem “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell", highlighting Lewis's engagement with literary and philosophical traditions.

The Great Divorce has also found success on stage. Notable productions include Anthony Lawton's adaptation for the Lantern Theater Company in Philadelphia and the Fellowship for the Performing Arts' touring production, which ran from 2013 to 2016 and resumed in 2021. These stage versions have helped bring Lewis's allegorical vision to life for new audiences, demonstrating the enduring appeal of his spiritual reflections.

Plot

In C.S. Lewis's allegorical novel The Great Divorce, the unnamed narrator finds himself in a gloomy, rainy city known as the “grey town.” He boards a bus with other inhabitants, embarking on an extraordinary journey. As they ascend, breaking through the clouds, the passengers' bodies become transparent and ghost-like.

Upon arriving at their destination, the ghosts disembark into a beautiful but painfully solid landscape. They are met by radiant spirits, former acquaintances from Earth, who urge them to repent and journey towards Heaven. These spirits offer guidance and explain that as the ghosts progress, they will become more substantial and feel less discomfort.

The narrator encounters the spirit of George MacDonald, who becomes his guide. MacDonald explains the nature of their surroundings and the choices available to the souls. Most of the ghosts, however, choose to return to the grey town, offering various excuses and refusing to abandon their earthly mindsets. Only one ghost, a man plagued by lust, allows an angel to kill the lizard representing his sin and begins the journey towards Heaven.

As the story concludes, MacDonald reveals that the grey town is actually Hell, a minuscule place compared to the vastness of Heaven. The narrator awakens from his dream during The Blitz, finding himself back at his desk. The novel ends with this abrupt return to reality, leaving the reader to ponder the allegorical journey and its implications for the afterlife.

Themes

• Contrast between Heaven and Hell

• Free will and personal choice

• The nature of reality and illusion

• Redemption and spiritual growth

• The consequences of earthly actions

• The power of love and forgiveness

• The journey from self-deception to truth

Setting

The Great Divorce takes place in a fantastical realm that blurs the lines between physical reality and spiritual allegory. While no specific era is mentioned, the narrator's references to wartime Britain suggest a setting contemporaneous with the book's publication in 1945. The story unfolds across two primary locations: a gloomy “grey town” representing Hell or Purgatory, and the luminous outskirts of Heaven.

The grey town is depicted as a vast, cheerless city where it rains incessantly. Its streets stretch endlessly in all directions, growing more sparse and isolated the further one ventures from the center. This bleak urban expanse serves as the departure point for the protagonist's journey, as he boards a magical bus bound for the celestial realm.

In stark contrast to the dreariness of the grey town, the heavenly country is described as a place of breathtaking beauty and solidity. Its landscape is characterized by brilliant light, verdant meadows, and crystal-clear streams. As the ghosts from the bus encounter this new environment, they find themselves overwhelmed by its intense reality, struggling to adapt to a world far more substantial than the shadowy existence they left behind.

Characters

• The Narrator: The protagonist and first-person narrator of the story. He finds himself in the “grey town” and takes a bus journey to the outskirts of Heaven. Throughout the journey, he observes and interacts with various characters, gaining insights into the nature of salvation and free will. The narrator is a writer, much like Lewis himself, and serves as a stand-in for the reader in this allegorical tale.

• George MacDonald: A Scottish author and minister who acts as the narrator's guide in Heaven. MacDonald explains the spiritual concepts and dynamics of the afterlife to the narrator. He represents wisdom and spiritual insight, helping the narrator (and by extension, the reader) understand the deeper meanings behind the encounters they witness.

• The Big Ghost: A former businessman who refuses to accept his place in Heaven. He represents pride and the inability to let go of earthly status and achievements. The Big Ghost's encounter highlights the theme of humility necessary for spiritual growth.

• The Hard-Bitten Ghost: A cynical ghost who believes Heaven is a trick or conspiracy. He embodies skepticism and the refusal to trust or have faith. His character demonstrates how cynicism can be a barrier to accepting grace and salvation.

• The Episcopal Ghost: A former bishop who has become so caught up in theological arguments that he has lost his faith. He represents intellectual pride and the danger of valuing abstract reasoning over genuine belief. The Episcopal Ghost's encounter illustrates the pitfalls of excessive intellectualism in matters of faith.

• The Grumbling Woman: A ghost who constantly complains and tries to manipulate others. She represents the destructive power of selfishness and the inability to find joy in anything. Her character shows how negative attitudes can persist even in the face of heavenly beauty.

• The Lizard-Ridden Man: A ghost struggling with lust, represented by a lizard on his shoulder. He eventually allows an angel to kill the lizard, symbolizing the painful but necessary process of overcoming sin. This character's transformation demonstrates the possibility of redemption and spiritual growth.

Quick facts

• The original working title of the book was “Who Goes Home?"

• The final title refers to William Blake's poem “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell"

• It was first published as a serial in an Anglican newspaper called The Guardian in 1944-1945

• Lewis wrote the book as a response to Blake's ideas about good and evil

• The character of George MacDonald is based on the real Scottish author who greatly influenced Lewis

• Lewis mentions being inspired by an American sci-fi story called “The Man Who Lived Backwards” but couldn't recall the author

• The book has been adapted for the stage multiple times, including an off-Broadway run

• A film adaptation was announced in 2010 but has not yet been produced as of 2025

• Lewis explicitly states in the book that the story should be told as a dream

• The ending deliberately mimics the ending of Part 1 of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the most influential Christian authors and intellectuals of the 20th century. Born in Belfast, Ireland, Lewis went on to become a fellow and tutor in English Literature at Oxford University before being elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University in 1954. Though raised in a religious family, Lewis became an atheist in his teens before eventually re-converting to Christianity in his early 30s, influenced by friends like J.R.R. Tolkien.

Lewis is perhaps best known for his beloved children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide and been adapted into major films. However, he was a prolific author across many genres, writing more than 30 books including works of fiction, non-fiction Christian apologetics, and literary criticism. Some of his most popular works include Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Space Trilogy.

As a Christian apologist, Lewis employed reason and imagination to defend and explain his faith to a skeptical modern audience. His 1940 book The Problem of Pain explored the theological dilemma of why a benevolent God allows suffering. Lewis's own faith was tested by personal tragedy when his wife, Joy Davidman, died of cancer in 1960 after only a few years of marriage. He chronicled his struggles with grief and doubt in the moving memoir A Grief Observed.

Though he died on the same day as John F. Kennedy in 1963, C.S. Lewis's legacy as both a literary figure and Christian thinker has only grown in the decades since. His ability to present complex theological concepts in an engaging, accessible way continues to appeal to readers of all backgrounds. Lewis's life and works have been the subject of numerous biographies, documentaries, and even stage plays like Shadowlands, ensuring his ideas will influence generations to come.