A Book Analysis of out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis

Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis is a Science fiction novel, sometimes considered a fantasy, about the strange ventures of Dr. Ransom; a philologist. The book chronicles his abduction by a megalomaniacal physicist, Weston, and his accomplice, Devine, by means of a space ship to the planet Malacandra, also known as Mars. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Dr. Ransom escapes upon landing, though, and goes on the run. A stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. While on the planet Malacandra Dr. Ransom comes across many creatures that inhabit the land. He learns more about the outlandish planet and its natives; in addition his knowledge of our earth is greatly expanded. Meanwhile his captors, Weston and Devine, are hunting him down without letting anything or anyone get in their way. Their purpose for traveling to this planet is shown only at the end of the story.

In chapter 20 it is apparent to Ransom, and the reader, that Westonālls mission is to prolong the life of the human race. When Weston is trying to explain his resolution to the seeming alGod@lid of Malacandra, Oyarsa, he says that life has ruthlessly broken down all obstacles and liquidated all failures and today in her highest form all civilized man a0 and in me as his representative, she presses forward to that interplanetary leap which will, perhaps, place her forever beyond the reach of death.all His plan is to bring human life to Malacandra in order to take over the planet. When that planet dies away they will then find another planet to inhabit. Therefore, allowing man to live forever. Devine, however, seemingly has a very different view of life and of Malacandra. It is obvious that he is a superficial man and only his greediness has led him to the planet Malacandra, his purpose for Malacandra is far less complex. Devineâis desires are clear in chapter 20 when he tries to convince Oyarsa, the ruler, that if only he could receive an abundance of sun-bloods, gold, which is in great quantity in Malacandra, then he would leave and no longer bother the Malacandrians. He explains all this to Oyarsa on page 133; still, however, Oyarsa is not convinced and goes on attending to Weston.

Oyarsa is described in chapter 15 by a Sorn, one of the Malacandrian dwellers. The Som, called Augray, says to Ransom, @lOyarsa does not die, and he does not breed. He is the one of his kind who was put into Malacandra to rule it when Malacandra was made. His body is not like ours, nor yours; it is hard to see and the light goes through it.all. Some critics have said C. S. Lewis meant to compare Oyarsa to God, however, this assumption is put aside when, in chapter 11, Lewis introduces another monarch, Maleldil. According to the Hrossa, inhabitants of Malacandra, Maleldil the Young had created the world and lived with the Old One. When Ransom asked where the Old One was they said, amHe is not that sort, that he has to live anywhere.and Ransom presumed that Maleldil was a spirit without body, parts or passions. Ransom, while on his travels on Malacandra, finds it hard to accept the Malacandrian ways. His philosophies are much worldlier, this is presented in chapter 11 when a Hrossa is trying to explain to Ransom the ways of the Malacandrian rule. He his troubled by their way of life and is constantly trying to make sense of it all by relating Malacandra to earthätis system of government. He continuously is thinking that one Malacandrian race must control the others. Since this is what exists on earth; the strong overpower the weak. When he finds that the Sons are more knowledgeable than the Hrossa he assumes that they are the predominant rulers on Malacandra. However, he discovers that there is only one ruler and that is Oyarsa. Oyarsa rules the Eldila and all the races of Malacandra. Oyarsa is then reined by the Old One or Maleldil. Eldila are described in chapter 15 as angel-like creatures with indistinct bodies.

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It is presented several times in Out of the Silent Planet that Oyarsa is omnipresent, living not on an explicit planet but in the heavens as a whole. It is said in chapter 18 that there are Oyarsa on all planets, including earth. Earth, called Thulcandra meaning allisilent planetäm has an Oyarsa that has turned evil. According to Malacandraâlis Oyarsa the Oyarsa of earth is bent and shrewd and no longer communicates with the other worlds: it is silent. He controls earth and it is said that he is bound to it. Oyarsa of Malacandra tells Ransom tales about the Bent One on earth. Oyarsa says that there are stories of the Bent One and that Malacandrians say Maleldil is still wrestling with the bent Oyarsa. Nevertheless, they do not know if such rumors are true because they canälit communicate with our Oyarsa. This book is the first of a space trilogy; the last books being Perelandra and That Hideous Strength. It is interesting that C. S. Lewis wrote Out of the Silent Planet just before and during World War II, just twenty years after the First World War. For a war-torn world it would have been very comforting to believe that all good things were preserved elsewhere. Out of the Silent Planet was and is a sort of escape, for the readers and for Lewis.

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