Perelandra

Perelandra is the second book in what is referred to as C.S. Lewis’s space trilogy. The planet Perelandra roughly corresponds to Venus and represents a prelapsarian world or Edenic state. The main question is whether Tinidril (aka the green lady) will make the same decision to disobey God as Eve did in Genesis. A tempter, in the person of scientist Dr. Weston, attempts to rationalize defiance of Maleldil (the planet’s deity), while Ransom advocates for faithfulness.

​Lewis dedicated Perelandra to “some ladies at Wantage.” This referred to Sister Penelope and the nuns of the Community of St. Mary the Virgin. Sister Penelope began corresponding with Lewis in August 1939 when she wrote to praise Out of the Silent Planet. In October 1942, Lewis entrusted a copy of The Screwtape Letters manuscript to her during the bombing of London. 

Perelandra was published in 1943, a year after Lewis completed A Preface to Paradise Lost. He was heavily influenced by Milton’s work. World War II and the broadcast talks of Mere Christianity were going on while Lewis worked on the novel. No doubt the events playing out on the world stage prompted Lewis to consider how and when evil should be met with physical force.