First Published in 1945, The Great Divorce is a work of fantasy by C. S. Lewis which seeks to allegorically examine the Christian concepts of Purgatory, Heaven and Salvation. It is complementary to Lewis' earlier book The Screwtape Letters which sought to portray to it's readers some of the broader aspects of Hell and Damnation.
Although less renowned than Narnia and the Space Trilogy, it is considered one of his finest works of fiction by many Lewis fans. As with many of Lewis' works, it is of particular appeal to Christians, but people of other belief systems have also found it interesting.
The working title was Who Goes Home? but the name was changed at the publisher's insistence. The title refers to William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The Great Divorce was first printed as a serial in a religious publication called The Guardian (not connected in any way to the modern British newspaper of the same name) in 1944 and 1945, and soon thereafter in book form.
The Great Divorce is speculative fiction frankly presented as an allegory and the specific details of the fantasy do not tally with the beliefs of any known Church nor did Lewis regard it as other than an imaginative attempt at depicting realities which can otherwise not be expressed at all.
In the introduction, Lewis frankly disavows any claim to actual knowledge of the reality embodied by such theological concepts as Heaven or Hell, and says that even were he to have such knowledge - which he denies - it would, in his opinion, be inexpressible in ordinary human language.
Nonetheless he asserts that even tentative maps of Heaven and Hell, based merely on what may be inferable by human reasoning about Revelation, may prove useful to the believer; and it is with that understanding that he writes.
Pages:
160 Format:
Paperback EAN/ISBN:
978-0060652951 Publisher:
HarperOne; New Ed edition (February 6, 2001)
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis| Posted February 05, 2013
This book was very adventurous.
It was very intersting how C.S. Lewis described Heaven and Hell.
In specific the title was something that fascinated me very much, since "The Great Divorce" stands for the fact that heaven and hell have to be seperated. They cannot be joined together, no matter what.
I definitely recommend this book, it was really worth the read and I learned so much.
Must Read| Posted April 07, 2008
I first read this during my summer vacation and i could not put it down. The visual imagery Lewis use is amazing. His picture of heaven is the best i have every seen. After reading this you will look at your own faith differently.
The Great Divorce is Great!| Posted April 21, 2008
Having read all of C.S. Lewis books; this is his best book of all! As Lewis states in the preface, he is writing this book to counter Blake's book written declaring "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell". Lewis himself proclaims not all paths lead to heaven and he is writing of heaven's "divorce" from hell. Thus, "The Great Divorce".
Follow many characters on a fantastic bus ride from earth to heaven. Pass by dwellings in the utter darkness and distance some have choosen as far away from others as possible.
See how choices concerning heaven, love, etc. can be confused for possessiveness and as a departure from the things people attest they desire most.
Glimpse into the spiritual world to "see" it is more real than the physical one we currently inhabit. Oh, the blades of grass in heaven look so clear and transparent but when stepped on, they are sharp and piercing like shards of glass!
Though not as well known as The Chronicle's of Narnia, this book beats my favorite of the series; "The Last Battle".
Invest 2 to 3 hours and have your imagination touched vividly and wonderfully beyond your expectations. You'll never "see" things the same again!
