Perelandra

Our first direct encounter with duality, or “dualism,” in the novel comes from Weston. He tells Ransom, “In my view no real dualism in the universe is admissible” (80). Where Ransom thinks of God and the Devil, Weston is concerned only with the universe and what he calls the Force moving everything forward. In his interpretation, by transcending good and evil, man can become all-powerful. As he says, “I call that Force into me completely” (82). This is in opposition to what Ransom realizes later, as he ponders the duality of choice. We read that all paths “lead sooner or later either to the Beatific or Miserific Vision” (96). In this sense, there is no middle road; rather, there are many pathways funneling into two final options. This sense of duality serves as a dividing line between good and evil, eventually leading Ransom to stop going back and forth on his emotions and accept pure hatred toward the Un-Man. He recognizes in this hatred not a negative emotion, but one that helps him fully resist evil and combat it without fear of giving in.

Later, we see duality as the force that creates order. With Perelandra and Malacandra’s new forms, we see the duality of gender (172).