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- Title
A Critique of Religion and Reason in William Golding's The Spire.
- Authors
Chavan, Panditrao M.; Nikam, Sudhir V.
- Abstract
William Golding is known for his Lord of the Flies (1954), however his other novels are also equally worthy of critical attention. The Spire (1964) is a remarkable novel with the underlying contention that there is no innocent work however sacred and religious it may be. This paper is an attempt to explore the novel as a scathing critique of both, religion and reason. The protagonist Dean Jocelin represents faith and master builder Roger Mason stands for reason. Jocelin's unconsummated sexual craving for his daughter-in-God Goody Pangall who is married to the impotent Mr. Pangall is sublimated in the form of the phallic symbol of the spire. But Roger has an illicit relation with Goody but ends as an unsatisfied drunkard. Mr. Pangall is killed by the workers in frenzy and Jocelin sacrifices Goody for his vision of building a 404 feet spire which he ascribes to God. In spite of insufficient foundations the spire stands as a miracle conceived by faith and accomplished by reason with a great doubt. Jocelin comes to know that his deanship which he owes to Lady Alison is result of her illegitimate relationship with the king. Thus the myth that religion leads to salvation is busted. Neither reason nor religion makes man happy.
- Subjects
FAITH &; reason; SPIRE, The (Book : Golding); GOLDING, William, 1911-1993; SALVATION in literature; HUMAN sexuality in literature; RELIGION in literature
- Publication
Labyrinth: An International Refereed Journal of Postmodern Studies, 2014, Vol 5, Issue 4, p90
- ISSN
0976-0814
- Publication type
Literary Criticism