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Chapter 15
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in That Hideous Strength, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Obedience, Exclusivity, and Humility
Modernization vs. Tradition
Divine Conflict
Deception and Confusion
Gender and Marriage
Summary
Analysis
Mark dresses for dinner and attends the banquet where Wither introduces the “tramp" and Merlin to Jules, the other leaders of the N.I.C.E., and several reporters. Jules stands to address the group, but his words are nonsensical gibberish. When he concludes, Wither speaks, and he is similarly unintelligible. Chaos ensues. Miss Hardcastle shoots and kills Jules, then dies herself in the resulting commotion. Mark sees great beasts appear and disappear around the room. Merlin has set the curse of Babel upon the N.I.C.E., robbing them of their ability to understand one another. He liberates Mr. Bultitude, Mrs. Maggs’s husband, and the other people and animals held prisoner by the N.I.C.E. The tramp flees Belbury.
Merlin’s curse of Babel is a reference to the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, in which God punished human blasphemy by creating new languages and dividing people for the first time by language barriers. Merlin’s turning of the tables when it comes to the N.I.C.E.’s deception escalates with this curse, which robs the members of N.I.C.E. of the ability to understand each other, plunging them into the kind of confusion they sought to sow.
Themes
Merlin sends Mark to St. Anne’s, while Wither escapes the dining room, realizing that his “dark Masters” underestimated the power of their enemies. Wither knows that he is doomed, but he is largely unaffected by this revelation. He finds Straik and Filostrato, and the three of them pray before the Head, which is powered by Earth’s evil eldils. The Head demands a sacrifice, so Straik and Wither kill Filostrato. The Head demands another, so Wither kills Straik. Finally, Mr. Bultitude comes into the room and kills Wither.
Ransom often humbles himself before his own eldilic “Masters,” but Wither has never mentioned his “dark” version of these Masters before. Serving Earth’s evil eldils is an act of self-interest and pride, in contrast to the humility required to serve Maleldil and his good eldils. Ultimately, though, serving the good eldils is far more rewarding. The evil eldils offer no protection or aid to their servants; for instance, here, they don’t protect Wither from Mr. Bultitude.
Themes
Meanwhile, Feverstone hurries toward Edgestow, planning to retreat to his job at the University. He has laid the groundwork to take up the Fellows’ cause against the N.I.C.E. At Belbury, Frost is unable to wrap his mind around proof of magic and divinity, which he has devoted himself to disproving. He sets fire to the room next to the Head, killing himself. In his last moments, Frost becomes aware that his soul might escape the torment of his body, but he refuses this possibility and rejects the existence of the soul.
Feverstone is prepared to jump ship back to the University, proving that he had no real loyalty to the N.I.C.E., or likely to any cause besides himself. Frost, on the other hand, is so devoted to the N.I.C.E. that he cannot cope with its destruction or learning that its preferred philosophy is incorrect. He destroys himself, the Head, and the remaining N.I.C.E. facility, and he rejects Maleldil’s final offer of salvation by rejecting that souls exist.
Themes
