'Perelandra' Trivia Quiz

Answer: Venus

In the first book of the series, Ransom was transported to Malacandra - Mars - from Thulcandra, the 'silent planet', or Earth as we know it. Jupiter is alluded to as being called 'Glundandra', though none of the action of the continuing story takes place there. Venus takes centre stage in this second part of the trilogy, as the title planet.

Answer: Ransom, Weston and Lewis

Elwin Ransom reappears as the 'hero' of the story, while Professor Edward Weston continues in his role as villain. C.S. Lewis, meanwhile, connects the first book with the second by journeying to revisit Ransom at the beginning of the novel; Ransom has told him that he, Ransom, must undertake a second interplanetary voyage under instructions from the 'eldila', planetary angels.

After his return, Ransom relates his adventures to Lewis, and his story comprises the rest of the book. (Devine, Weston's accomplice in 'Out of the Silent Planet', does not return in 'Perelandra'; Harry was a minor character from 'Planet' who was indirectly responsible for Ransom's involvement in the entire saga.)

Answer: It is mostly water

Ransom finds that the majority of the planet's surface is liquid, and that there are floating 'islands' around him, which are made up of some strange vegetation. He finds that the islands drift, sometimes closer and sometimes further apart, and that they rise and fall on the currents and waves so that the landscape continually changes. Far from being chilly, the planet is warm, and Ransom is naked because of the temperature. Later, Ransom learns that there is only one fixed island on the surface of the entire planet.

This island becomes central to the development of the plot.

Answer: Green skin

The Queen is The Green Lady. She is not the 'Mona Lisa', so she does have eyebrows! Although Perelandra is a watery planet, the Queen has not developed any fishy attributes, nor has she need for any extra fingers or toes.

Answer: He is possessed

It soon becomes clear to Ransom that Edward Weston is not in control of his own body - and that the possessor is none other than the Bent Oyarsa, who represents Satan. Weston looks dead, but he is not: at some moments, Ransom seems to catch a glimpse of the 'real' Weston struggling to free himself from the Bent Oyarsa's possession. Part of the Oyarsa's deception is to try to make Ransom believe that Weston is now on the side of the Perelandrians, having learned his lesson from what happened on Malacandra.

But this is not so - the Bent Oyarsa wants to deceive the Queen into rebelling against the one taboo set by Maleldil (the Great Spirit) on Perelandra.

Answer: Stay on the Fixed Land

The one taboo Maleldil set the King and Queen of Perelandra was that they should not remain on the Fixed Land, which is the only one on the planet, past sundown. There seems to be no particularly logical reason for this restriction, and 'Weston' - the Bent Oyarsa - tries to use the Queen's own womanly vanity to persuade her and the King (who at this point is nowhere to be found) to break the rule.

Answer: Smashes him with a rock

After having pursued the possessed Weston to the Fixed Land, Ransom throws Weston's body into a fire in an underground cavern, thus releasing the planet from the evil of the Bent Oyarsa, who now has no form weak enough to overtake to continue his havoc.

Answer: Jesus

The King bears such a resemblance to Ransom's conception of Jesus Christ that he wonders why he can see no wounds in the King's hands, feet and sides. (As mentioned earlier, Devine does not appear in this story; neither does Hyoi)

Answer: Perelandra and Malacandra

The two supreme rulers of the planets Mars and Venus (Malacandra and Perelandra) appear to Ransom in the forms of the ancient Roman deities after which men named their planets. Maleldil is the supreme ruler of them all, who symbolises Jesus, the God-Man. 'Eldil' is the name of the planetary angels of which the Oyarsas are higher examples, while Tor and Tinidril are the King and Queen, respectively, of Perelandra.

Answer: Adam and Eve

The King and Queen are the unfallen Adam and Eve, and Perelandra is their Paradise. The Bent Oyarsa who possesses Weston takes the role of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and the unbreakable rule concerns staying on the Fixed Land, symbolising the 'forbidden fruit' of the Book of Genesis.