the shadow of anodos: alchemical symbolism in …...splendor solis or saw one of many different sets...

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The Shadow of Anodos: Alchemical Symbolism in Phantastes

Aren Roukema

Becauseitisheavilyreliantonsymbol,interpretativeapproachestoGeorgeMacDonald’sPhantasteshavevariedwidely.Somecritics,suchasareviewerinLondon’sAthenaeumatthetimeofthenovel’srelease,haveseenitasa“ariddlethatwillnotberead”(Cowan51),whileothershavebeenanxioustowadeintotheseaofimageryandsymbolthatwashesthroughthenovel.FreudianorJungianinterpretationshavebeenespeciallypopularandhavecometointeresting,thoughsomewhatanachronistic,conclusions.ThoughMacDonaldlikelydidnotintendthatAnodos’sfearsomenemesis,theAshtree,beinterpretedinoedipalterms,heprobablywouldnothaveobjected.1Inhisopinion,“Thetruertheart,themorethingsitwillmean”(“TheFantasticImagination”317).Formanycritics,however,asubjectivesymbolicexperienceistheextentofwhatcanbegainedfromareadingofPhantastes.Thenovelisaccusedbymany,includingRobertL.Wolff,RichardReis,ColinManlove,andWilliamRaeper,ashavinglittletonostructure(Reis89;Manlove75;Gunther43-59).2However,thisinterpretationmustbequestionedbecauseoftheallegoricalstructureprovidedbyseveralsymbolsthatarchthroughthewholeofthenarrative.Onesuchcentralsymbol,whichhasyettobeproperlyunderstood,istheshadowthatattachesitselftoAnodosintheOgress’schurchofdarkness(48).Manyscholarshaveattemptedtodeciphertheshadow,butmostarriveonlyhalfway.Salvey,forexample,seestheshadowasmerelya“negationofgood,”thusdrawingMacDonald’stheodicyintoasharpdualism,eventhoughMacDonaldhimselfstatedthatevenevilisultimatelygood(20).ThispaperwillinterprettheshadowinthelightofMacDonald’scosmologyandtheology,asbotharevitalforanunderstandingofthispowerfulsymbol.ThisinterpretationwillshowthatAnodos’sshadowisdrawnfromthealchemicalsymbolsofthenigredoandtheblacksun,whichMacDonaldusestorepresentseparationfromthedivinespiritimmanentincreation.Whenthealchemicalsignificanceoftheshadowisidentified,PhantastesemergesasanalchemicalfableinwhichAnodos,thesubjectoftransmutation,undergoesajourneytowardreunificationwithanimmanentGod.

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Christian Pantheism: MacDonald’s Immanent God InordertoexaminetheshadowasanactivesymbolofseparationfromGodinNature,whichIwillrefertoasdisenchantment,itisnecessarytofirstestablishMacDonald’sidealofunitywiththeDivine,orenchantment.StephenPrickettstatesthatMacDonaldisa“temperamentalPlatonist,onlyinterestedinthesurfaceofthisworldforthenewsitgiveshimofanother,hiddenreality”(193).However,whileMacDonald’scosmologyiscertainlyPlatonic,hedoesnotdevaluetheexternalworld.HisviewismoresimilartoformsofNeo-PlatonicemanationinwhichallofNatureisdivinebyvirtueoftheoneindivisibleGod’simmanenceincreation.TheuniverseisGod,thoughinalowerformofgradation.ForMacDonald,thisNeo-PlatonicemanationtakesplacethroughthedivineImagination.Inhisessay“TheImagination,”MacDonaldstates:“Asthethoughtsmoveinthemindofaman,somovetheworldsofmenandwomeninthemindofGod...fortheretheyhadtheirbirth...ManisbutathoughtofGod”(8).TheuniverseiscreatedandsustainedthroughdivineImagination,butmanalsoparticipatesincreationthroughhisownimaginativefaculty.JustasGodenvisionedtheworldanditwasso,manalsoconstructshisownworldthroughparticipationwithsymbolspresentinNaturethatindicatespiritualfactsandentitieswhichareotherwisehiddenfromtheviewofthematerialsenses.ThereisthusacreativecorrespondencebetweentheImaginationofGodandtheimaginationofhumans:“Theimagination…isthatfacultyinmanwhichislikesttotheprimeoperationofthepowerofGod,andhas,therefore,beencalledthecreativefaculty,anditsexercisecreation”(“Imagination”8).3 MacDonaldsetsupacosmologicaltriangleinwhichGodimaginesbothmanandwomanandnatureintobeing,whilehumansparticipateintheeternalactofcreationbyrecallingformswiththeirownimaginationthatGodhasplacedintheirmindwithwhichtoengagenature.NatureissustainedbythesamedivineImaginationashumans,and,byvirtueofthefactthatitiscreatedfromtheImaginationthatisGod,isitselfdivine.IfthissoundslikepantheismpreachedwiththepenofadevoutChristianwhowasraisedasaCalvinistandalwayssawhimselfasaministerwithoutapulpit—itverynearlyis.MacDonaldunabashedlygivesthename“ChristianPantheism”tohisbeliefthat“Godisineverything,andshowinghimselfineverything”(“Wordsworth’sPoetry”182).Tobeclear,MacDonalddidnotbelievethatspiritandbodywerethesamething.Hispantheismseesthetwoasintertwinedinaconstantprocessofcreativeimagination.ThoughtheworldisseenasconstructedthedivineImaginationthatisGod,itisnotitself

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synonymouswithGod.ItisthereforemoresuitabletospeakofMacDonald’scosmologyaspanentheism. MacDonald’sviewsontherelationshipbetweenGodandnaturearenotalwaysclear.Attimesheuseslanguagethatcansupportdualisticinterpretations.Anexampleofsuchlanguageisfoundin“TheImagination”:“Theoutward,commonlycalledthematerial,is informed by,orhasforminvirtueof,theinwardorimmaterial—inaword,thethought”(17).HereweseethethoughtofGodenchantingthematerial,inthesamewaythat“ourspiritinforms,givesshapetoourbodies”(“Mirrors”221),butforMacDonaldtherelationshipbetweenspiritandmatterisnotsosimpleastheinwardgivingsubstancetotheoutward.TheimaginationofGodenchants,orsustains,abody,butithasalsocreatedthatbodyand,inanemanativesense,isthatbody:“ThisworldisnotmerelyathingwhichGodhathmade,subjectingittolaws;butitisanexpressionofthethought,thefeeling,theheartofGodhimself”(“Wordsworth’sPoetry”182).Thepersonwhochoosestoseethephenomenalaslifeless,ratherthanasarepositoryofsignifiersenrichedbyImagination,is“livingintheoutercourt,notinthepenetraliaoflife”(“IndividualDevelopment”52).Nature,properlyviewedbyhumans,isenchantedbyitsconnectiontothespiritofthedivinethroughImagination.HumansexistinastateofunitywithnatureandGodwhentheyrecognizethisenchantment.

Disenchantment and the Shadow WhentheshadowattachesitselftoAnodosintheOgress’sdarkchurch,itremovesAnodosfromthisidealstateofenchantmentbychanginghisperceptionofnaturetoalimited,materialistview.Shortlyaftertheshadowhasattacheditself,Anodosliesdowntorestin“amostdelightfulpartoftheforest,carpetedwithwildflowers.”Whenherises,heseesthathisshadowhasdesecratedtheground:“Theveryoutlineofitcouldbetracedinthewitheredlifelessgrass,andthescorchedandshriveledflowerswhichstoodthere,dead,andhopelessofanyresurrection”(51).Asifthisinsidiouseffectweren’tenough,theshadowgainsinpower:

Oneday,havingcomeoutonacleargrassyhill,whichcommandedagloriousprospect,thoughofwhatIcannotnowtell,myshadowmovedround,andcameinfrontofme.Andpresently,anewmanifestationincreasedmydistress.Foritbegantocoruscate,andshootoutonallsidesaradiationofdimshadow.Theseraysofgloomissuedfromthecentralshadowas

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fromablacksun,lengtheningandshorteningwiththecontinualchange.Whatwhereveraraystruck,thatpartofearth,orsea,orsky,becamevoid,anddesert,andsadtomyheart.Onthis,thefirstdevelopmentofitsnewpower,onerayshotoutbeyondtherest,seemingtolengtheninfinitely,untilitsmotethegreatsunontheface,whichwitheredanddarkenedbeneaththeblow.(51)

Thesymbolicpoweroftheblacksunlendsitselfwelltopsychologicalreadings.WilliamGray,forexample,connectsittotheblacksunmotifofFreudianpsychologistJuliaKristeva(885).Itispossiblymoreinstructive,however,tolooktotheworkofCarlJung,ashetakeshisblacksunfromthesymbolicvistaofalchemicaltradition—likelythesameskyinwhichMacDonaldsawhisownblacksun.ComparethepassageabovewiththisdescriptionofthenineteenthpictureoftheSplendor Solis,the16thCenturyalchemicaltextbySalomonTrismosin:

Itisamostdismalandcuriouslydarkweird-likesubject.Ableakishstuntedlandscape,withblackblightedwitheredtreesinforeground.AMONSTERBLACKSUN(sic)isingreatpartsunkbelowtheground,yetvisibleandpartlyrisingabovethegroundatthecenterofthelandscape—ormiddledistance.Therisingofthispall-likebristlyblacksun,overspreadsandhidestotallythebodyofthetruesun,whichliesbeyond;for;behind—istobeseengoldenradiationsofthetruesun,whichilluminateswithitsgoldentintedlightanicelandscapeintheextremedistance.(60)

Itwouldbehasty,basedonthiscomparison,tostatethatMacDonaldreadSplendor Solisorsawoneofmanydifferentsetsofimagesbasedonit,butthereareinterestingsimilarities.InMacDonald’sdescriptiontheshadowitselfadoptsthe“pall-likebristly”characterofTrismosin’ssunbeforeitblackenstheactualsun,butinbothdescriptionstheblacksunultimatelyrendersthelandscape“bleakish.”Trismosin’sdescriptionendswithahopefulvisionofatruesunlyingbeyond,witha“nicelandscapeinthedistance,”whileMacDonald’sdescriptionendsindespair,but,asIwilldiscussfurtheron,MacDonald’sblacksun/shadowcarriesitsownhopeforthefuture.Whateverthecase,theblacksunofPhantastescanbesafelyconnectedtotheblacksunofalchemy. ThesourcesandscopeofMacDonald’sinterestinalchemyareunclear,butweknowfromGrevilleMacDonaldthathisfatherwasfamiliar

withalchemytosomedegree.Hedescribesaconversationwithhisfatherabouthisothernovelofsymbolicfantasy,Lilith,inwhichMr.VanebathesLilith’snear-deadbodyin“theriveroflife,”whichhisfathersaidwasmadeupofthefourelementsofmedievalalchemy:water,air,earth,andfire.Inalchemicalterms,the“riveroflife”canbereadascorrespondingtothequintessence—theoriginalelementfromwhichthematerialelementswerecreatedandtowhichthesubstancebeingtransmutedmustreturn.Itcouldalsorefertotheelixiroflife,oneoftheprimarygoalsofalchemists,andasubstanceoftenconnectedtothequintessenceinalchemicaltexts.Reis,trustingGrevilleMacDonald’sword,statesthatMacDonaldsimplyborrowedthealchemicalimageryfromJacobBoehme(108).Indeed,BoehmewasasignificantinfluenceonMacDonald,bothdirectlyandthroughRomanticssuchasNovalis,Coleridge,andSchelling,4butBoehmeneverreferstotheblacksun.Moreover,whileMacDonald’sromanticrootsleadhimtofocusmoreonmoonsymbolism,Boehmegivessymbolicprecedencetothesun,the“similitude”ofChrist(104).WhileBoehmewaslikelyaninfluence,MacDonaldmusthaveencounteredotheralchemicaltextsaswell. Inlightofitsconnectiontotheblacksun,theshadowcanbeidentifiedwithwhatisknowntoalchemistsasthenigredo,theblackcolour,representingdeath,whichasubstancetakesonduringthetransmutationofbasematterintothephilosopher’sstone.Inthealchemicaltradition,thephilosopher’sstonecanbeseenasasubstance(equivalenttothequintessence)thattranscendsthematerialelementsandtherebyhasthepowertomanipulatethem,orasahumanbeingthathascompletedaprocessofspiritualregenerationandhasbecomeunifiedinspiritwiththedivine,asintheGnosticandHermetictraditions.Thisprocessgoesthroughmanydifferentstagesthatvaryaccordingtothealchemistoralchemicaltraditioninquestion,butaprocessconsistingofatleastthethreemainstagesofputrefaction,coagulation,andsublimationisusuallyfollowed.Thenigredoispartoftheprocessofputrefaction,ordissolution.“Thisdissolution,”saysTrismosin,“Isnothingbutakillingofthemoistwiththedry,infactaPUTREFACTION,andconsequentlyturnstheMATTERblack”(38).The“moist,”inthiscontext,canbethespiritinasubstanceorinhumans.The“dry”canbeseenaselementalmatter,separatedfromspirit(Principe13).Thenigredo,then,istheresultoftheseparationofspiritfrommatter,usuallyseenasmutuallypresentinphenomena.InMacDonald’ssymbolicconception,ahumanunderthespellofthenigredoisadisenchantedhuman,amaterialhuman,reminiscentofthescientificnaturalismthatreignedin

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VictorianBritainatthetimeofthewritingofPhantastesin1858. Indeed,wesoonseethattheshadowhastransformedAnodosintoarationalmaterialistfromtheenchantedyoungmanabletoseethespiritinthingswhenhefirstenteredFairyLand,symbolizedbyhisabilitytoseefairiesenchantingtheflowers.The“mostdreadful”partofthisdevelopmentisthatsoonhebeginstowelcometheshadow’sdisenchantingpresence.“Inalandlikethis,withsomanyillusionseverywhere,Ineedhisaidtodisenchantthethingsaroundme.Hedoesawaywithallappearances,andshowsmethingsintheirtruecolourandform…AndifIliveinawasteinsteadofaparadise,IwillliveknowingwhereIlive”(53). MacDonaldusesthesuntosymbolizethisdisenchantedwayofknowing.ThoughtheshadowisnotdependentonAnodos’spositioninrelationtoaparticularlightsource,itshowsupblackerinthesunlight,whileitisnotvisiblebymoonlight(146).InthefulllightofdayAnodosexperiencesFairylandasthemechanisticworkadayworldofindustrialBritain.Enchantment,orawarenessofthespiritessentialinnature,ismuchmoredifficult.Inotherformsoflightnotconnectedtotheshadow,suchasdawn,twilight,andsunlightfilteredthroughtrees,Fairylandisrevealedasitisbeneaththemoon—apanentheistworldinwhichbothexternalandinternalmeaningsareseeninthesymbolicrepositoryofNature.MoonlightisasymbolofknowledgereflectedbetweentheselfandNaturethroughImagination,aguidinglightbeneathwhichtheenchantednatureofmatterismorevisible.Moonlightisthusdirectlyconnectedwithafairy,ordream,orasawayofknowing.“Nightisthefairies’day,andthemoontheirsun”(8).Thissymbolicstructurematcheswiththeroleplayedbythesunandmooninmedievalalchemy.Inalchemicaltextsthesunisoftenrelatedtofireandsulphur,whilethemoonisconnectedtowaterandmercury.Mercury,seenasaliteralmetal,butevenmoreimportantlyasaprimalelementrepresentativeofwaterandearth,istheprincipleoffusibility,whilesulphur,seenasrepresentativeofairandfire,istheprincipleofcombustibility.Mercurygivespermanencetometals,whilesulphurcorruptsthem(Haage19).ThesunofPhantastesissymbolicallyappliedtoAnodosinordertobeginthealchemicalprocessthroughacombustibleprocessofputrefaction—afunctionofsulphur—whilebothwaterandthemoonelevatehimthroughcoagulation—afunctionofmercury. TheconnectionofthesuntotheindustrializedBritainofMacDonald’sdayrepresentsacritiquethatisclearlyinlinewiththeviewsofRomanticslikeColeridge,Shelley,andWordsworth,forallofwhomhe

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professeddeepadmiration.MacDonaldwentbeyondtheRomanticswithhispanentheistcosmologyhowever,ashisthoughtremainedprimarilytheological.Hisideaswereultimatelyaproductoftheministerwithoutpulpit,ratherthantheRomanticwriteroffairytales.5Totrulyunderstandtheshadowasasymbolofthedisenchantmentresultingfrommaterialism,weshouldlookpasttheRomanticsandfocusonMacDonald’sultimategoalforhumans.ItisimportantforhumanstoviewphenomenaaslivingsymbolssothattheywillbeawareoftheiressentialunitywithNature,andthusbegintoglimpsethefaceofGod.Thematerialistpathisthereforethepathawayfromunity,andforMacDonald,“OnenesswithGodisthesoletruthofhumanity.Lifepartedfromitscausativelifewouldbenolife;itwouldatbestbebutabarrackofcorruption,anoutpostofannihilation”(“IndividualDevelopment”57).MacDonaldhasoftenbeenaccusedofbeingvague,butheisveryclearonthispoint:adisenchantedstate,suchasthatsymbolizedbyAnodos’shadow,isdeath.

The Four Vices of the Shadow Inadditiontotheblacksun,Anodos’shadowisconnectedtothreeothersymboliccharactersinPhantastes,whorepresentfourvicesthatkeeptheselfinapermanentstateofdisenchantment.Thevicesoffear,greed,lust,andpridearerepresentedbytwoevildryadcharacters—theAshandtheAlder—andbytheshadow’sassumptionofAnodos’svainimageofhimselfasGalahad.MacDonaldleavescluesfortheshadow’sconnectiontoeachofthesecharacters,buttheyhavegenerallybeenmissedbypreviousscholarship.TheAsh,forexample,isusuallyinterpretedasamanifestationofAnodos’spsyche,anditsconnectionstofearandgreedareoftenobserved,butitsdirectcorrespondencetotheshadowhasnotbeennoted.However,theOgressinthedarkchurchwhereAnodosfindshisshadowtellshimthathehasalreadymetitintheforest(50).Indeed,whenAnodosmeetstheAshintheforest,weseethatitisalsoaprojectionofAnodos’sshadowself,ornigredostate.HeseestheshadowoftheAshontheground,butnowherebetweenthemoonthatcaststheshadow,andthegrounduponwhichitisprojected,canheseeitssource(21).Thereason,ofcourse,isthatAnodoshimselfiscastingtheshadow.TheAshisevendescribedintermsofashadowratherthanamaterialentity.WhenAnodosfirstmeetstheAshitisasa“shadowasofalargedistortedhand”passingovertheblindsofthewindowashereadsthestoryofSirPercivale(11).EvenwhentheAshmaterializes,itisas“thestrangestfigure;vague,shadowy,almosttransparentinthecentral

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parts,andgraduallydeepeninginsubstancetowardstheoutside”(21). ThepresenceoftheAshisbroughtonwhenAnodosbeginstofeelasensationoffear,whichheis“unabletoassociatewithanydefiniteobjectwhatever.”Thisfear,hesays,“Continuedanddeepened,untilallmypleasureintheshowsofvariouskindsthateverywherebetokenedthepresenceofthemerryfairiesvanishedbydegrees”(20).Thisfunctionoffearisexactlyparalleltothedisenchantingeffectoftheshadow.The“merryfairies”arethosethatliveinflowers,whichdiewithoutthepresenceoftheirrequisitefairy,andarethusdirectlyanalogoustothespiritaspectofmatter.TheAshisthusparalleltothemotifofthe“DwelleroftheThreshold,”developedbySirEdwardBulwer-LyttoninhisnovelZanoni,releasedsixyearsbeforePhantastes.Bulwer-Lytton’sDwellermanifestsitselfasaspectralfigurethatfrightenstheindividualfrompursuingpathstohigherknowledge.TheAshperformsthesamefunctionbyremovingknowledgeandawarenessoftheimmanentGodinNatureandintheself. The“mostawfulofthefeatures”oftheAsh,however,areitsvoraciouseyes.“Thesewerealive,yetnotwithlife.Theyseemedlightedupwithaninfinitegreed”(22).Thisgreedhastwoforms—possessionandlust.TheAshasasymbolofpossessioncanbeseenasanothercritiqueofindustrialBritain,asocietyobsessed,inMacDonald’sview,withobtainingknowledgeofNaturenottoperceivehigherrealities,buttopushtowardhumanacquisitionandtechnologicalprogress.Theshadowisalsodirectlyconnectedtogreed.ItappearseachtimeAnodosexperiencesadesiretogainempiricalknowledgeofanobjectthatheinitiallyexperienceswithasenseofchildlikewonderandmystery.AnexampleisAnodos’sencounterwithayoungmaidenwhopossessesacrystalglobethatAnodosisnotallowedtotouch—“Orifyoudo,itmustbeverygently.”WhenAnodostouchestheglobeitproducesmagnificentharmonies.ThesphericalshapeoftheobjectsuggeststhatitisdirectlysymbolicoftheearthandindirectlyofNatureitself.Anodos,however,isnotcontenttomerelyenjoythebeautyoftheglobeanditsharmonies.Hisdesiretopossessandempiricallyknowtheglobeleadshimtotryandstealitfromthemaiden.Intheprocessoftheattempt,themusicgrowsdiscordantandtheglobebeginstovibrateandheaveuntilitbursts.Ablackvapourbreaksfromit,asubstancesoblackthatitenvelopsthemaidenandmakeseventheshadowindiscernible.Againthenigredoofalchemyiscalledtomind.ThemaidenfleesfromAnodos,crying,“Myglobeisbroken!”MacDonaldhasherrepeatthecrymanytimes,nodoubttoaccentuatethesenseofviolationbroughtupontheinnocentmaidenbyAnodos’sforced

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disenchantment(54). Thesecondformofgreedconnectedtotheshadowislust.WhenAnodosisreadingthestoryofPercivale,theAsh’sshadowfallsacrossthewindowjustatthemomentthathereadsoftheknight’sseductionbythe“damoseloftheAldertree.”Atthispoint,heisunabletocontinuereading(11).TheAldertreeappearsshortlyafterinAnodos’ownstoryasapersonificationoflust—atwistedmockeryoftheBeechtree,whosymbolizespure,selflesslove.TheAlderensnaresAnodoswithherfalsebeautyandattemptstogivehimovertotheAsh.HerassociationastheAsh’shelper,inadditiontothefactthattheAshappearsinAnodos’sperceptionwhensheappearsonthepagesofPercivale’stale,deepenstheconnectionbetweenAlder,Ashandshadowasrepresentativeoflust. Theshadowhimselfmanifestsasthedoppelgängerknight,asymbolofAnodos’spride.WhenAnodossuccessfullyslaysagiant,hefeelsasurgeofprideandtheshadowarrivesinitsusualform—lyingblackupontheground.Later,whileridingthroughanenchantedforest,hethinksbackagainonthekillingofthegiantandcountshimself“amongstthegloriousknightsofold...sidebysidewithSirGalahad.”Themomentthethoughtappearsinhismind,theshadowmanifestsasadoppelgängerofAnodoshimself,exceptlarger,fiercer,andmalevolent.ThisshadowknightthenlocksAnodosinatower.Theinterestingpartofthisexperienceisthatthedoorofthetowerisnotactuallylocked,andeventhetower’sexistenceisamatterofperception.EachdaythesunpeaksthroughawindowneartheceilingandlightstheinsideofthetowerandAnodosisawareofhisshadowlyingbesidehim,“blackonthefloor.”Atnight,themooncomesoutandhebecomes“suddenlyawareofexistence.”Thewallsofthetowermeltaway:“Theopencountrylay,inthemoonlight,formilesandmilesaroundme.”Whenthesuncomesout,hebecomesawareagainofthewallsofthetoweraroundhim.“Everynighttheconvictionreturned,thatIwasfree.EverymorningIsatwretchedlydisconsolate.Atlength,whenthecourseofthemoonnolongerpermittedherbeamstotouchme,thenightwasdrearyastheday”(144-6).Thedichotomybetweenthesunlitviewofscientificrationalismandthemoonlitdreamseeingoftheinnereyeisclearlyillustratedinthisscene,asistheshadow’sdirectconnectiontothatsunlitmaterialistview.ChrisBrawleyfollowsRobertL.Wolffinseeingtheshadowofthetowersceneasdifferentfromearlierversionsoftheshadow,which,inWolff’sview,previouslyrepresented“theintellectualskepticismthatwitherstheimagination,laterrepresented“consciousnessofself,”andhasnowcometorepresentpride,

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“oramisconceptionofone’strueroleintheworld”(Qtd.inBrawley109).Astherelationoftheshadowtofear,greed,andlustshows,however,theshadow’srepresentationofprideissimplyanotherillustrationofacauseoftheseparationoftheselffromthedivinitythatisinnature.Thus,theshadowinitsAshformplaysthesamefunctionastheshadowmanifestedasthedoppelgängerknight. Allfourvicesrepresentaselfish,possessiveperspectivethatstandsinthewayofseeingNatureandtheselfasenchanted.Reiscomesclosetothisviewinconnectingtheshadowtolust,vanity,andfear,butultimatelycomestoamoralconclusion:“TheShadowrepresentstheguiltwhichcomesfromnotdoingone’sduty”(92-93).Thiswouldseemalogicalconclusion,giventheusualmoralassociationsofsuchvices,buttheshadow’sconnectiontothesevicesisfarmoremetaphysicallyimportantforMacDonaldthanamererepresentationofguilt.ForMacDonaldthefourvicesresultindisenchantment,anevilfarworsethanfailuretodoone’sduty.MacDonaldspeaksofthisin“ASketchofIndividualDevelopment”:

Taketheeternalthoughtfromtheheartofthings,nolongercananybeautybereal,nomorecanshape,motion,aspectofnaturehavesignificanceinitself,orsympathywithhumansoul.Atbestandmostthebeautyhethoughthesawwasbuttheprojectedperfectionofhisownbeing,andfromhimselfasthecrownandsummitofthings,thesoulofthemanshrinkswithhorror.(48)

TheshadowknightisnottheonlyvisionofhimselfasthemonstroussummitofthingsthatAnodosshrinksfrom.TheAshandAlderarealsomonstrousrepresentationsofAnodos’ownselfthatcometodominatehisviewandleadhimtofocusthoughtonhimselfratherthanthe“eternalthought.”

The Great Work Theconnectionbetweenthesefourvicesandthedisenchantmentoftheshadowfacesuswithalogicalquandary.MacDonaldbelievedthatnothingwasultimatelyevil:“Whatwecallevil,istheonlyandbestshape,which,forthepersonandhisconditionatthetime,couldbeassumedbythebestgood”(167).InMacDonald’stheology,allbeingseventuallymovetowardonenesswithGod.Wherethendoesthevice-taintedexperienceoftheshadowfit?Theanswermaysoundoddatfirst,butforMacDonaldtheexperienceoftheshadowisultimatelyapositiveone,justasthenigredoof

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thealchemists,thoughitrepresentsdeathandputrefaction,isapositivestageonajourneytowardultimateperfection. ItisimportanttoseeAnodos’sjourneythroughFairylandassymbolicofalchemicaltransmutation,astheclaimfortheshadowasapositivesymbolrestsonitsassociationwithspiritualregeneration.InordertoillustratethatPhantastesisanalchemicalfable,IwilllookbackoverthebasicplotprogressionofthenovelandtreatAnodosasthoughhewereabasemetal.Recallthatalchemistsoftensoughttotransmutebasemetalsinordertoproducethephilosopher’sstone,which,inthecaseoftheself-transformationsoughtbyalchemistswithmorespiritualgoals,symbolizesunificationwiththeDivine. Anodos’stransmutationbeginswithhisfirstexperienceofnigredoduringhisfear-strickenencounterwiththeAsh,whichrepresentsanexperienceofputrefactionbecauseofitsconnectiontotheshadow.FollowingtheAshencounter,heexperienceshisfirstcoagulation,or,inthelanguageofspiritualalchemy,hisfirstexperienceofillumination.LeavingthedryadoftheBeechtreeaftershehasrescuedhimfromtheAsh,Anodosdiscoversacaveinwhichthereis“alittlewelloftheclearestwater.”Hedrinksthiswaterandsays,“[I]feltasifIknewwhattheelixiroflifemustbe”(29).The“elixiroflife”isanalchemicaltermusedtodenoteasubstancethatgiveshealingorextendedlife.MacDonald’suseofanalchemicalterminthiscontextislikelynotaccidental.Havingdrunkenofthewater,Anodosisthrownintoa“deliciousreverie...duringwhichalllovelyforms,andcolours,andsoundsseemedtousemybrainasacommonhall,wheretheycouldcomeandgo,unbiddenandunexcused”(29).ThewaterallowsAnodos’simaginationtofunctioninanunconsciousmanner,freeoftherestrictionsofdisenchantment.Whileitdoesnotgivehimeternallife,itgiveshimconsciousnessofthedivineImagination,whichisbotheternalandlifegenerating.Water,aswehaveseen,iscommonlyrelatedtothesymbolsofthemoonandmercuryinthealchemicaltradition,thusreinforcingtheassociationofthiscleansingbathwiththealchemicalstageofcoagulation. Followingthisinitialprocessofpurification,however,Anodosisthrustbackintoputrefaction,thistimemorestronglythanbefore,whenhesuccumbstothetemptationsofferedbytheAlder/Lust.WhenhearrivesinthePalaceofFairyland,however,hegetsanotherchanceatcoagulation.Anodos’sentireexperienceinthepalacecanbereadasanexperienceofillumination—hespendsmostofhistimeinthelibrary,readingbooksasthoughhewerehimselfthemaincharacter:“Wasitahistory?Iwasthe

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chiefactortherein...Withafictionitwasthesame.Minewasthewholestory”(66).Thesereadingexperiencesindicateagreaterconnectednesswithallthingsthroughtheoperationoftheimagination.MacDonaldalsousesalchemicalimagerytolinkthepalaceitselfwithcoagulation.Anodosstatesthatinthepalace“silverseemedeverywherepreferredtogold”(63),animagethatreflectsthecommonalchemicalassociationofsilverwiththemoonandgoldwiththesun(Haage19).ThisisanotherexampleofMacDonaldprivilegingthedreamknowledgerepresentedbythemoonoverthematerialisticknowledgerepresentedbythesun.Thepalacealsocontainsa“fairybath,”inwhichAnodosswimseachday.Thehallinwhichthelargepoolofwaterisfoundis“spangledwithconstellationsofsilverstars.”Thepoolitselfappearsquitedeep,andisfilledwith“thepurest,mostliquidandradiantwater.”Inadditiontoemployingwatersymbolismtoconnectthepooltocoagulation,MacDonaldleavesahintofalchemicalcoloursymbolismtotiethepooltocoagulation,asthesidesofthepoolarepavedwithwhitemarble.Whileblackisthecolourofputrefaction,andredthecolourofsublimationinalchemy,white(andsometimesyellow)isthecolourofthetincturethatisaddedtothebasemetalafterputrefactiontoresultincoagulation. WhenAnodosdivesintothefountain,hesays,“Itclothedmeaswithanewsenseanditsobjectbothinone.”Hedescribestheexperienceintermsofaliquidenteringhim,justasatincturemightmixwiththepurifiedsubstanceofthebasemetalfollowingputrefaction:“Thewaterslaysoclosetome,theyseemedtoenterandrevivemyheart.”Whilelookingatthepoolfromabove,ithadseemedtoAnodostobepavedatthebottomwith“allkindsofrefulgentstones,ofeveryshapeandhue,”suggestingadeeperunitythatleadshimtosay,“Icameatlasttofeelasifnotonelittlepebblecouldbedisplaced,withoutinjuringtheeffectofthewhole.”Afterdivingin,however,Anodosseesthatthepooldoesnothaveabottom,indeedhecanseeformilesbeneaththewaterandfeelsthatwerehetocometothesurfacehewouldfindhimselfinthemiddleofagreatsea.Risingtothesurface,however,hefindshimselfinthesamefairybaththathehadentered(63-4).NotonlydoesAnodosthusexperienceatemporaryilluminationinwhichheisabletoseethegreaterrealityvisibleinthecorrespondentexternalappearanceofreality,heisalsopermanentlyabletoexperiencethe“penetralia”ofthe“outercourt”withhissenses.Thisheightenedawarenessishighlightedbyhisnewfoundabilitytoseetheformsoffairiesthathehadpreviouslyonlybeenabletosenseintuitively(64).

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WhileintheFairyPalace,AnodoscomesclosetoreachingsublimationwhenhewakestheMarbleLadyfromherpedestalthroughsong.TheMarbleLadycanbeseenassymbolicofabsolutebeauty,andAnodos’sloveforherassymbolicofRomanticLove.6AnalchemicalconnectionissuggestedbythecoloursymbolismofthehallinwhichhefindstheMarbleLady—hemustproceedthroughredcurtainsfromacentralchamberwithwhitepillarsandablackfloorandwalls.Beforehepeeksbehindthecurtainshesitsuponaredthronebesideawhitetableandfallsintoareverieof“imagesofbewilderingbeauty,whichpassedbeforemyinwardeye,”anexperiencehecomparestohisfirstexperienceofilluminationinthecave(93).However,oncemoreAnodosfailsthetestofselflessnessthathemustpasstogobeyondthestageofcoagulation.HeattemptstotouchandpossesstheMarbleLadyandshefleesfromhim.Heattemptstofollowher,butindoingsohepassesoutofthePalaceofFairylandintoadarkchasm,anunderworldinwhichhelivesoncemorethedisenchantedexperienceoftheshadow.Thistimethough,Anodosescapestheshadowbychoosingthepathofcoagulationandillumination.Hecomestotheedgeofagreyseaandthrowshimselfintothe“heavingabyss”(112).Bydoingsoheacceptsthedeathofhisselfishshadownature,choosingnolongertofearforhimself,lustforhimself,andclaimhisaccomplishmentsforhisown.Theputrefactionofhisselfishnatureissuccessful.AnodoschoosestoseehimselfinunitywithGodandnature,andashehitsthewaterheisilluminated:“Ablessing,likethekissofamother,seemedtoalightonmysoul”(112). Emergingfromthewater,AnodosalightsonagreenislandwherehemeetsaMotherNaturefigure,representativeoftheimmanentGod,livinginapyramidalcottageinthemiddleofagreatsea.Theoldwoman’sfaceis“olderthananycountenanceIhadeverlookedupon,”whilehereyesare“veryincarnationsofsoftlight”(115),areferencetothemoonlitdreamorsoulknowledgeofthehiddennatureofphenomenadiscussedabove.Anodos’sarrivalatthecottageisasortofhomecomingafterallhistravailsinFairyland:“Awondroussenseofrefugeandreposecameuponme.”Anodosisawareofthefeelingofpeaceandunityhefeelsinherembrace,butheisnotyetreadytoascendfromcoagulationtopermanentsublimationthroughknowledgeofhisonenesswithherandwithcreation.JustasinhisencounterswiththeBeechtreeandtheMarbleLady,AnodosdescendsawayfromsublimationbychoosingtoleaveMotherNatureonherisland.Beforehedepartsthroughoneofthefourdoorsinthefourwallsofhercottage,sheinstructshimtolookforarrowsofacertaincolourwheneverheisoutin

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theworldandseekstofindhiswaybacktoher.Thesearrowsareadeepredcolour,theredofthephilosopher’sstone,theredofsublimation. AnodosreturnstoanexistenceinwhichtheimmanentGodisoncemorehidden,andoncemoreexperiencesthereturnoftheshadowwiththerushofpridehefeelsafterkillingagiant.Theshadowmanifestsasthedoppelgängerknightandlockshiminatower.Intheend,Anodosescapesthetowerbysimplychoosingtoopenthedoor.Theonlylockkeepinghiminthetowerhadbeenhisfailuretoseetheworldandhimselfasenchanted.Byopeningthedoor,heoncemoremovesfromputrefactiontocoagulation.Thistime,however,hehasbecomepermanentlyabletoresistlapsingintohisshadowself.Hewillnotneedtoreturntothenigredostateinhisjourneytowardreunificationwiththedivine,buthedoesencounteritonemoretimenearthecloseofhisexperienceinFairyland.BeforeAnodoscanreachthefinalstageofsublimation,hemustkilltheselfishaspectthatstillliesdormantwithinhim.Thegreatbeastthathethrottlesontheplatform,surroundedbyamultitudeofitsworshippers,carriesseveralpotentialsymbolicmeanings,butitismostofallasymbolofAnodos’sshadowself.MacDonaldclearlydescribesAnodos’skillingofthebeastasaslayingofhisself:Anodosthrottlesthebeast,butasitdieshealsolosesconsciousness,thoughhecan“remembernoblow”(161). Nowthathehaskilledhisselfishself,Anodosachievestruesublimation,thestateofbeingequivalenttothephilosopher’sstone,whentheselfrealizesitsunitywithallthingsbyvirtueofitscreationinthedivineImagination.Lyinginhiscoffin,heperceiveshimselfasonewiththeeartharoundhim:“NowthatIlayinherbosom,thewholeearth,andeachofhermanybirths,wasasabodytome,atmywill.Iseemedtofeelthegreatheartofthemotherbeatingintomine,andfeedingmewithherownlife,herownessentialbeingandnature”(163).Thisawarenessofthecorrespondencebetweenthebodyoftheearthandhisownbody,oftheessenceoftheearthandhisownessence,istheendgoalofimaginativeseeing:“Theendofimaginationisharmony.Arightimagination,beingthereflexofthecreation,willfallinwiththedivineorderofthingsasthehighestformofitsownoperation…willbecontentalonewithgrowthtowardsthedivineidea,whichincludesallthatisbeautifulintheimperfectimaginationsofmen”(“Imagination”30).Unliketheexperiencesofputrefactionandcoagulation,thealchemicalimageryislimitedinthedescriptionofsublimation.However,afterAnodosachievescorrespondencebetweenhimselfandthewholeearth,heseesafeatherycloudinthesky,illuminatedbythe“rosy”beamsof

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thesettingsun.Afterthesunsets,thecloudremainsred,for“itcarrieditsrose-huewithin”(163).Thus,wedoseesomecolourconnectionstotheredthatrepresentssublimation.Moreimportant,however,istheclearthematicconnectionbetweenalchemicalsublimationandAnodos’sachievementofonenesswiththepanentheistGod.

Conclusion ThenameAnodosstemsfromtheGreekfor“thewayback”or“thewayup.”Theimportanceofthatnameinlightofthealchemicaljourneyback,orup,tounitywiththedivinecannowbeseen.Anon-alchemicalinterpretationoftheshadowhasresultedincriticsmissingthesignificanceofthisjourney,whichunitesthenovelasacohesivewholeratherthanthecollectionofscattereddreamscenesithasbeenaccusedofbeing.LikeallthesymbolsinPhantastes,theshadowisopentothemanypossibleinterpretationsofthereader’simagination.Interpretationsthatmissorpurposefullyavoidthealchemicalsymbolisminthenovelarethereforecertainlyvalid.However,thelonghistoryofinterpretingtheshadowasmerelyasymbolofdarknessornegativityinadualistictheodicyresultsinaninterpretationofthenovelthatlackstheallegoricaldepththatMacDonaldintended.Theshadowissymbolicofdisenchantment,representativeofastateofbeinginwhichtheselfseesphenomenaasdevoidofspiritualessence,eventhoughallcreatedmatterisinextricablyintertwinedwithspiritbyvirtueofitscreationbythedivineImagination.Theshadowfunctionsasthefirst,ultimatelypositivestageofthealchemicaltransmutationoftheself.MacDonald’sconnectionoftheshadowtothenigredoofalchemyplacesAnodosinaparadoxicalstateofbeinginwhichheisstrippedofhisknowledgeofthepanentheisticGodinorderthathemay,throughfurtherprocessesoftransmutation,becomemoretrulyawareofhim.

Endnotes1.ForareviewofoedipalreadingsoftheAshtree,seeGray880.ThearticleprovidesareviewofmuchoftheFreudianandJungiananalysisthathasbeenappliedtoPhantastes.2.Gunther,sidingwithJohnDocherty,seesPhantastesascarefullystructured.3.MacDonald’stheoryofimaginationwasinfluencedbytheGermanandEnglishRomantics,particularlybySamuelTaylorColeridge’sideasofprimaryandsecondaryimagination.SeeColeridge9.5-17.4.ForacautiousapproachtotheinfluenceofBoehmeonMacDonald,seeNelson24-36.

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5.Beforebeginninghiswritingcareer,MacDonaldwasdismissedfromhispositionaspastorofacongregationalistchurchatArundel,England.6.SeeBrawley’s“TheIdealandtheShadow”foranexcellentillustrationoftheconnectionoftheMarbleLadytoRomanticLove.

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