Throughout Elizabeth’s long writing career, Easter is the time of year that receives the least attention. The minor Saints days with their muted chords and colours and the bells and joy of Christmas appear frequently. But the central tenant of the Christian faith she lived her life by, appears only twice.
Right at the beginning of her career, she wrote a short story entitled The Easter Bunny, in which one of her major themes appeared , that of the redemption and joy of the world that children can bring to the jaded lives of the adults around them. This was a subject she returned to again and again.
Later, towards the end of her life she wrote a poem Easter in the Ward. It concerned a dark time of pain and fear for her, as she had been hospitalised for an operation on her leg.
One of my most treasured possessions is a letter written by the author, Rosemary Sutcliffe to Elizabeth commiserating with her on her illness and wishing her a speedy recovery.
But none of her adult novels takes on Easter. In City of Bells, we learn of Felicity’s aunts dress code and how she takes on differing colours for the church festivals, but very little else.
In her Diary of Prayer, the Easter section starts with a poem by the 13th century Welsh poet and mystic, David ap Gwilym and celebrates a mass conducted by all the birds in a remote Welsh valley, not people in a church.
“My spirit was lapped in ecstasy: each word,
Word after word, thrilled through me like a deep
Rich music of a dream: not wholly asleep
Nor all awake was I, but, as it were
Tranced somewhere between one state and another,
All heavy thoughts that through the long day smother
Man’s heart and soul with weariness and care
Were gone, and in their place reigned pure delight”
It seems to me that the central core of her faith was too vast and mysteriously precious to Elizabeth to include in her works of fiction. A mystery that each must come to on their own terms, in their own way.
All of her works are about the redemption of her characters, they are all reborn in differing ways. But the tenant of Easter was never something she could trivialise, a part of her faith that was deeply personal. I think she saw life as a pilgrimage, a journey of the soul reaching for the love and understanding of God. The gift of Easter for her was the sacrifice made for the world’s redemption on the cross.
Wishing all of you the Peace and Joy of Easter.
Thank you so much for this shining post. I am just getting our Easter bumper mailings ready for the post office, so this is very timely. All the best, Elin
Elizabeth did also write about the first Easter Day in her work on Jesus of course, in God So Loved the World. It’s such a moving scene she paints! As part of the Oxford movement, she definitely did focus more on the incarnation at Christmas as being a key to our faith, especially since it was a balance to the Presbyterian ideas of atonement. I adore her poem Easter in the Ward as it shows her esteem for black people in Ida’s bring the Holy Spirit with her into the darkness of the hospital. Happy Easter!
I think she was a mystic. the deep spiritual willingness of her characters to rise to the occasions of their life with Love for God as their guiding light, s so inspiring. I wish any of her books were available as audio books, now that it is harder for me to read. blessings, Janet
I think you resolve the question well. Elizabeth’s work does reflect a special Anglican delight in the Incarnation of God in Christ – the initiation of the Divine rescue plan.
But her theme of redemption and human transformation is rooted in Christ’s Easter victory over sin and death.
All deepest Easter blessings,
Fr. Ken, Tucson, AZ
thank you so much for your article.
I am reminded of the vision that comes to the old vicar, Mr. Penny and then to the Dean in The Dean’s Watch—a vision of the celestial city. Perhaps not an Easter story, but full of its radiance. And I love that they are so drawn to it—but then the Dean reminds Mr. Penny, “you are needed at home.” Such a simple way to say we live here on earth with glimmers of the life to come, and we have work to do before we go there.
There is the story THE TWO CAVES from THE LOST ANGEL, a wonderful two-page tale.
Yes, I was thinking of The Two Caves.
It has more impact for me than almost anything else I’ve ever read about Easter.
and the way she connects the first and last cave… So powerful.
I’ll have to look up Oxford movement now 🙂
Thank you for this post. So enjoy it and the comments.
Thank you so much for these insights, Deborah Gaudin, Julie, Janet, Fr. Ken, and Tamara.
A lovely article and insightful comments from others above.
After the children (and now grandchildren) have broken up from school, and with a little less resultant ‘rush’, I think of this Holy Week as a good time for catching up on a little peace and contemplation as we travel towards Easter
One of the first Elizabeth Goudge books I read was ‘Island Magic’ ~ I was 15, loved it, still have that same copy ~ and have never yet managed to get to Guernsey! I will point out, however, that after all has turned out well, problems have been sorted and life ahead for the du Frocqs appears to be looking up, the book ends:
“Why!” said Peronelle suddenly, “we’d all forgotten ~ it’s Easter Day”.
Well rembered!
Thank you, Deborah, for sharing this of faith and hope from your knowledge of Elizabeth’s writings.
I especially loved the ending of the poem by David ap Gwilym: […] weariness and care
Were gone, and in their place reigned pure delight!”
Much appreciation for maintaining this space to remember Elizabeth.
Bonjour, c’est avec un grand bonheur que je reçois vos articles en français!
Depuis quelques mois je traduis, en me servant de google traduction, la biographie d’Elizabeth par Christine Rawlins. J’approche de la 200 ième page. C’est un long travail mais je ne le regrette pas. C’est sûrement très mal traduit mais l’essentiel c’est que j’apprends quantité de choses que j’ignorais et qui me passionnent.
Elizabeth Goudge m’accompagne depuis mon enfance et j’ai réuni presque tous ses ouvrages. Certains ne sont malheureusement pas traduits en français.
Quand tout va mal, et c’est le cas en ce moment, c’est vers son oeuvre que je me tourne, pour y puiser courage et réconfort. Souvent je lui parle, espérant qu’elle m’entend. Qui sait?
Avec toute mon amitié.
Bonjour, quelle plaisir d’entendre une voix francaise ici! Moi je fais la meme chose, je tourne vers Elizabeth comme je tourne autrefois a ma mere pour la remercier et causer un peu… comme vous disez, qui sait? Avec grand amitie et cameraderie.
Merci!!
Que plaisir pour moi que votre réponse en français!
La vie est très dure pour moi ces temps-ci, et je me réfère souvent à Elizabeth qui n’a pas non plus été épargnée par les épreuves..Je parle aussi à ma mère et à d’autres personnes chères .
Portez-vous bien !
Avec mon amitié.
Georgine.
Listening to the birds this Easter morning and thinking of the lovely David ap Gwilym poem quoted above. Happy Easter to you.
Day-before-Easter morning, I mean!