Jirel Meets Magic by C. L. Moore

 

First appeared in Farnsworth Wright's Weird Tales. Reprinted by Lin Carter, Pamela Sargent, Eric Pendragon, Robert H. Boyer, Kenneth J. Zahorski, Michael Parry, Sean Richards, Tom Shippey.

Jirel pursues the wizard Giraud into his own castle; however, his bloody footprints lead to a window and disappear.

Commentary (with Spoilers)

Jirel follows the tracks to find his sorceress mate who seems to be protecting him in this other realm--a woman who disappears and reappears with the sound of a door. In an attempt to save a wood nymph, Jirel is handed the key to destroying the sorceress who rules this realm.

Strangely, republishing this story did not take off until thirty-six years after its first publication, selected for various sword-and-sorcery publications, which was the hay day for that type of fiction, one feminist, and one major fiction anthology (about sixty years later). 

This is a powerful work, cinching the strings of the novel or collection together. What's strange was the belated editorial focus on the tale's strengths. It truly sells the collection as being what James Cawthorn and Michael Moorcock one of "The 100 Best Books [of Fantasy]."

In "Black God's Kiss" and "Black God's Shadow", we have a journey into the subconscious (perhaps one's own or some supernatural dark that undergirds our existence). Here, though, we journey into the mind of another as can be seen by the unseen doors. Jirel must see through the illusions presented by another. What appears to be outdoors is indoors. The interiors of many homes often mimic the verdant exteriors--plants, flowers, colors and wildlife. Here it is literal, confusing not only where one is, but also where one is in another 's house. "Jirel's whole world turned inside out about her." This seems be an illusion confusing Jirel's mind--one of several she must overcome to reach her goal. Piercing the illusion seems to be the goal. It can't be too much of a stretch to consider art--written or otherwise--as a creation of another kind of illusion, which may need to pierced as well.

It's fascinating that her armor or "mail" (a homonym signifying Guillaume since she decided not to love again after him?) make her "impregnable to the men" (mentioned twice). Much of the first few pages could be an allusion to what occurred in the earlier tales--her love for Guillaume protecting from the desires of other men. Does it belong here? Only as part of a longer work and perhaps thematically. Giraud's crime is also not fully clear; however, he does abandon one mistress to reach out for another, meaning his attachment is not strong.

What her eyes being yellow means (due to blood-lust) is unclear. Are the irises yellow (do they change or was it hyperbole)? Or are the sclera yellow, due to blood, bile, or liver failure? Is it the blood of herself of others that creates the color change? It is probably best to think of the blood in multiple senses--from menstruation (a blood-letting unique to her gender), to death, to what brings oxygen to remain alive. If it's the sclera, it might be a subtle undermining of the character. Or is it the flaw that makes it perfect?

Black God's Shadow by C. L. Moore

 First appeared in Farnsworth Wright's Weird Tales. A direct sequel to "Black God's Kiss."

Jirel hears Guillaume's voice calling to her, both beckoning and calling her his "murderess." She returns to the underworld or the dark dimension beneath the dungeons of Joiry to find the lost, tormented soul, for whom she holds complicated feelings. 

Commentary (with Spoilers)

Jirel articulates her guilt. Perhaps Moore seems to be exploring Jirel's strange feelings toward the conqueror she realized too late that she'd come to love. After following the voice across the lands, she discovers the black stone god who'd been tormenting him with visions of Jirel.

Not only does Moore get a chance to explain Jirel, but also the writing improves.

Religion returns. The surface world might be governed by something akin to Christianity while beneath the dungeons (the subconscious?) lurks a darker, more primal religion (underworld? hell? or an existence beneath our conscious selves?). Verifying the subconscious interpretation is the way the underworld unfolds in a dream- or nightmare-like manner. Using a variant of Taoism, Jirel concludes that Guillaume must have had goodness to complement the evil.

When she frees his shadow, she is expunged of her guilt (eternally damning Guillaume due perhaps to her neglecting to allow him to repent).

At one point, she names Guillaume as a lover, which raises a host of questions. Does this suggest forced love? Or is this just a label for one who loves? The former seems unlikely given her attitude toward Guillaume, but perhaps her feelings are truly complicated.

If written today, these might have difficulty finding a publisher, or if published, they might have created a negative stir--despite their feminist attitudes--due to her complex feelings toward her conqueror, but perhaps later generations, more interested in art than politics, will see her more as a complex character than a mirror of or opposition to one's political ideals.

The terms "Shadow" and "Kiss" from the titles could equally belong to Guillaume and the Black God [not a reference to melanin, as far as I can tell ], perhaps conflating them, or playing with Guillaume's elevated stature in her world, and this journey is one within her own self, liberating her sense of love, liberty and guilt. 

It's not completely clear the final allusion to Philippians 4. Is it the self who brought the peace? Or is it another? Or has it come via the self's act through another because it was ordained by a supernatural other?

Black God's Kiss by C. L. Moore

First appeared in Farnsworth Wright's Weird Tales. Reprinted by L. Sprague de Camp, Martin H. Greenberg, Robert Silverberg, Jessica Yates, David G. Hartwell, Jacob Weisman, Lisa Yaszek, Mark Finn, Chris Gruber, Jeffrey Shanks.

Jirel of Joiry is the commander of Joiry's army--arms trussed and taken before Guillaume, the conquering enemy. He is surprised to find his fierce opponent is actually a wild, red-haired woman. Admiring her beauty, he steals a kiss but is rebuffed. He smacks her to the ground and has her taken to a cell.

Commentary (with Spoilers)

Jirel escapes and ventures into a dark land where she steals a kiss from a black stone god to deliver to Guillaume.

The darkness is either an escape from evocative writing, or a self-imposed limitation to force the narrative into interesting directions--just as "Shambleau" takes place in just one room. There are a few inspired moments--such as walking the bridge, and the opening and closing.

Speaking of Shambleau, this tale serves as a kind of parallel or opposite to that earlier (arguably stronger) tale. They seem to invite comparison.

What's fascinating here, though, is Jirel's regret. The opening does not necessarily suggest attraction, but the ending does, even as she delivers her death blow with a kiss. This complication makes it fascinating. Perhaps violence is, for this character, foreplay.

That is not the only complication. She carries a crucifix, yet she carries another god or demon within to kill the enemy she now has new feelings about.

Discussion of the sequel will appear here.