The Bellis concerned primarily with the dark conflict between sex and religion. To what extent is this true and how important is this conflict to the novel as a whole?

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The Bell is concerned primarily with the dark conflict between sex and religion.

To what extent is this true and how important is this conflict to the novel as a whole?

Throughout Iris Murdoch’s novel, ‘The Bell’ we are constantly being presented with conflicts, many of which relate to the discord between sex and religion which have been opposed to each other since the dawn of creation when Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation in the Garden of Eden. This conflict has particularly dark tendencies and acts as a destructive force for several characters, namely Catherine, Michael and Nick. Despite this being the primary theme of the novel we are also presented with a number of conflicts of a different nature.

The main conflict of the novel is that existing between sex and religion, as embodied by Catherine and Michael. Michael is constantly confronted by the issue of his sexuality and how it affects his religion. He is always striving to live a good life and he believes that entering into the priesthood would allow him to achieve this. However he is prevented from fulfilling this wish by his homosexuality which goes completely against the Church’s teaching. Michael believes that to live a good life,

 “One should have a conception of one’s capacities … study carefully how best to use such strength as one has”.

In initiating relationships with firstly Nick and then subsequently with Toby, Michael is clearly failing to do this. He is aware of his sexual tendencies and knows that they are viewed as improper but fails to take measures to prevent them from overpowering him. Michael admits to this failing in Chapter 16,

 “Michael was aware now … that it had been a great mistake to see Toby … the clasp of hands, had had an intensity, and indeed delightfulness, which he had not foreseen – or had not cared to foresee.”

Michael seems to take pleasure in the feeling of guilt which these forbidden relationships cause in him. When he is confronted by James Tayper Pace, following Toby’s confession of what had taken place between them, he is quite willing to take all the blame for the whole situation,

 “The real blame belongs to me. By sending Toby away you’ve made him feel like a criminal.”

It is as though Michael wants James to blame him. He feeds off guilt; the constant cycle of guilt, redemption and then further guilt. Nick’s arrival at Imber Court acts as a further reminder of his sins and at the conclusion of the novel when Nick has killed himself, Michael is left with a permanent reminder of his actions as he becomes responsible for Catherine.

Despite all the guilt, Michael feels that his love of God and his love of Nick “come from the same source”. The moments in which he claims to feel closest to God are ironically found with Nick and Toby. Of Michael’s feelings over his initial contact with Toby the narrator comments that,

 “He had felt his heart heel over in tenderness for the boy, and had been sure that such a spring of feeling could not be wholly evil.”

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However, Michael is unable to reconcile his homosexuality with his religion and is tormented by it constantly. Nick’s death destroys his faith in God and causes him to question whether he had ever really believed at all. He is ridden with guilt over his failure to give Nick the redemption he was looking for. He made desperate cries for help but Michael was too concerned with trying to lead a ‘good life’ to notice. The one good thing he could have done was to be true to Nick, however he fails to realise this until it is too late. Although ...

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