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In The Time of the Angels, Iris Murdoch crafts a dark exploration of morality and spirituality set against the backdrop of a bleak London rectory. This novel unfolds in post-war Britain and centers on the enigmatic Reverend Carel Fisher, a nihilistic Anglican priest who has moved to a bombed-out church in London with his daughter, Muriel, and his niece, Elizabeth. The novel delves into complex and sometimes disturbing themes, including the nature of goodness, the collapse of faith, and the allure of power.
Carel Fisher’s character embodies existential despair and moral ambiguity. Detached from the Christian beliefs he ostensibly represents, Carel espouses a nihilistic view of the world that has no place for traditional concepts of God or morality. His philosophical stance is deeply unsettling, influencing those around him, especially Elizabeth, whose life becomes entwined with his dark worldview. Murdoch’s choice to center the novel around a clergyman who denies God highlights her interest in the nuances of belief and the paradox of faith in an age of increasing secularism. Through Carel’s character, she questions the very foundations of religious identity and the inherent contradictions that can emerge when the title of religious authority is unmoored from any genuine belief.
Elizabeth’s role in the story is essential in revealing the emotional toll of living under Carel’s influence. Isolated and confused, she becomes a vessel for exploring the limits of human resilience and the consequences of moral erosion. Her growing attachment to her uncle leads her into a world of psychological entrapment, as she grapples with the disturbing realization that the man she lives with may not only lack faith but also basic human compassion. Her experience underlines the vulnerability of those who are caught in the wake of someone’s moral descent, making Elizabeth’s psychological journey emblematic of Murdoch’s larger meditation on dependency and autonomy.
In contrast to Carel, Marcus Fisher, his brother, represents a different kind of intellectualism that is rational and analytical but no less conflicted. Marcus's role as a philosopher who seeks understanding stands in stark contrast to Carel's rejection of traditional ethical structures, positioning him as a character caught between admiration for and revulsion toward his brother. His search for meaning and clarity, often through discussion with his daughter, Leo, serves as a counterbalance to Carel’s darkness, highlighting the varied ways in which individuals grapple with the collapse of spiritual certainty.
One of the novel's most striking aspects is its atmosphere. Murdoch uses the bleak London setting to reflect the isolation and despair that pervade the lives of her characters. The bombed-out church and Carel’s grim lodgings symbolize the disillusionment and fractured moral landscape of post-war society. This setting becomes an externalization of the characters’ inner struggles, creating a hauntingly claustrophobic environment that traps them both physically and spiritually. The fog and cold of London further reinforce this tone, creating a sense of foreboding and entrapment that lingers throughout the novel.
Murdoch’s treatment of nihilism in The Time of the Angels challenges readers to confront uncomfortable questions about moral responsibility and the nature of evil. Through Carel’s influence over Elizabeth and Marcus, Murdoch illustrates how a single person’s descent into moral darkness can create ripples that profoundly affect others. Rather than portraying evil as a force to be defeated, she presents it as an insidious influence that seeps into relationships, quietly warping them until they become something entirely different. This perspective aligns with Murdoch’s broader philosophical view that good and evil are complex, intertwined forces, resisting simple categorization.