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JournalofReligionandPopularCulture
Volume21(2):Summer2009
“LoveintheClouds”:BarbaraCartland’sReligiousRomances
RobertW.Rix
UniversityofCopenhagenNjalsgade130
DK-2300CopenhagenK
Abstract
BarbaraCartlandhasbecomeabywordforpulpfiction,theepitomeofpopularculturelacking
progressivepurposeanddeepermeaning.ItiswellknownthatCartlandwrotesentimental
romances,buttheextenttowhichthesewerewrittenagainstthebackdropofaspiritualframeworkwiththeintentofpropagatinga“religionoflove”islittlerealized.Thisarticlediscusseshow
Cartlandrepresentsromanticloveasameanstoaccessingan“absolutereality”transcending
ordinaryexperience.Focusingonhernovel LoveintheCloudsasacasestudy,Iwillexaminehow
Cartlandusedthepopularromancegenreasaplatformforaspiritualawakeningofherreaders.Herideasandinfluenceswillbecontextualizedwithinthetraditionofreligiousromancewriting.
[1]BarbaraCartland(1901–2000),DameofHatfield,soldoveronebillioncopiesworldwideofher
723booktitles,whichhavebeentranslatedinto36languages.The“QueenofRomance,”assheis
stillreferredto,earnedaplaceintheGuinnessBookofRecordsasoneofthetop-sellingauthorsof
alltime.Intheyearsbeforeherdeath,Cartland’soutputwasregularlyovertwentybooksayear.In
additiontothis,nolessthan160novelsleftunpublishedarecurrentlybeingmadeavailabletothe
publicinaseriesentitledthePinkCollection.1Therelativelysparsecriticismavailableon
Cartland’sproductionhasfocussedmainlyonthe politicalunconsciousitpropagates.Ithasbeen
argued,forexample,thathernovelsprescribetraditionalgenderrolesforsuccessfulmatrimonyand
persuadewomentostriveforacceptancewithintheboundsofpatriarchalsociety. 2Thepresent
articledoesnotsetouttochallengethis;insteaditwillshifttheattentiontowhatCartlandherself
sawas“falseconsciousness”andthemeanstoexpungeit.WhenCartlandandreligionare
mentioned,itisusuallywithafocusonheroutspokennessforabstinencebeforemarriage(atotem
inherwriting).Certainly,Cartland’sromancesarepiousandexpressatraditionalistversionof
Christianity.Iwill,however,introduceanotherperspectiveonthereligiousdimensioninherbooks
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byexamininghowtheyalsospeakwithmysticalandtranscendentalaccentsofromanceasameans
tospiritualenlightenment.Tofocustheanalysis,her239thnovel, LoveintheClouds(1979),is
chosenasacase-study.Ifthisappearstobepickedsomewhatatrandom,itwillsoonbecomeclear
thatittypifiesCartland’sproductioninseveralrespects.Inthesecondpartofthearticle,the
findingsoftheanalysiswillberelatedtotheliteraryhistoryofreligiousromance,aswellasto
currenttrendsinthebookmarket.Cartlandcanbeseenasthemostsuccessfulexampleofhow
religiouscommitmentadaptsitselftothedemandsofpopularculture.
[2]OneofCartland’sbiographersaptlydescribedherasa“crusaderinpink”(Cloud1979),in
referencetothemarketingofherself,onthedust-jacketofherbooks,dressedinlavishpinkchiffon
ballgownsandherquesttowinoverthepublictohermessageoflove.Infact,Cartlandaimed,at
alltimes,toeducateherreadersintoabetterunderstandingofloveastheultimaterealizationof
humanexistence.Basedonthenotionof utileetdulce,orwhatshecalled“entertainmentswitha
message,”shewantedtoachievethisthroughthemediumofaffordablestraight-to-paperback
romances.Inhermanynovels,Cartlandpromotedwhatshereferredtoasa“religionoflove,”a
conceptsheexplainedasatheo-philosophicalconceptinhermanynon-fictionalbooks.Themyth
thatCartlandcultivatedinhernovelswasthatwearesavedfromourmaterial-physicalprisonby
love.Ifthispurposehasgenerallybeenoverlookedbycritics,statementsfromherlargefanbase
showthatthiswasnotignored.3
[3]Cartlandmadeherdebutin1923withthenovel Jigsaw,asocietythrillerwithamoderatesplash
ofnaughtiness.Bythe1930s,however,shebeganincorporatingaspiritualdimensioninherfiction.
AkeynotioninCartland’sromanticuniverseistheideaofthe“LifeForce.”Thisisdescribedinher
firstbook-lengthaccountofherphilosophy,thepsycho-religiousstudy TouchtheStars:AClueto
Happiness(1935).Cartlandhereexplains“LifeForce”asthatwhichupholdsthehumanspiritand
bringsmenandwomentoarealizationoftheirinnerselves.The“LifeForce”infusesromanticlove
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withdivinityandbringstheindividualintounitywithahigherprinciple.Sheexpandedand
elaboratedherideasinanumberofmind-body-and-spiritbooksand“inspirational”autobiographies,
suchas Love,LifeandSex(1957), ISearchforRainbows(1969), ISeektheMiraculous(1977),
BookofLoveandLovers(1978)and EtiquetteforLoveandRomance(1984).Thecontentsofthese
booksareevidenceofCartland’sinterestinreligiousexploration,rangingfromyogicphilosophy,
“focussedenergy,”transcendentalism,paranormalphenomenaandtheoccult.Inthe
autobiographical ISeektheMiraculous,sheclarifiedthatheraimwastodescribeanexperienceof
lovespirituallymorepowerfulthanphysicaldesire.Withthenotionof“LifeForce”asherbedrock,
Cartlandclaimedtowritespiritualizedromanceswhichprovidedasenseoforderanddestinyto
chaoticexistence.Shebelievedthatthosewho“giveoutlovebecomeonewiththewholeliving,
breathingforceoftheuniverseandGod”(qtd.inEckstein-Soule1997,77).But,despiteher
flirtationswiththisvarietyofreligiousandspiritualtraditions,includingthesupernatural,
Cartland’sromancesarefirmlyplacedwithinareligiousframework,towhichshebelievedtheother
philosophieswerecompatible.ForCartland,theChristianvaluesandromanticlovewere
intrinsicallyconnected.Forexample,theheroinesinherbooksareoftenfoundtakingtimeoutfor
prayerwhenfacedwitheventsofgreatimportancetotheirpersonallives.Thisconnectionalso
founditswayintoinherbookofprayer TheLightofLove:AThoughtforEveryDay(1979).
[4]ThetitlesofmanyCartlandbooksvividlyportraytheideaofloveaspartofanascendancetoa
divinerealmofconsciousness.Examplesarelegionandinclude LoversinParadise(1978), Journey
toParadise(1979)and RidingtotheMoon(1983).Ascendancewasalsothefoundationstonein
Cartland’sdiscussionsofromanceasaphenomenon.In TowardstheStars(Cartland1975,239),
loveisdescribedas“anecstasysowonderful,sogloriousandsospiritualthatitwasnotofthis
world.”Anothersuchexampleis LoveintheClouds.Ontheverylastpageofthisnovel,theheroine
hasdiscoveredalovethatis“bothhumananddivine”;itis“thecelestiallovethatbothmenandthe
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godsthemselvessought”(Cartland1979,160;henceforth, LC ).Cartland’snovelsconsistently
representloveastranscendinghistoricalselfhoodandactingasacatalystfortheemergenceintoa
stateofpureconsciousness.Wefindthelovers’rapturesdescribedastranscendentstatesofbeing.
Attheendofonenovel,theyaredescribedashaving“touchedthedivine”(Cartland1978,187),or
wemayfindtheheroinespeakingtoherlover:“Ilove…youandeverythingyoudo…willbe
perfectand…alsodivine”(Cartland1982,135).Intheseraptures,theheroineissuspendedfrom
theworldoftemporalityandbecomesattunedtotheeternalrhythmsofthecosmos.Again,inthe
conclusionto LoveandLinda,loveisfiguredasamysticalunificationwiththecosmos:“itwasasif
hegavemeallthemostwonderful,beautifulthingsintheworld—thesun,themoon,thestars,the
sea,theflowers.TheywereallthereandIwaspartofthem”(Cartland1976,211).Theloversare
divestedoftheirtemporalbodiesandassumetherolesoftheuniversalmaleandfemale.For
example,in DollarsfortheDuke,theloversarecarried“onthewavesofecstasyintothestarlitsky,
andtheyknewthatnothingmatteredexceptthatasmanandwomantheywereonenowandthrough
alleternity”(Cartland1982,1:127).
[5]AnimportantplankinCartland’sromancesistheideathatmenandwomenwillbespiritually
reborntoamoreauthenticselfthroughlove.Fortheheroines,findingloveisamomentous,life-
changingevent.AttheendofCartland’s LoveandLinda,forexample,theeponymousheroine
acknowledges:“IknownowthatloveisdivineandcomesfromGodandwhileit’sthemost
thrilling,rapturoussensationonecouldeverimagine,italsomakesmewanttobegood”(Cartland
1976,220).Thehero’schangeisanevenmoreessentialrequirementfortheplot.Themale
characters(oftenwomanizers)undergoamoralreformationoftheirformerwickedways,astheyare
savedbylove.Withoutthelightoftrue,divineandholylove,themaleispreytotheworkingsof
Satan.Theconversionthatthemaleprotagonistmustgothroughiscouchedinalanguagerichwith
religioussymbolism.Thisisreflectedinthetitlesofseveralnovels: AHalofortheDevil(1974),
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DevilinLove(1975), LuciferandtheAngel(1980),TheDevilDefeated (1986), LoveStrikesaDevil
(1992)etc.Inthesecased,thereisaplayonthecommonuseoftheword“devil”forarascal,butthe
allegoryofloveasacastingoutdemonsandabandoningalifeoftemptationisneverlostoutof
sight.
[6]InaninterviewwithTheGuardiannewspaper’s“Women’sPage”in1977,Cartlandexpounded
thepersonalviewthatmennotonlyhavesuperiorbodiesbutthattheyarealsointellectually
superior.Evenmoresignificantly,thelifestylesofmeninevitablygivethemmore“experience.”In
comparison,womanisguidedbyemotion;herinstinctsremainingdormantuntilawakenedbythe
man’s“experience.”Incourtship,thebalanceisredressed,becausetherethemaleisinferiorin
mattersoftheheart.Heiscontrolledbythephysicalanddrivenbylust:“allmenarecavemenand
philanderersatheart”(qtd.inBrunt1984,140–1).Onlythemysteriouspurityofwomancan
transformhimintoadoptingabetterlife,whichisinharmonywiththeLifeForce.
[7]Aspiritualawakeningforboththemaleandthefemaleprotagonistisalsothedénouement in
Cartland’s LoveintheClouds.Sincethisnovelwillserveasacasestudy,abriefsummarymaybe
inorder.ThenovelbeginsinlateVictorianEnglandof1895.ThedistinguishedSanskritprofessor
BernardWardellsuffersaheartattackandispreventedfromtravellingtoNepaltosearchforan
ancientSanskrittext.Thisisthe Lotus Manuscript ,saidtobe“fullofbeautiful,inspiringthoughts,
whichcouldstimulateandraisethemindsofthosewhounderstoodthemtowardsthestars”( LC 22).
ThismanuscriptwasreputedlywrittenbyoneofBuddha’sdisciples,containingundisclosed
materialontheBuddha.Theprofessorisinfinancialstraitsanddesperatelyneedsthemoneythat
theacquisitionofthesacredmanuscriptwillearnhim.Therefore,hereluctantlysendshisdaughter,
Chandra,inhisplace.InIndia,Chandrameetsupwithherfather’soldconnectionLordFrome,a
notoriouswomanhater.AlthoughLordFromeisinitiallyscepticalofChandra’sabilitiesasa
scholar,heneverthelessagreestoaccompanyher.Theirtravelsleadthemtoamonasteryinthe
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Nepalesemountains.Whiletheyaresearchingthroughthelibrarythere,alamainterruptsthemand
leadsthemtoasecretroom,wheretheyaregivenpermissiontoseethe LotusManuscript .
Unfortunately,theyarenotallowedtoreaditnortakeitwiththem,since—thelamaexplainsto
them—theworldisnotreadyyettoreceivethedivinetruthsitcontains.However,theydodiscover
another,albeitminor,manuscript,entitledTheSongof theCelestialSou1.Thismanuscriptalso
promisesfinancialgaintoChandra’sfather.Evenso,thearduousjourneyanditsultimatefailure
helpbringChandraandLordFromeclosertogether;asinallofCartland’snovels,theplotgradually
buildstoitspredeterminedresolution:LordFromeproposingmarriage.
[8]Cartland’sresearchintoOrientalspiritualityisapparentintheplotof LoveintheClouds.The
fictional LotusManuscript callstomindthe LotusSutra,oneofthemostinfluentialBuddhisttexts
fromEastAsia.TheextensiveMahayanascripture,writteninSanskrit,wasrecognizedforcenturies
ascontainingthesummitoftheBuddhaShakyamuni’steachingaboutsupremeenlightenmentand
theuniversalsalvationofalllivingbeings.Theequallyfictional SongoftheCelestialSoulrecalls
SirEdwinArnold’sEnglishtranslationofthemuchadmiredHinduspiritualtextthe BhagavadGita,
whichwaspublishedasTheSongCelestialin1895—theyearinwhich LoveintheCloudstakes
place.
[9]Asalientfeatureof LoveintheCloudsistheconvergenceofitstwomainnarrativelines:the
searchforthesacred LotusManuscript andtheprotagonist’sdiscoveryoflove.Shouldthereader
misstheconnection,itisbluntlypointedoutthatChandra’sromanceis“directlylinkedtothe
wonderoftheLotusManuscript”( LC 143).Theinabilitytofinallyprocurethemanuscriptis
compensatedforbythespirituallovethatshefindswithLordFrome.Towardstheendofthenovel,
Chandragaspsincelebrationofacompletedquest:“Thisislove…loveasIalwaysknewitwould
beifIcouldeverfindit”( LC 143).ForLordFrome,thesimilaritybetweenthesacredSanskrittexts
andthemysteryofloveismadeevenmoreexplicit.ALamatellshimthat,thoughhecannottake
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[11]IthasalreadybeennotedthatmanyofCartland’splotswerecastinthemoldofChristian
conversionnarratives.Theheroine’sforemostquestistowinovertheherofromastateof
corruptiontoalifeoflove.Themalewhorefusestoseethemysticaltruthofloveisnegatingthe
divine.OftenthemaleprotagonistinCartland’sfictionhasformerlybeenapredatorinrelationships
devoidofanyspiritualdimension.LordFromeisnoexception.Heisthetypologyofalostsoul,
broughttoenlightenmentbytheheroine’sspiritualqualities.Forexample,hetellsChandrathathe
usedtowritelovelettersin“theByronisticvein…thatwereimmaturelypassionate”( LC 148).The
definitionofabad andessentiallyimmoralheroisimportantfortheplot.RogerSaleshasargued
thatallCartland’ssuburbanaristocratsaremodelledontheByronicmyth,andthatitisacondition
ofthenovelsthattheymustrejecttheirpredatoryandunspiritedamorousness(Sales1999,166–83).
In LoveintheClouds,LordFrome’s“conversion”isanalogizedwiththediscoveryofreligious
truth.OnceromanticallyinvolvedwithChandra,heisabletospeakinavoiceakintothebeautiful
verseoftheSanskritmanuscript.Inthefinalresolutionofthenovel,wearetoldthat“everything
thatwaspoeticandidealisticinhisnaturehadcometothesurface,andheexpressedhimselfin
wordsthatattimesseemedlikeTheSongoftheCelestialSoul”( LC 154).Thelovers’final
unificationisillustratedinthemetaphorofthepoetplayinghislyre:Chandra“hadonlytolookat
him[LordFrome]tofeelthateverynerveinherbodyvibratedtohimlikeamusicalinstrument( LC
152).Cartlandoftenusedmusicastheauthenticmeansofcommunicationofalovesublime,for
example:“Thentherewasonlythemusicoftheangelsandtheblindinglightofeternallove”
(Cartland1994,469).
[12]SinceCartlandconsistentlyallocatesaspecializedcategoryoflanguagetoexpresslove,itis
usefultobrieflyfocusonthestylisticpropertiesofhertexts.Cartlandsignalstoherreadersthatthe
climaxofromanceisreachedthroughswitchingfromnovelisticprosestyletoafiguralmodeof
language.Indescribingheightenedmomentsoflove,oftentriggeredbyakiss,aprofoundly
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metaphoriclanguagereplacesstraightforwardsignification.Wefindalanguagebrimmingwith
similesandmetaphoriccomparisons(“like,”“asif”and“asthough”),makingitpossibletocompare
theworldlyrealmwithonebelievedtoexistbeyondmaterialandtemporalboundaries.Arelated
characteristicofCartland’swritingistherecurrentdescriptionofanupwardmovementindicating
spiritualtranscendence.Forinstance,akisscarriesChandra“tothetopofthesnow-covered
mountainsandwe…lefttheworld…behind”( LC 153).InLoveforSale,thefemaleprotagonist
receivesakissthat“carriedherupintothestarsthatwerenowshiningintheskyoutside”(Cartland
1980,161).InthelastlinesofTowardstheStars,theheroine:“surrenderedherselftotheecstasy
andraptureofloveandhecarriedhertowardthestars”(Cartland1975,167).Thisisoftenrelatedto
anexperienceofcosmicunity;in MusicfromtheHeart ,theheroinefeelsasiftheherois“carrying
heruptothestarlitsky…wheretherewasonlythelovewhichcamefromthelifepulsatingwithin
them”(1982:2,155).Typographically,Cartland’secstaticlovescenesaremarkedbyanextensive
useofdotspunctuatingthelines,asitcanbeseenfromtheseexamples.Thisindicatesthathuman
languagecannolongersuffice.TheloveChandrafeelsin LoveintheCloudsisdescribedasa“wild
rapturethatwasinexpressible”( LC 143),andshecanonlyspeak“incoherently,”because
“happinessmadeithardtospeak”( LC 160).Thisrepresentationofloveresonateswiththenotionof
religious“transport”ascharacterizedby“incommunicableness,”aphenomenonwhichWilliam
Jamesdefinedas“thekeynoteofallmysticism”(James1902).
[14]Theintensemomentsofromantictransporttranscendtemporalandspatialorder.Hence,these
passagesoftenfailtointegratewiththenovelisticprose.Thewayinwhichtheymaysimultaneously
breakwiththeotherwisenarrativeformofthenovelandstandoutagainsttheworldofphysical
lawsandmortalitycanbeseeninthefollowingexample:
Thenhewaskissingheragain…untilshefeltasthoughtheywere…highinthe
skyenvelopedwiththelightoflove…
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......
Itwasaverylongday’sjourneywhenLordFromeandChandrarodethroughthe
valleywheremalariawasprevalent( LC 151;dotsandparagraphbreakinthe
original).
Thisisajarringtransition.Thesuspensionofthephysicallawsgoverninghumanscontrastsstarkly
withtheNepalesevalleyfilledwithailingmortalbodies,signallingthefundamentaldifference
betweentwomodesofexistence.ItmayremindusoftheaccountinMatthew17whereJesusand
threedisciplescomeofftheMountainofTransfigurationandstraightdowntothevalleywherethey
aremetwithallsortsofdiseases.Tofurtherhighlightthis,Cartlandreversesthemetaphorical
geography,fromupwardstodownwardsmovement.Nonetheless,theintegrationofthedivineinthe
physicalworldistheforegoneconclusioninCartland’sbooks.Thediscoveryoftranscendentallove
ismeanttoopenupthedoorsofperceptiontoanewdimensionofthemundaneworld.Hence,
towardstheendof LoveintheClouds,Chandracancelebratethat“theflowers[arenow]more
beautiful,theorchidsmoreprofuse,”asupersensibiltyshe“hadbeenlackingyesterday”( LC 155).
[15]Onthebackgroundoftheaboveanalysis,Iamnowabletodiscusshowlinksbetweenromance
andmysticismhavebeenexploredinabroadercontext.OneobviousplacetostartiswithGeorge
Bataille,whooftenfocussedonextremestatesofconsciousnessinhiswriting.Pertinenttothe
presentdiscussion,Bataillepointedto“staggeringsimilarities”betweentherhetoricofhigherlove
andmysticism(1977,246–9).HeemphasizedthesensualrhetoricofafemalemysticsuchasTeresa
ofAvila,butotherexamplescanbefoundinthewritingsofJulianofNorwich,Hildegardof
Bingen,MargeryKempeandthelonglineofwomenmysticstowhichtheybelong.InCartland’s
novels,therevelationofahigherexistencethroughlovecan,attimes,beseentomodelitselfonthe
rhetoricusedbyfemalemystics,whodescribeGod’slovepenetratingtheheart.Totakeanexample
from LoveintheClouds:Chandrafeels“thesensationshe[LordFrome]arousedinherrunning
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thoughherlikeshaftsofsunlight”( LC 150).Cartlandmayintendnodirectreference,buther
metaphorisrhetoricallyveryclosetoTeresaofAvila’sfamousvisionofamaleangelwithafire-
tippedlancepiercingherheart.5
[16]Cartland’srhetoricneednot,however,relyonscholarlyreadingtoworkforherreaders(rather
onewouldexpectittobedetrimental).ThereasonwhyCartland’sscenesofmysticalunitycanfind
aplacewithinthepopularromancegenreisthattheycanbeseentotapafountofcommon
experience.Inanempiricalstudy,RalphW.HoodandJamesR.Hallexamined“theconsistent
utilizationoferoticandsexualphrasesinbothWesternandEasterntraditionstocharacterizethe
mysticalexperience.”Intervieweesrevealedthatmysticalexperienceswerefrequentlyelicitedin
connectionwithintenseamorousand/oreroticfeelings(HoodandHall1980).Infact,ithasbeen
dulynotedbyseveralcriticsthatrepresentationsofthemysticalareoftenincorporatedintopopular
romancenovels.RosalynnVoaden,forinstance,convincinglycomparedmodernromancefiction
withtheeroticvisionsofmedievalwomenmystics(1995,78).JayDixon,inabookonMills&
Boon(thelong-standingmarketleaderinromancepublishing),examineshowromanticloveis
“oftendescribedusinglanguageevocativeoftheChristianideologyofdivinelove.”Shefurnishes
heranalysiswithexamplesfromearlier,aswellasmorerecentromances(1998,182).Ingeneral,
thecosmiconenessofmanandwoman,asperceivedbythemystic,isnow“afamiliarconceptthat
haswounditswayintopopularromance”(Zetter1999,116).In LoveintheClouds,Chandra
declarestoLordFrome:“youaretheotherpartofme,thepartwhichhasalwaysbeenmissing”( LC
150).Hernovelsenactare-symbolisationoftheunificationthemeoftenfoundinspiritualliterature.
[17]Intheabovediscussion,IhaveemphasizedthemysticalelementsinCartland’sreligious
novels,butitshouldnotbeignoredthattheyatalltimesfallbackontraditionalChristianvalues.
Thereisnosexbeforemarriageandphysicaleroticismisshunned.Inthisrespect,theysharean
ideologyincommonwithwhathasbeentermed“evangelical”or“inspirational”romance.This
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segmentofthemarketisgrowing.OneexampleistheToronto-basedHarlequinEnterprises,a
marketleaderinromancepublishingandwomen’sfiction,whichhaspublishedaseriesof
paperbacks,entitled LoveInspired.Thesearebilledas“heartwarmingnovels,”which“feature
inspirationalstorieswithacommitmenttostrongfamilyvaluesandhighmoralstandards.”6
Zondervan,asubsidiaryofHarperCollinsPublishersandoneofthelargestChristianpublishing
companiesintheworld,hashadgreatsuccesswithitsevangelicalromancesintheSerenadeSaga
series.DeseretBook(aUtahcorporationownedbyTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints)
andCovenantCommunications(anindependentMormonpublisher)areexamplesofpublishing
housescateringforspecificdenominationalreadershipswiththeirseriesofromanticnovels.
Cartland’snovelsmaypresentheroineswhoareexplicitlyChristian,andmaybegiventopraying,
buttheChristianityshepresentsinhernovelsisecumenicalandprimarilyintuitive,neveralienating
“freethinking”audiences.
[18]Inarecentstudy,LynnS.Nealexaminedthemarketfor“evangelical”romances.Herresearch
revealedthattheauthorsofthesebooksexplicitlyspokeoftheirrepresentationsofmale-female
relationshipsasanalogoustothe“romance”betweenbelieverandGod(2006,172).Thisisan
approachalsodiscernableinCartland’sbooks,andonethatisreflectedin LoveintheClouds
throughthekeymetaphorofloveasanexegesisofasacredtext.Neal’sstudyalsoshowedthat
readersprizedinspirationalromancesforconfirmingareligiouswayoflifeagainstthegeneral
corruptionandpromiscuityofmodernsociety(Lynn2006,76;cf.Barret2003).Cartlandspokeof
hermissionasthe“restorationofmen’sandwomen’smoreauthenticselves,undistortedbythe
currentsofthepresent(qtd.inBrunt1984,143).ButwhereasmanyofthenewbreedofChristian
romancewritersdealspecificallywithproblemsofbecomingaChristianandobservingformalized
religion,suchthemesarenotcentraltoCartland’snovels.Sheremainedscepticalof
institutionalizedreligion,believingformalworshiphadlostitsmessageinemptyritual(Cloud
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1979,66).Faithwasalwaysadeepercommitmentuntroubledbydoctrinalconcerns.Asinthemore
recent“evangelical”novel,Cartland’snovelscontainanimplicitcritiqueofmodernsociety.Many
oftheChristiantraditionalistvaluespropoundedinthenewevangelicalromancestallywith
Cartland’spromotionofVictorian-orEdwardian-periodideologyinhernovels.7
[19]Cartland’sinspirationfromnovelistssuchasJaneAusten,theBrontës,GeorgeEliotandother
olderwritersisevident.Theseauthors,eachintheirownway,showedsignsofthedevelopment
describedbyRobertM.Polhemus,whostudiedhowromancenovelscreatedanewsiteforre-
constitutingcommunityandmoralvalues,alongwithmodesofpsychologicalgratification.Thishad
oncebeentheexclusivedomainofreligioussensibilitybutwascompromisedbyanincreasingly
rationalmodernity.Putmoresimply,traditionalreligioncametobesubstitutedbyagospelof
romanticlove.Theromancenovelmadeheadwayinpopularculturebybecoming“ameansfor
imaginingformsoffaiththatwouldaugmentorsubstitutefororthodoxreligiousvisions”(Polhemus
1990,4).Cartlandtookaspecificinterestinnovels,publishedinthelateVictorianperiodandthe
earlytwentiethcentury,whichhadaspecificmystical-religiousdimension.Intheremainderofthis
article,Iwilldiscussanumberoftheseauthorsinacomparativeperspective.
[19] LoveintheClouds,astoryofasearchforEasternwisdominthemountainousregionsof
Nepal,waspublishedtheyearafterCartlandstartedherLibraryofAncientWisdomseriesin1978.
Inhercapacityaseditor,Cartlandsoughttoestablishacanonofolderromanticnovels,whichspoke
withareligiousandmoralpurpose.TheAncientWisdomseriesbroughtoutotherauthors’storiesof
loveinantiquity,ortheEast.TheseriesincludedanumberofolderworksbyTalbortMundy
(1879–1940)andLilyAdamsBeck(d.1931),towhichCartlandwroteforewords.Boththese
writersaretodayassociatedwiththeriseoftheosophy.AmongBeck’stitlesintheserieswasThe
GardenofVision(orig.publ.1933),whichisaboutanEnglishwomanwhoforsakesthematerialism
ofherhomecountrytoseekthepathtowisdomandspiritualenlightenmentinJapan.Anotherbook
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washerromanceTheHouseofFulfilment:TheRomanceofaSoul(orig.1927),whichdealswith
thespeculativeHindumysticismoftheUpanishadsandtheunveilingofthesecretsofimmortality
inasecludedsanctuaryinKashmir.Thissettingandthemebringuscloseto LoveintheClouds.
Indianmythandreligionhaveanobviousattractionfortheromancewriter.Theemphasisoncosmic
unitybetweenmaleandfemaleprinciplesandplacing Kama(desire,affection,love)asoneofthe
four purusarthas,orgoalsoflifehavemadethejuxtapositionofreligionandlovelessdramatic(see
Sternberger1998,90–1).
[20]OtherprominentinfluencesonCartlandwereMarieCorelli(1855–1924),FlorenceBarclay
(1862–1920),ElinorGlyn(1864–1943),and,mostsignificantly,EthelM.Dell(1881–1939).
Despitethesuccessofthesewritersintheirtime,theyareonlycursorilymentionedinPamela
Regis’s(2003)usefulstudyofthehistoryoftheromancegenre .8Thecentralfemalequestin
Corelli’ssupernaturalromances ARomanceofTwoWorlds(1886), Ardath(1889),TheSoulof
Lilith(1892), Ziska:TheProblemoftheWickedSoul(1896),andTheLifeEverlasting(1911)centre
onthespiritualunionwithamasculinecounterpartthroughasortofmysticalrecognition.Thereisa
constanttensionbetweenindependentfemaleself-discoveryandspiritualunionwiththemale
(Federico2000,132).AsinCartland’snovels,formalmarriagemaybealogicalandimportant
conclusion,butthespiritualexperienceofloveisforegrounded.Corelli’sideal,accordingtoher
1901essay“SovranWoman,”isthatmanandwomanare“twohalvesofaperfectwhole”.The
appealtothePlatonicideaofsoulmates,exploredintheSymposium,isobvioushere(Kuehn2006,
228).Aswehaveseen,Cartlandentertainssimilarideasofdivineunityofmanandwomanas
sunderedhalves.
[21]Inbiographiesandinterviews,CartlandspecificallypointedtoEthelM.Dellasamain
influenceonherwriting.AlthoughDellnevervisitedIndia,manyofhernovelstakeplacethere
(Dell1977).Dellsimilarlywrotehighlydramaticlove-storiesunderpinnedbyareligioussensibility.
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Wanderer.”Here,theheroinemustpassthroughthe“TheValleyofHumiliation”(chap.21)and
climb“TheMountainSide”(chap.24)toreach“TheMountainTop”(chap.27),leadingto“The
SeventhHeaven”(chap.29),Dell’sromantictranslationofChristianParadise.Withoutquitethe
sameallegoricalheavy-handedness,CartlandoftenrecastthenarrativeoftheChristianquestasa
romanticjourneyinbothgeographicalandspiritualspace,whichwouldtesttheheroandheroine.
[23]CartlandpublishedacondensedversionofDell’s BarsofIron(1916)in1978.Thetitleofthis
bookisexplainedtothereaderbythecitationDellplacesbeforethetext:“Hehathbrokenthegates
ofbrass:Andsmittenthebarsofironinsunder”(Psalm107,KingJamesVersion).Inthelast
chapterofthebook,thehero,Piers(Plowman?),andtheheroine,Jeannie,findthemselves“upon
holyground.”Thisisaheightenedstateofconsciousness,fromwhichJeannie“gazedoutasone
raptindelight,gazingfromamountain-peakuponawiderviewthanearthlyeyescouldcompass.”
SheturnstoPiersanduttersinalowvoiceinwhich“throbbedarapturethatcouldnotbeutteredin
words”:“IsawHeavenopened...”ThisleadsusbacktothesecondcitationwithwhichDellhad
introducedthebook:“Isawheavenopened”(Revelation19:11).Aswehaveseeninouranalysisof
Cartland’sfiction,herromanceswerealsoexplicitlymetaphorizedasdiscoveriesofaspiritual
paradise.Intheintensityofthetranscendentmomentsofunity,theloverscanberemadeasthe
prelapsarianAdamandEve.Forexample,in LoveintheClouds,thetwoloverscanfeelasif“they
ateambrosiaanddranknectarandtheworldinwhichtheysatneareachotherwasagolden,
dreamlikeplaceofunbelievablebeauty”( LC 153).
[24]Cartland’snovelspromotedconservativeChristianvalues.Inthisrespect,theychimewith
morerecentdevelopmentsinthemarketfor“evangelicalromances”.However,Cartlanddiffers
frommanyofthe“evangelical”offeringsonthemarkettodayinherconsistentrepresentationof
romanceasamysticalecstasy.Forthis,shedrewinspirationfromanumberofOriental,
theosophicalandocculttraditions,whichsheexplainedinseveralnon-fictionalbooks.Inherfiction,
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thehigherecstaticloveischaracterizedbystylizedpassages,whichruptureandstandoutfromthe
steadyprogressoftheprosenarrative.Cartlandnovelsusedthesametemplateas“secular”
romances,emphasizingthemoralconversionofthecharacters;butthiswaswithinareligious
framework,theresultbeinganewspirituality.Thereisatraditionofusingtheromancenovelasa
vehicleforpreachingreligioussentiment,whichCartlandrevivedasaneditorrepublishing“classic”
examplesfromaroundtheturnofthecentury—herowninfluences.Cartlandexpandedandre-
developedthisform,effectivelydown-marketingitforanevenwideraudience,tofinallysettleona
formulathatcametoformthebasisofherwriting.
[25]Despiteherenormouspopularityworldwide,Cartlandhasbeenleftoutofsurveysand
discussionsofreligiousromance.Itispossiblethathernearlyiconicstatusastheepitomeofclichéd
banalityhasgotinthewayofcriticstakingseriouslythespiritual-religiousdimensionofherwork.
UmbertoEco,inhisdiscussionofpostmodernism’sthreattotheoriginalself,summarizesa
commonconception:“Ithinkofthepostmodernattitudeasthatofamanwholovesavery
cultivatedwomanandknowshecannotsaytoher,‘Iloveyoumadly’becauseheknowsthatshe
knows(andthatsheknowsthatheknows)thatthesewordshavealreadybeenwrittenbyBarbara
Cartland”(Eco1993,227).However,Cartlandneverthoughtitidletoreiteratehermessagethat
lovewasauniqueandoriginalexperience.Sheherselfwouldseethesentence“Iloveyoumadly”as
ameanstoescapetheworldlybanalitywhichEcobelievedthreatenedlifeinthepostmodern
condition.LordFromefindsanescapefromclichédByronicimitation,aswehaveseen,tofinda
lovewhichexpressesitselfasarepetitionofwhatisancient,eternalandauthenticallydivine.
Notes
1Thesearedistributedviaawebsite( www.barbaracartland.com),whichoperatesasabookclub.2 For such an analysis, see, for instance,M.V.Doyle’s study ofCartland’snovels,based onErnestG.Bormann’sfantasythemeanalysis(Doyle1985).
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3Inresponsetothenewsofherdeath,Cartland’sromanceswerepraisedbyherreaders,whoexpressed
theirappreciationofthe“spiritualaspectsoflove—theaspectsthatsustainuswhenourbodiesbeginto
fail” (Testimony from anAmericanwoman reader, posted on the BBC Talking Point website, “YourMemoriesofBarbara”:<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/758082.stm>,May26,2000).Tostudy
romances in terms of readers’ response is a traditional approach to the genre, and the statements here
suggestthatthereismuchtobedoneonreaders’responsetothereligiousaspectofCartland’snovels.4Foradiscussionofmysticalexegesisanditsgenderedmetaphors,seeWolfson2005.5Cartlandusesasimilarformulationonp.152.Sheusesthemetaphoragaininthetitleofher1981novel A
ShaftofSunlight .6See<http://www.eharlequin.com>.7Judgingfromherchoiceofsettings,the1920sseemtobethelasthistoricalperiodinwhichheravowedly
conservativeoutlookonlove,sexandmatrimonycouldpassasrealistic.8SomewhatfullertreatmentisgiveninCadogan,1994,seeesp.52–4,77–81.
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