THE DEVILS OF LOUDON by Aldous Huxley
I’m not sure how I came across this book, but the blurb on Amazon was enough to have me seek out a non-fiction book written in 1952. Huxley takes on the strange case of possession of eighteen nuns in the small French village of Loudon in 1632. The village priest is a lothario who makes the wrong enemies and is burned at the stake for it. The book combines The Exorcist with the hysteria of the Salem witch trials.
Father Urbain Grandier was undoubtedly a scoundrel who seduced many village women, eventually impregnating a well-respected merchant’s daughter. He quickly makes powerful enemies including the famous Cardinal Richelieu. When all legal attempts to hold Grandier accountable fail, the locals bide their time. Soon on the scene is the young Sister Jeanne who has authority as prioress over seventeen impressionable Ursuline nuns. Jeanne has come to the Church by default rather than any spiritual calling. Hearing stories about the handsome, bad-boy Grandier, she develops elaborate romantic fantasies.
Urbain Grandier
When her attempts to get the Father to act as confessor for the nuns fails, she is more than a little disappointed. With encouragement from some of Grandier’s enemies, it’s not long before the nuns are displaying signs of demonic possession. Grandier thinks he’s safe because he has never been in the convent. Not so! God isn’t the only one who works in mysterious ways. Exorcists are brought in and the nuns perfect their techniques and the hysteria gains momentum. Eventually, all of France learn about the diabolical happenings at Loudon as the nuns are exorcized before public gatherings (which becomes very profitable for the convent). Although many in the Church don’t think Father Grandier is in league with the devil, he is put on trial, found guilty, and publicly burned.
Evidence against Grandier at trial, 1634. A signed, diabolical pact written backwards.
Unfortunately for the nuns (well, maybe not), the devil is not sent packing with Grandier’s death. With traditional exorcism failing, a Jesuit priest arrives with a new idea. Instead of casting out the demons, he will work with the prioress eliminating her sins and making her a model of Christian virtue where the devil cannot hold sway. Unlike Grandier, Father Surin is sincere in his calling. With a strong mystical bent, Surin believes all the phenomena manifesting in the convent is the work of the devil and he fully believes he can take Satan on.
What Surin doesn’t know is that the prioress has been putting on a show all along and that she has no desire to give up the attention she has garnered. Instead, she takes up the quest to be holy by starting to act as if she were the next St. Theresa of Avila (a noted mystic who Jeanne had studied before coming to Loudon). Now instead of contorting her body on the floor and screaming obscenities, Jeanne begins to create miracles. The transition of demoniac to saint happens as Father Surin physically takes on the demons Jeanne sheds. The prioress eventually bears the stigmata of holy names on her arm and produces a chemise bearing holy drops of scent. Poor Father Surin’s health declines and he goes mad. The Prioress takes to the road exhibiting her miracles in front of thousands as she travels through France. She meets Cardinal Richelieu, and the King and Queen of France. The holy chemise is even draped over the Queen’s abdomen during the birth of Louis XIV. After that, Jeanne returns to the convent and lives out her life. Father Surin struggles for years believing that God has condemned him to hell. Late in life, he regains some lucidity and is able to write and preach again.
Louis XIV by Charles Le Brun, 1661
Written in the 1950s, the book isn’t the easiest of reads. There are long digressions on side topics and discussions of the mystical the average reader would be unfamiliar with. Strangely enough, there are long passages and poetry in French which are not translated. However, quotes in Latin are so you can get a glimpse of the rituals performed. Huxley was convinced that this story is as pertinent today as it was at the time it happened. Those human frailties that made Loudon possible are still with us. Lust, greed, revenge, self-centeredness, and the quest for power remain modern vices.
This week’s moment of synchronicity: a new article connecting Huxley’s work to modern mass hysteria events (especially in girls & young women).
ellisnelson 
Have had this on the shelf for a while. Need to read it! Thanks for this.
LikeLike
I know the feeling. My to be read pile grows & grows. Too many books, so little time.
LikeLike
I loved his book “Brave New World,” and now I’m kicking myself for not even thinking hey, maybe he wrote other books that might be worth reading. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Check out Island too, it’s great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent review. I haven’t read the book but I did study the Ken Russell movie for my work on witches in film. Extraordinary stuff. And very relevant for today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You might like this: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/29/carol-morley-the-falling-mass-hysteria-is-a-powerful-group-activity
LikeLike
What an incredible article. I watched the trailer and couldn’t believe someone calls the girls witches! I hope “The Falling” comes to Australia. I would love to see it. Thank you so much for the link. It has given me so much to think about.
LikeLike
You’re welcome. I stumbled on the article right after reading your comment, so it’s my case of synchronicity for the week!
LikeLike
Thanks for the review. As you say, very relevant. I have been reading Huxley’s biography and seeing his very perceptive interest in the battle between dark and light that goes on within the human mind. I think Huxley made great contributions to the momentum of spiritual thinking within the West. Thanks for sharing your insights on this book.
LikeLike
Aldous Huxley’s book ‘Island’ was one of my big early influences. No spoilers, but I did consider the long, long philosophical passages when I started writing. My characters have a lot to explain, but a writer can become over-enamored of the academic side. Also, Anita Loos, the screenwriter, was a friend of Huxley, as I read in one of her autobiographies.
LikeLike
I haven’t read Island yet. It is difficult for writers today to connect with audiences whose attention span is geared to Twitter. I don’t have the luxury with teens to do everything I’d like to. Oftentimes I just have to hint or give a glimpse of something.
LikeLike
Think I’ll have to look for this also. Unfortunate though, that the book won’t be as easy to read as this damn fine review!
LikeLike
Thanks, Ray!
LikeLike
Also made into a controversial Ken Russell movie, “The Devils,” in 1971.
LikeLike
Interesting. I did see it has been performed on stage. There were parts of the book that made me wonder how Hollywood would handle some parts. For instance, exorcists of the time often performed enemas and that outdoes the pea soup of Linda Blair.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The movie did indeed have problems, and had to be cut several times to go from an X to an R rating here in the U.S.
LikeLike
I guess the absolute power of being a Prioress corrupted absolutely. Given how women were treated at that time, I can readily imagine how they must have enjoyed being the center of attention and performing for the public.
LikeLike
It also brought in a lot of money eliminating the need for the sisters to teach the daughters of local aristocrats.
LikeLike
Fascinating! Those who play God and those who succumb to the tempter, “the prince of the power of the air”. As long as humanity continues, there will be stories like this one. Because we are human, and are born into sin nature. It’s not even a choice. Our only choice is Jesus.
This would be interesting to read. Your review was very well writ! Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing this one. I’ll have to find it!
LikeLike
Seems it has always been about power, control, and eliminating those who are different and/or uncooperative. As it was then, so it is now.
LikeLike