Flesh Made Word: Spiritual Transformation in the Wilderness in Lorette Nobécourt's En nous la vie des morts

Abstract

En nous la vie des morts is the story of a spiritual transformation. The article analyses the steps necessary for the main character, Nortatem, to progress from a state of despondency, depression, and darkness to that of enlightened being. It focuses on the role that the wilderness, silence, and contemplation of Nature play in his metamorphosis, and examines how his progress is both driven and mirrored by his reading of a collection of stories, also entitled En nous la vie des morts, each tale relating to a stage in his spiritual journey. To make sense of the complex imagery and ideas Nobécourt incorporates into the portrayal of this journey, reference is made to a variety of religious texts, in particular Le Livre des secrets and The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, two works which Nobécourt deemed important for her own spiritual awakening. Although Nature's healing powers are evident throughout the inner tales, Nortatem's final transfiguration comes about only when he understands that he is Metatron, the celestial scribe. References to the Bible and Jewish mysticism help to elucidate his recognition of the power of the Word, and to explain the role that numbers, and reading and writing, play in his spiritual development, a development which may be seen as a reflection not only of Nobécourt's own transformation, but also potentially of ours as readers of her text.