Spirits in Bondage differs from more widely read Lewis works in that he does not yet write from a Christian worldview. The poems are meant to be read in order (thus,
A Cycle of Lyrics) so that the themes can develop and present themselves to the reader properly. Although not an
atheist, Lewis takes the stance of an
agnostic with a pessimistic outlook on
religion and
God. A central theme to his poetry, which led him to choose the title
Spirits in Bondage, is his early belief that God had instilled deep desires in Man that could not be attained, and that Man would think he were reaching his goal only to be ultimately bitterly disappointed. Lewis also takes an attitude toward
nature not typical of his later works. In
Spirits in Bondage nature is cruel and hard, deceptive and not to be trusted, although Lewis does admire her in several of the poems. Also notable are Lewis's references to both
mythology and the war atmosphere in which he had lived. Kirkpatrick noted that Lewis, his most brilliant student, had read more
classics than any other boy he knew. In a few scattered poems Lewis draws a picture of the war front for the audience; indeed, "Death in Battle" was published in the
Reveille periodical. ==Sources==