Out of the Silent Planet: Chapter 19 Summary & Analysis

When the hrossa party comes closer, Ransom sees that they are carrying three long bundles and guarding two creatures. The two creatures look strangely short and thick to Ransom, until Ransom realizes with a sick feeling that the creatures are humans: Weston and Devine. Ransom sees that the long bundles are the bodies of dead hrossa. The leader of the hrossa party approaches Oyarsa and explains that the humans killed two of their hrossa in fear while the hrossa tried to capture them, but killed Hyoi in cold blood, causing the hrossa much grief.

Oyarsa asks Weston and Devine why they have killed hnau. Weston and Devine look around, unable to see any hint of Oyarsa. They mutter in English that one of the creatures assembled is using ventriloquism to pretend to be some tribal god. Weston approaches an elderly hross who has closed his eyes in a small nap, then yells in the hross’s face that the humans are not afraid of their tricks and idols. Weston’s hrossan language skills are very poor, and he looks idiotic to the audience of Malacandrians, and to Ransom.

Oyarsa speaks again, asking Weston why he has killed a hnau. Weston continues to direct his answers to the sleeping elderly hross, saying that the humans are powerful enough to kill anyone they wish and dangling a gold necklace in front of the hross guards as a bribe to set him free. Ransom is disgusted to hear how primitive and stupid his fellow humans sound. The audience of Malacandrians begins to laugh, scaring Weston with their loud cries. When the laughter dies down, Weston tries again to offer the necklace to the hross, sparking another round of laughter as Weston jerks and dances around in confusion.

Unable to take the humiliation of humanity any longer, Ransom tells Weston to stop. Weston ignores Ransom, whispering to Devine about the possibility of giving the necklace directly to the sleeping hross, who Weston has decided is a witch doctor. Weston drapes the necklace over the sleeping hross’s head. Oyarsa asks Ransom quietly if his fellow humans are out of their minds with fear, and Ransom explains that his countrymen believe that the Malacandrians are like young cubs, able to be frightened and pleased with shiny objects.

Ransom explains to Weston in English that there is no witch-doctor, and the voice they are hearing comes from a real being that humans cannot see. Ransom tries to get Weston to treat Oyarsa with respect, but Weston believes that Ransom has been brainwashed by the Malacandrians. Weston yells in his broken hrossan language at the sleeping hross, trying to blame Ransom for the death of Hyoi. The sleeping hross finally wakes, regarding Weston with confusion, then bows to Oyarsa and walks out of the assembly. Weston is astounded when Oyarsa speaks again, now that the hross he believed had been speaking is gone.

Oyarsa sees that Weston will not be convinced through calm conversation, and directs one of the pfifltrigg to take Weston to a guest house and bathe him in cold water until Weston is more cooperative. Weston screams at Ransom for help as he is dragged away by the pfifltrigg and a few hrossa guards. Oyarsa ignores this, turning to give proper reverence to the dead hrossa at his feet.

The hrossa in the stone circle all begin to sing, and Ransom is finally able to appreciate the strange hrossan music. He feels the presence of heaven and is deeply moved by the hrossa’s song of eternal sorrow, healing, and the better world to which their fallen friends are traveling. Oyarsa calls forward a pfifltrigg to “scatter” the dead bodies of the three hrossa. The pfifltrigg touches the bodies with an unknown object, causing a blinding light and a strong wind. When Ransom can see again, the hrossa bodies are gone. Devine chuckles that murderers on Earth would love to dispose of bodies so easily, and Ransom ignores him as Weston is brought back.