The Sandcastle: 'investiture of freedom' in Levinas and disciplined freedom in Murdoch

Abstract

In reading Iris Murdoch's novel, The Sandcastle, this essay explores a view of freedom that invites reflection on personal beliefs about permissible actions and constraints in a world that continual tests both agency and the values guiding its use. It considers moments where encounters with others prompt reconsideration of our entitlements and the freedom owed to them. Central to this analysis is Levinas' concept of freedom as an "investiture," suggesting that freedom is granted rather than innate. This idea resonates with Murdoch's characters, whose paradoxical qualities unsettle conventional assumptions about others. Murdoch' depiction of "disciplined" freedom parallels Levinas' notion of "created" freedom. In the novel, Nan reluctantly accepts her husband's aspirations for their family, while Rain's artistic pursuits gradually expands her understanding of freedom. Rain's eventual separation from Mor enables his return home, where he confronts his son Don's independent interests. Here, love emerges as inseparable from freedom. The essay highlights Murdoch's claim that quality art embodies an awareness of freedom as a way of seeing others, particularly when understood as disciplined or created. This convergence between Murdoch and Levinas enriches the reading of The Sandcastle and underpins the essay's overarching thesis.