The late Portuguese writer José Saramago´s final novel, “Cain,” offers a fresh and unorthodox criticism of some of the best-known biblical stories. Using the literary device of a time traveling Cain, Saramago crafts a common sense critique of what he sees as the inhumane and irrational God of the Old Testament.
After murdering his brother Abel, Cain sets off on a journey through time and witnesses several biblical events including: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra, Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac and the flood mentioned in the story of Noah’s Ark.
Cain’s adventures serve as a literary pulpit for Saramago’s sharp, no-nonsense criticism of the bible and its purported author: God.
After witnessing the mass murder of 3,000 people at God’s command, Cain says, “I did no more than kill my brother and the Lord punished me … Lucifer knew well what he was doing when he rebelled against God. Some say that he did it out of envy but that is wrong, it is that he knew the malignant nature of [God].”
Throughout his life, Saramago’s subversive style put him on bad terms with the Portuguese government and the Catholic Church, but his narrative clarity and deep consideration for humanity put him in the company of great authors and, eventually, Nobel laureates. All of these qualities make “Cain” a must read.