Angel: Redemption

The theological idea of redemption, of restoration to good standing with the divine or self, is found throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There are a number of significant redemptive narratives for characters such as Spike (from evil vampire to one who strives for a soul and to support the Slayer) and Willow (from losing control of her dark magicks to channelling it for good). As Playdon argues, redemption in Buffy is about a return to personal wholeness, rather than reconciliation with a god(s).

The redemptive arc for Angel begins before the contemporary story of Buffy Summers, back in his own history. In these two episodes we see how Angel became Angelus, the evil vampire, and how Angelus was cursed to suffer for his crimes. The suffering en-souled Angel is the character we have come to know, then lost, in the first two seasons of the show. Our reading for this week describes the different ways that redemption has functioned in the novel, which gives us greater insight into the theme as both theological and narratological. As we shall see in subsequent seasons, Angel's story does not end here, nor does his quest for redemption.

Re-read Playdon, para 23.

Read Boscaljon, Daniel. "Possibilities of Redemption Through The Novel." In The Oxford Handbook of English Literature and Theology. Ed. Andrew Hass, 760-775. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

In this chapter (which has nothing to do with Buffy), the author looks at the way that the modern English novel has taken a theological idea (redemption as reconciliation to god) and made it non-religious (reconciliation to self and others). The chapter recognizes changes in the way the novel deals with redemption over that last 300 years, and identifies some clear patterns in each era.

Watch "Becoming, Parts One and Two," (s2, e21-22, aired 12 and 19 May 1998) (two episodes, 90 minutes in total). We will watch clips from both episodes in class. Here is an expanded Viewing Chart to keep track of your notes.

Part One:

Direct link: MyMedia or Dropbox

Part Two:

Direct link: MyMedia or Dropbox

Slides from this week's class: RLG 233 (2025) Week 4 Becoming.pdf