A Historical–Biographical Reading of Issus in The Gods of Mars

A Historical–Biographical Reading of Issus in The Gods of Mars

Edgar Rice Burroughs’s The Gods of Mars (1913) uses planetary romance not only for adventure but also for a strong criticism of religious power and the manipulation of faith. The character of Issus, worshipped as the supreme deity of Barsoom, becomes the center of Burroughs’s critique. From a historical–biographical perspective, Issus represents Burroughs’s distrust of institutions that claim spiritual authority while practicing deception. John Carter’s constant refusal to recognize her divinity reflects ideas that Burroughs himself expressed about the dangers of blind religious obedience. The Gods of Mars (1913) therefore becomes both a narrative of discovery and a warning against the uncritical acceptance of institutionalized belief.

Burroughs’s Beliefs

Burroughs’s personal writings and early life experiences help explain this perspective. He grew up in a period when many American thinkers openly questioned the reliability of organized religion. This environment probably helped shape his views on moral authority. Richard Lupoff notes that Burroughs “never trusted any structure that used the language of religion to hide human corruption” (1965, p. 82). When Issus introduces herself by announcing, “I am Issus, Goddess of Death and of Life Everlasting” (Burroughs, 1913, p. 214), Burroughs invites the reader to question how easily a powerful figure can claim the status of a deity. The dramatic contrast between her words and her violent actions makes her a symbol of the kind of religious hypocrisy Burroughs feared.

The novel also reflects Burroughs’s view that true morality should come from personal judgment rather than from dogmatic authority. John Carter functions as the voice of reason across the story’s plot, repeatedly refusing to accept divine claims without evidence. After witnessing the cruelty of Issus, he concludes, “No real god could delight in terror, slavery, and death” (Burroughs, 1913, p. 228). This moral clarity matches Burroughs’s own belief in rational ethics. Philip José Farmer explains that Burroughs “valued individual moral action over doctrinal obedience” (1972, p. 14). Carter is therefore not only a hero in the narrative sense but also a representative of Burroughs’s ethical worldview.

The Cultural Climate in Burroughs’s Time

The cultural climate of the early 20th century also supports this interpretation. Burroughs was writing during a time when scientific discoveries, social changes, and new philosophies challenged traditional religious structures. Historian John Taliaferro states that Burroughs lived in “an era of rising distrust toward religious structures that preached virtue but practiced power politics” (2010, p. 202). The worship of Issus mirrors this tension. On Barsoom, faith is based on tradition and fear rather than on genuine spiritual experience. The Holy Therns encourage this system because it gives them political and economic power. Burroughs uses this situation to explore how organized religion can become a tool for control when mixed with political ambition.

The Holy Therns themselves represent a hierarchical religious order that Burroughs criticizes through satire. They guard their secrets with violence, manipulate the innocent, and punish anyone who questions their teachings. Burroughs writes, “The Therns ruled by terror, and their goddess ruled them by a deeper terror still” (1913, p. 191). Their dependence on fear reflects Burroughs’s belief that institutions often rely on intimidation to preserve power. Scholar Gary Westfahl notes that Burroughs “saw religious institutions as human inventions that could easily turn into tools of domination” (2010, p. 56). This interpretation highlights how fear-based systems can crush free thought and moral independence.

Issus’s Symbolic Role

Issus herself is the ultimate expression of this misuse of faith. Although she presents herself as divine, she is described as cruel, petty, and deeply flawed. Her so-called divine behavior contradicts every moral principle she claims to represent. In this sense, Issus becomes an example of how a false god can rise to power by exploiting people’s desire for meaning, purpose in life, salvation, and the afterlife. Reading between the lines, one gets to understand that Burroughs suggests that institutions can create the illusion of holiness by controlling information, manipulating rituals, and using impressive titles. Her claim to be “Goddess of Death” demonstrates how she weaponizes religious identity to justify violence.

The name “Issus” also plays an important symbolic role. While Burroughs never stated that the name intentionally resembles “Jesus,” the phonetic similarity invites reflection. Burroughs’s novel encourages readers to consider how easily divine names can gain authority simply through tradition and, in this case, pronunciation. Lupoff points out that Burroughs “used symbolic naming to challenge readers’ assumptions about authority and legitimacy” (1965, p. 93). The name Issus therefore acts as a linguistic tool that questions how societies label certain figures as divine and others as fraudulent.

The Barsoomians’ Pilgrimage

Another important element in the narrative is the theme of pilgrimage. The journey that Barsoomians take to the Valley Dor resembles religious pilgrimages on Earth, yet it leads not to salvation but to slavery and eventually to death. Burroughs uses this inversion to criticize the idea that following sacred paths without question guarantees spiritual reward. In fact, the symbology linked to the Valley Dor becomes a reminder of how institutions can create false notions of paradise and a better afterlife to control the population. The tragic fate of the pilgrims shows how easily hope can be manipulated.

Burroughs’s critique also includes commentary on imperial and racial ideologies. Issus maintains a rigid hierarchy in which certain groups are considered “lesser races.” She declares that “before Issus, all inferior beings must crawl” (Burroughs, 1913, p. 220). This hierarchical language reflects the racial thinking prevalent during Burroughs’s time, especially in colonial contexts. Erling Holtsmark argues that Burroughs “linked false religion with systems of racial and political oppression” (1981, p. 118). By portraying Issus as the center of these oppressive systems, Burroughs criticizes how religion can be used to justify inequality.

The Unmasking of Issus

The dramatic unmasking of Issus is one of the most important moments in the novel. When John Carter discovers that the “goddess” is only a mortal woman, the entire religious structure of the first-borns and the rest of Barsoomians collapses. Burroughs writes that Issus becomes “a frightened old woman who had lost her power” (1913, p. 307). This revelation symbolizes not only the defeat of an individual but the fall of a corrupt institution that has pulled everyone’s threads as if everybody was a puppet. This point in the story’s plot also suggests that systems built on deception can only survive as long as the truth remains hidden.

Carter’s discovery also frees the people of Barsoom from centuries of religious manipulation and blindfoldedness. Once the truth is revealed, the people can begin to rebuild their society on a foundation of reason rather than fear. Burroughs uses this moment to express hope that truth will triumph over false authority. The destruction of Issus becomes a metaphor for the liberation of the human mind from oppressive beliefs.

Faith and Reason

The narrative therefore suggests that genuine faith must be compatible with reason: Carter is a highly sensible and reasonable character in the story. It can be assumed that Burroughs is not rejecting spirituality itself but condemning institutions that demand obedience without offering moral substance. Through the contrast between Carter and Issus, he argues that true moral behavior comes from human compassion rather than doctrine. Carter’s actions, protecting the weak, questioning authority, and seeking truth, embody this ideal in the novel.

Ultimately, the Issus storyline serves as a historical–biographical mirror of Burroughs’s worldview. His skepticism toward religious structures, his belief in individual responsibility, and his exposure to early 20th-century debates about science and faith all shape the novel’s themes. The story becomes a critique of institutions that manipulate fear and tradition to maintain power. It also becomes a defense of personal moral judgment against ideological control.

Final Words

In conclusion, The Gods of Mars presents Issus as a symbol of religious hypocrisy, blind faith, and institutional corruption. A historical–biographical approach reveals that Burroughs used this story to reflect his own concerns about the misuse of religious authority. Through John Carter, he encourages readers to question institutions that promise salvation but deliver oppression. The novel argues that true morality emerges not from divine claims but from reason, integrity, and ethical action.

San José, Costa Rica

Saturday, January 17, 2026

📚 References

Character Profiling

Characters in the Gods of Mars by Jonathan Acuña

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Saturday, January 17, 2026