Bewitched Chapter 37 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Memnon is already in Selene’s room when she returns, casually reading her private journals. He teases her about their soulmate bond and her earlier admission. Selene, still uncertain, tries to avoid the conversation. Memnon presses the issue of her lost memories, showing her a doodle in her journal that matches one of his tattoos as proof that she is his former queen, Roxilana. He explains that her memory loss stems from a curse called damnatio memoriae—one she placed on them both when she locked him in his tomb. He offers to restore her memories by lifting the curse.
Selene refuses. She argues that her memory loss has shaped her into the person she is today—kinder, cleverer, more authentic. She does not want to lose that version of herself. In response, Memnon burns her notebooks, the detailed journals she relies on for her everyday life and as an alibi with the Politia. He wants her to feel the desperation of losing her life’s work. He gives her an ultimatum: she has until the Samhain Ball to come to him. Selene tells him she hates him, and he leaves, vanishing after his final threat.
Key Events
- Memnon is found in Selene’s room, reading her journals and wearing casual clothes.
- He reveals that her ability to speak ancient languages (Latin, Sarmatian, Greek, Aramaic, Demotic) proves she is the reincarnation of Roxilana.
- Memnon shows her a doodle in her journal that resembles the horns of a saiga tattooed on his arm, linking her present to their shared past.
- He explains the curse damnatio memoriae and offers to be the key to unlock her memories.
- Selene rejects the offer, asserting that her amnesia has made her stronger and more authentic.
- Memnon sets her notebooks on fire, including the ones she needs for the Politia investigation.
- He declares that she has until the Samhain Ball to ask for his help.
- Selene tells him she hates him and that she would rather forget a thousand lifetimes than remember one with him.
Character Development
Selene grows in self-awareness and conviction. She recognizes that her identity—her kindness, cleverness, and optimism—was shaped by her memory loss, not in spite of it. Her refusal to accept Memnon’s “help” shows an unwillingness to let others define her worth. She also displays rage and heartbreak when her journals are burned, but she does not break; she stands firm in her hatred.
Memnon oscillates between tenderness and cruelty. He starts the chapter with a playful, vulnerable side, asking her not to run from him. But when she refuses his offer, he reverts to vengeance. His burning of her notebooks is calculated—he wants her to experience the same loss he feels being forgotten. Yet there is a hint of regret when he hesitates before committing to the destruction, suggesting internal conflict.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Memory and Identity: The central debate. Selene argues that her amnesia is not a flaw but the foundation of her present strength. Her journals symbolize the scaffolding she built to navigate a world she cannot fully remember.
- Fire and Vengeance: The burning notebooks represent Memnon’s vengeance—a literal destruction of her written memories. The fire is controlled; it only consumes her journals, not her other books, symbolizing his targeted cruelty.
- The Curse of damnatio memoriae: This Roman practice of condemning someone to be forgotten becomes the mechanical heart of the plot. It binds both Selene and Memnon—she cannot remember; he cannot be remembered.
- Soulmate Bond: The bond between them remains strong, as seen when their magic blends into a dusky purple. Yet the bond is also a source of pain, making their conflict more intimate.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 37 is a turning point in the novel. Selene explicitly rejects the idea of reclaiming her past, shifting the story’s emotional stakes. Memnon’s act of burning her journals raises the immediate stakes—she loses her alibi and her record of daily life. The chapter also introduces a hard deadline (the Samhain Ball), creating narrative urgency. It deepens the conflict between love and vengeance, setting up a confrontation that cannot be avoided.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Selene refuse Memnon’s offer to restore her memories?
Selene believes her memory loss has made her who she is—kinder, cleverer, and more authentic. She does not want to lose the person she has become by regaining a past she does not remember or want.
2. What does Memnon hope to achieve by burning her notebooks?
He wants her to feel desperation and panic, to need him the way he has needed her. By destroying her written memories, he forces her to rely on him if she wants to recover her life’s work.
3. How does the curse damnatio memoriae affect both Selene and Memnon?
The curse erases Selene’s memory of their shared past and also removes Memnon from historical record. Lifting the curse would restore her memories and make him remembered by the world again.