Summary of The AbyssÂ
“The Abyss” is a historical novel set in 16th-century Flanders. The protagonist, Zeno, is a physician, philosopher, and alchemist who grows up in a wealthy family in Bruges. At the age of 20, he leaves his hometown in search of knowledge and adventure, leading him to various destinations across Europe. He ultimately returns to Bruges, which is occupied by the Spanish, as a freethinker and an atheist, using an assumed name. If discovered, he risks being burned at the stake for heresy.
Reasons to read The Abyss
“The Abyss” – which has also been published in English as “Zeno of Bruges” – is considered a classic of French-language literature. The novel vividly portrays life in Flanders in the 1500s, a period known for its economic expansion, progress in science, culture, and philosophy, but also for its religious intolerance between Catholics and Protestants. Marguerite Yourcenar was a celebrated Belgian-French-American writer. “The Abyss” won the Prix Femina in 1968. Other famous works of Yourcenaer include “Memoirs of Hadrian” (about the Roman Emperor Hadrian) and “Coup de Grâce“. In 1980, Yourcenaer was the first woman to join the AcadĂ©mie Française.
Setting: Bruges (Belgium)
Original title: L’Ĺ’uvre au noir
Year of publication: 1968
Nr of pages: 374
