Often cited in conjunction with Memoirs of Hadrian as a notable literary achievement, Yourcenar's most widely read and translated work is The Abyss (1968). Similar in thematic concerns, both novels center on a single protagonist seeking self-awareness and enlightenment within the milieu of a historical period and supported by a diversified cast of secondary characters providing authenticity and plot development. Set in the mid-sixteenth century of northern Europe, The Abyss examines the concept of choice, juxtaposing intellectual and spiritual freedom with the limitations imposed by a repressive society. The central character of the novel is the physician Zeno whose experimentation with alchemy as well as sexual and personal identity results in his trial of faith and testimony of independence. When faced with the challenge to individual liberty, Zeno chooses to take his own life as a symbolic act of ultimate freedom.

In effect, The Abyss like Memoirs...