Temptation of Saint Anton
About This Novel
"The Temptation of Saint-Antoine" is the masterpiece of the great French writer Flaubert (1821-1880). The first draft was in 1849, the second draft in 1856, the third draft in 1872, and the full text was officially published in 1874. It spanned 25 years, during which Flaubert completed three novels, "Madame Bovary", "Salangbao" and "Emotional Education". The writing of this book almost ran through the writer's entire creative career. The novel is based on the legend of the saint, that is, the story of the Egyptian monk Anton (about 251–356) who resisted various temptations in the desert. There are many works based on this in Western art. In 1845, Flaubert's sister Caroline traveled to Italy as a newlywed, and Flaubert accompanied him. At the Balbi Palace in Genoa, he saw the oil painting "The Temptation of Saint Anton" said to be by the Dutch painter Bruegel the Elder, and gained inspiration for writing. Byron's poetic drama "Cain" and Goethe's poetic drama "Faust" he had read when he was young also gave him a lot of inspiration. The novel is divided into seven chapters and describes in detail Anton's spiritual vision one night. The devil, the Queen of Sheba, and Anton's own disciples placed countless huge temptations in front of him: wealth, power, pleasure, and even more tempting ones: gods, rituals, scriptures, oracles... In the name of science, the devil created obstacles and hid the secrets of the universe. From sunset to dawn, dreams continue. In the end, Anton emerges from the confusion and moves towards new life. The novel is written in the form of prose poetry (or poetic drama), reflecting the rebellion against religious delusions and the rejection of the materialistic society. It is a work in which the writer devoted himself to "mania".
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