The Temptation of St. Antony; Or, A Revelation of the Soul

by Gustave Flaubert

"The Temptation of St. Antony; Or, A Revelation of the Soul" by Gustave Flaubert is a dramatic poem in prose published in 1874. Written as a play script, it chronicles one night in the Egyptian desert as Saint Anthony the Great faces extraordinary temptations. The Devil, seductive figures, heretics, magicians, gods, and monsters parade before the hermit saint, testing his faith and resolve. Each visitor challenges Anthony's belief that isolation is the truest form of worship, pulling him toward desire, doubt, and despair in an epic battle for his soul.