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In
Yourcenar's own words, "In alchemical treatises, the formula L'Oeuvre au Noir, designates what is said to be the most difficult phase of the alchemist's process, the separation and dissolution of substance. It is still not clear whether the term applied to daring experiments on matter itself, or
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Zeno, an illegitimate son, is adopted by the Ligre household, a rich banking family of Bruges. Zeno renounces a comfortable career in the priesthood and leaves home to find truth at the age of 20. In his youth, after leaving Bruges, he greedily seeks knowledge by roaming the roads of Europe and
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beyond, leaving in his wake a nearly legendary — but also dangerous — reputation of genius due to his scientific accomplishments — as well as the ire of the
Christian authorities for his atheistic attitudes.
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whether it was understood to symbolize trials of the mind in discarding all forms of routine and prejudice. Doubtless it signified one or the other meaning alternately, or perhaps both at the same time."
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Eventually returning to Bruges under an assumed name, Zeno confides only in his friend and fellow atheist Jan Myers. When his young assistant
Cyprian is caught in an ilicit
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gives a slightly different lead by the evocation of fathomless depths, a likely image of the alchemist's inner journey, which are at the same time a
Christian vision of
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for, among other things, the crime of atheism. Before he can be burned, Zeno kills himself in prison by severing his veins with a smuggled razor.
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era. The book was published in France in 1968 and was met with immediate popular interest as well as critical acclaim, obtaining the
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and seeks a romantic life of adventure. He passes a lifetime as a soldier and survives many engagements including the fearsome
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Zeno's cousin, Henry
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with unanimous votes the year of its publication. The
English translation by
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Zeno's travels take him from his native Bruges as far away as the court of
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of booming capitalistic economy, of renewed approaches to sciences, of
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cult, Zeno's true identity is exposed and he is condemned to be
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in honor of the aristocratic
Signora Piccolomini who he loved.
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bullet and very nearly dies. He later describes to Zeno the "
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Meanwhile, Zeno's mother
Hilzonda becomes involved with the
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will come to be tested by the confines of his time.
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593:of the 16th century, in the period opening the
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93:Please help
88:verification
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885:Grace Frick
836:Other books
637:Magnum opus
607:Black Death
565:Fontebranda
499:Gustav Vasa
466:Grace Frick
462:Prix Femina
458:Renaissance
456:during the
393:Grace Frick
901:Categories
709:References
553:black hole
526:Anabaptist
390:Translator
356:The Abyss
299:improve it
223:newspapers
190:references
121:newspapers
50:improve it
824:The Abyss
660:The Abyss
645:transmute
485:in 1988.
470:The Abyss
450:alchemist
431:The Abyss
303:verifying
56:talk page
698:Le Monde
670:See also
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557:Imperial
549:arquebus
452:born in
398:Language
877:Related
641:alchemy
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572:Adamite
297:Please
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