Thaïs

There were at least two very different women in history who bore this name. The better-known of the two was a “companion” to Alexander the Great. Her life seems to have been interesting but the other Thaïs is the one whom France relied upon for this novel. She is sometimes called Saint Thaïs. She is said to have lived in Egypt in the fourth century and, in the delightful words of Wikipedia, was a “repentant courtesan.” In fact, her repentance could be said to be what the whole novel is about. But that would sell France (and the novel) a bit short. His writing, as always, is a pleasure for me. I enjoy his satire and his wry reflections on a variety of topics. The book only tells the story of Thaïs’s life (and repentance) as show more a contrast to the longer more substantial life of Paphnutius, the “Abbot of Antinoë,” who is responsible in France’s telling, for rescuing her from a wasted life. Paphnutius is based upon a possibly real person, said to be a disciple of Saint Anthony and a member of the First Council of Nicaea. Through him, France ridicules religious hypocrisy—a favorite theme—and savages religious belief even more effectively than in The Revolt of the Angels. All in all, the novel is a lengthier work than it need be but France must have very much enjoyed writing it. Had it been a bit shorter, I might even have enjoyed reading it as much. show less

Paphnutius is a Christian monk living a secluded life in 4th century Egypt. He is regarded as one of the most holy of the hermits living in the area, and the demons that arrive each night are unable to enter his shack. One day as he is meditating on his sins, he remembers his lust for Thais, a beautiful actress he saw as a young man in Alexandria. He is inspired (either by God or by the devil) to go to the city and convince her to enter a nunnery and devote the rest of her life to God. Throughout his quest, his faith is tested by many different philosophers and sceptics who all have an opinion on the Christian faith. Thais was later granted sainthood.

This short novel was divided into three sections. I thought the first section was very show more interesting, the second section was tedious, and the third section was a mix of the first two. I found quite a few quotes that stood out in one way or another, and I liked that the novel could be interpreted in multiple different ways. It would definitely generate a lot of discussion. show less

An interesting book to listen to. Not sure if I'd finushed it if I would have met it in print. Religion, deception, love, philosophy, all are part of this book, woven into a story of all times.

Fair condition. Ex-library book. Dust jacket remnant is tucked inside. Writing inside front and back covers. Foxing along bottom edge and in front and back sections of pages. Rest of pages clean. Binding is still strong.

En el relato, la cortesana Thaïs inspira erotismo y lujuria desenfrenada en la población, pero el asceta Pafnucio decide dejar el desierto en donde vivía su vida de anacoreta, a efectos de redimir a esa mujer y transformarla en una súbdita dedicada totalmente a la adoración de Dios. En su desarrollo la novela presenta la evolución de los personajes y reflexiona sobre la vida, el placer, la muerte, la trascendencia y la religiosidad. La transformación de los personajes hace de esta obra una metáfora acerca de lo real y de lo imaginario, del mundo de lo aparente, de lo superficial; y un mundo profundo, ligado a las mayores verdades.

En esta novela, Anatole France nos recrea la historia de Thaïs, una irresistible cortesana que logró un enorme poder gracias a la atracción poderosísima que su cuerpo perfecto y su voz encantadora, lograban ejercer sobre todos los hombres y un joven monje que no puede evitar tan grande tentación. Thaïs es hermosa y sensualidad. Pafnucio, un monje que se obsesiona desde que la ve por vez primera y decide que sacará a Thaïs de su vida de pecado y la convertirá en una mujer piadosa. Sin embargo, todos los hombres de Alejandría saben el poder que ejerce Thaïs sobre ellos, el embrujo en que caen. Cuando Pafnucio le pregunta a su amigo Nicias, quién es Thaïs, Nicias le dice: