The Nun

Historical Context and Significance

Denis Diderot's novel «The Nun», written in 1760, is an important work of the Enlightenment era. It serves as a critique of religious institutions and monastic life, highlighting their cruelty and hypocrisy. The main character, Suzanne Simonin, is forced against her will to become a nun and faces injustice and cruelty in the convent. This work became a symbol of the struggle for personal freedom and human rights, as well as a critique of religious fanaticism and dogmatism. The novel's influence on culture is evident in its impact on public opinion about religious institutions and its support for the ideas of freedom and humanism characteristic of the Enlightenment.