Marguerite Yourcenar's literary oeuvre is a testament to her profound engagement with historical narrative and philosophical inquiry. Her novel, The Abyss, serves as a pivotal work within her personal canon, bridging the introspective memoir of Memoires d’Hadrien (1951; Memoirs of Hadrian, 1954) and her unfinished autobiographical endeavor, Le Labyrinthe du monde. While both completed works are monumental in their scope and craftsmanship, they hold a significant place in French literature for their role in rejuvenating the historical novel genre. The stalled autobiographical project, hinted at in the fantastical vision of Zeno imprisoned in The Abyss, suggests a lineage of introspective and existential exploration that Yourcenar intended to pursue further. Zeno, ruminating on a phantom son, reflects, “If that phantom was his child, then he, philosopher though he was, was caught up in the game...; he would not get out of this labyrinth until the end of time.”

Yourcenar's work is deeply rooted in the traditions of French literary history, yet her approach to complex moral dilemmas aligns her with figures like Andre Gide. Her meticulous revision process echoes the painstaking efforts of Gustave Flaubert, while her classical erudition cements her place in the humanist tradition. However, her acute observation of daily life positions her closer to the New Historians. Her fondness for succinct expression recalls the maxims of the seventeenth-century moralists. Among her notable stylistic accomplishments are her intimate third-person narrative voice and her unique brand of irony—one that conveys a resigned form of disgust. Recognized for her forty-year labor on The Abyss, Yourcenar was awarded the prestigious Prix Femina in 1968. Her contributions to literature were further acknowledged in 1980 when she became the first woman inducted into the French Academy, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s history.