Angst

About “Angst”

Irene Wagner has been married for eight years and feels trapped in a dull life as a wife and mother. She begins an affair with a young pianist but is soon threatened by the pianist's former mistress, who blackmails her. As the situation escalates, Irene becomes consumed by fear and emotional turmoil. The novella, written in 1913 and published in 1920, explores the inner life of a woman struggling with desire, guilt, and control. It is one of Stefan Zweig’s most intense psychological works. A film adaptation titled La paura was made by Roberto Rossellini in 1954.