The famous and definitive philosophical work of Kierkegaard concerning faith, choice, and sacrifice. In "Fear and Trembling," Kierkegaard, writing under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio, presents his personal view on religion through the scene in Genesis where Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son at God's command.

Kierkegaard believed that Abraham's unconditional obedience is the essential leap of faith required for one to make a full commitment to their religion.

The conviction expressed in this polemic—that an individual can have an extraordinary mission in life—informed all his subsequent writings and also had a tremendous influence on the study of Protestant theology and the existentialist movement.

Translation and Introduction by Alastair Hannay