Anatol is a play by Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler, published in 1893. The introduction was written by Loris, a pseudonym of the young Hugo von Hofmannsthal, who was a friend of Schnitzler. It is a seven-act play set in late 19th century Vienna, depicting the many shallow and immature relationships of bourgeois playboy Anatol. The first act, Die Frage an das Schicksal ("The question to fate"), earned Schnitzler the title of Psychologischer Tiefenforscher ("psychological depth researcher") from Sigmund Freud. Plot The question to fate With his friend Max, Anatol discusses the problem that a man never can know for sure whether or not a woman is faithful to him. He argues that, irrespective of love, women by their very nature can never be true. He also suspects his current lover Cora of infidelity. The constant uncertainty, against which he believes there is no recourse, almost drives him crazy. Max suggests that Anatol try hypnosis. Anatol takes up this suggestion enthusiastically, as it offers him the opportunity to finally dispel his doubts. As soon as he makes the decision to try hypnosis, he has the opportunity to try it out, for Cora comes home just then. He asks Cora if she is willing to be hypnotized by him, and she says she is happy to comply with his request. Anatol hypnotizes Cora and asks her if she loves him; she replies, "Yes!". Encouraged by this success, Anatol now wants to address the question of fidelity, but it is apparent that he still fears the truth and would rather be tortured by doubt than face an unpleasant truth which could hurt his pride. No matter how his friend Max words the question, "Are you faithful to me?", Anatol objects to the formulation of the question, the clarity and intelligibility of the question, finally even doubting the possibility of the existence of an answer, just to avoid having to ask. When Max finally points out to the unnerved Anatol that all his objections are nonsensical and contrived, he eventually decides that he wants to ask his lover, but not in the presence of Max – whom he sends out of the door. When alone with Cora, he is overwhelmed by his feelings and wakes her up, without having asked his question. Thus Anatol gambles away his opportunity to have "the question to fate" answered, and Cora playfully makes it clear that she will