Brother Julian is far from an exemplary monk: he takes no joy in monastery life, feels no connection with God, and continuously dwells on the mysterious life he left behind. When he learns that a woman from his past needs his help, he must choose between his duty to the Church and his duty to his conscience.

George MacDonald’s earliest published work, and his only poetic drama, Within and Without chronicles a monk’s journey to know God as he experiences love, death, and joy. Notably, it contains one of MacDonald’s earliest works of fantasy prose: a passage read by Julian from the fictitious book, The Singer .