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Unlock the more straightforward side of The Monk: A Romance with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Gregory Lewis, a Gothic tale which centres around Ambrosio, a monk who falls from grace and acts on his lustful desires. To satisfy his immoral urges, he consorts with the Devil and commits evil acts, making for a scandalous yet riveting read. Although highly controversial at the time of publication due to its sinful content, critics could not deny the genius of Lewis' writing and, despite it being labelled 'blasphemous and lewd', readers flocked to buy it. Although Lewis wrote other works, these other ...
Ambrosio is an extremely devout monk about 30 years old. He was found left at the Abbey doorstep when he was too young to tell his tale and monks took him and raised him in the monastery. When his constant companion, a novice named Rosario, admits that he is a woman named Matilda, who disguised herself so that she could be near him, begins a struggle in Ambrosio between his religious vows and his personal temptations and ambitions, which leads to abuse, violence, incest and murder.
The Monk shocked and titillated readers with its graphic portrayal of lust, sin, and violence when it was first published in 1796. A true classic of the Gothic novel, it has left an indelible mark on English literature and has influenced such eminent writers as Byron, Scott, Poe, Flaubert, Hawthorne, Emily Brontëeuml;, and many others over the past two centuries. Ambrosio is the abbot of the Capuchin monastery in Madrid. He is beloved by his flock, and his renowned piety has earned him the nickname The Man of Holiness. Yet beneath the veneer of this religious man lies a heart of hypocrisy; arrogant, licentious, and vengeful, he follows his sexual desires down the torturous path to ruin. Along the way, he encounters a naïve virgin who falls prey to his scheming, a baleful beauty fluent in witchcraft, the ghostly Bleeding Nun, an evil prioress, the Wandering Jew, and others.