Monk

Matthew Lewiss Gothic masterpiece depicting a holy man slowly becoming entangled in a web of sin The Monk is edited with an introduction by Christopher MacLachlan in Penguin Classics.Savaged by critics for its blasphemy and obscenity particularly since the author was a Member of Parliament The Monk soon attracted thousands of readers keen to see if this Gothic novel lived up to its lurid reputation. With acute psychological insight Lewis shows the diabolical decline of Ambrosio a worthy superior of the Capuchins of Madrid who is tempted by Matilda a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy. Descending into a hell of his own creation Ambrosio is driven to magic and murder in an attempt to conceal his crimes from the Inquisition. The Monk was greatly admired by the Marquis de Sade who saw it as a response to the upheavals of the French Revolution yet it also reveals something more universal: the way violent and erotic impulses lurking within us all can break through every barrier of social restraint.Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775-1818) was educated at Oxford after which he held a position in the British Embassy at The Hague. It was there in 1794 that he wrote the racy novel The Monk under the influence of the early German romantics. Its controversial publication in 1796 due to Lewis new status as MP earned him fame and the book a great deal of popularity.If you enjoyed The Monk you might like Horace Walpoles The Castle of Otranto also available in Penguin Classics. Review “The whole work is distinguished by the variety and impressiveness of its incidents; and the author every-where discovers an imagination rich powerful and fervid.” -Samuel Taylor Coleridge About the Author Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775-1818) was educated at Oxford after which he held a position in the British Embassy at The Hague. It was there in 1794 that he wrote the racy novel THE MONK under the influence of the early German romantics. Its controversial publication in 1796 due to Lewis new status as MP earned him fame and the book a great deal of popularity.Christopher MacLachlan is a Lecturer at the University of St Andrews. He has published books and articles on Pope Hume and Burns. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Chapter I---Lord Angelo is precise;Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confessesThat his blood flows or that his appetiteIs more to bread than stone.Measure for Measure.Scarcely had the abbey-bell tolled for five minutes and already was the church of the Capuchins thronged with auditors. Do not encourage the idea that the crowd was assembled either from motives of piety or thirst of information. But very few were influenced by those reasons; and in a city where superstition reigns with such despotic sway as in Madrid to seek for true devotion would be a fruitless attempt. The audience now assembled in the Capuchin church was collected by various causes but all of them were foreign to the ostensible motive. The women came to show themselves the men to see the women: some were attracted by curiosity to hear an orator so celebrated; some came because they had no better means of employing their time till the play began; some from being assured that it would be impossible to find places in the church; and one half of Madrid was brought thither by expecting to meet the other half. The only persons truly anxious to hear the preacher were a few antiquated devotees and half a dozen rival orators determined to find fault with and ridicule the discourse. As to the remainder of the audience the sermon might have been omitted altogether certainly without their being disappointed and very probably without their perceiving the omission.Whatever was the occasion it is at least certain that the Capuchin church had never witnessed a more numerous assembly. Every corner was filled every seat was occupied. The ve