Review of The Monk by M.G.Lewis book

Rating 5/5 

Genre gothic, horror, mystery 

First published in the late 18th century, this book reflects the patterns of speech, thought,dressing of that time. I liked the style of prose very much which is interlaced with prose and an occasional poem or a ballad. The prose had a subtle Shakespearean quality to it. 

Where there is virtue to be found in abundance, the devil attempts to ensnare such a soul through the art of temptation. Some are guarded and rooted in their faith,hence dont fall victims to such entrapment. But the rest being caught unawares become pawns in the hands of an evil mongering demon. One such soul that belongs to the latter category is Ambrosio, the monk. He is hailed as an exemplary priest and a man known for his piety all over Madrid . On Thursdays he usually gave a sermon to which people from far and wide flocked with great anticipation and desire to hear him speak. 

Ambrosio is 30 years of age and he had spent all of it within the walls of his abbey studying. Having little exposure to the outer world, he is quite naive, gullible, trusting and fearful. He had lived a life of virtue with no exposure to vice. Except that of vanity. He is vain of the power he has over other people. Vain of the eloquence of speech he has and the superiority he has over other people. Wearing a mask of humility, he secretly nurtures desires of such vanity and self aggrandizement. But all in all, he is a virtuous man who is devoted to God. 

Now the devil steps in and ups its game. Lucifer sends a beautiful woman, Matilda  to corrupt the virtue of Ambrosio. She succeeds in ruining it and introduces the arts of sorcery to him. While he hesitated to listen to her entreaties initially, as time passed he becomes a slave to her suggestions and a puppet to her schemes. They together corrupt and take the life of an angelic girl Antonia. Even without his knowledge, Ambrosio becomes an agent for the devil while thinking himself safe in his virtue. 

There is another thread in the story that narrates the lives of Marquis de cisternas and Agnes which seamlessly adds to the plot. Agnes becomes pregnant while committed  to the convent due to the marquis. Ambrosio when he learns of this, condemns her to the harshest punishment the church issues for such digressions. Her pleas and entreaties for pardon he heeds not -- he being the one who commits the same sin later on. 

The fate of Ambrosio --  he puts into the hands of the devil by signing a contract for eternity. How God loves a soul devoted to him is contrasted with the contemptuous treatment Ambrosio met at the hands of Lucifer. This book is also an exposure of the hypocrisy that exists in the people of the so called institutions of God. Those who preach and ascribe virtue to the world but don't follow it themselves. 

I simply loved the theme and devoured every sentence from the scenes with Ambrosio in them. His characterization is very well developed and although he is entirely responsible for his downfall, we feel a certain pity for him who could have been stronger and more rooted had he had a family to call his own.