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The Monk (Hardcover)
M. G. Lewis
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R842
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It was evening. Multitudes of light clouds, partially illumined by
the moonbeams, overspread the horizon, and through them floated the
full moon in tranquil majesty, while her splendour was reflected by
every wave of the Adriatic Sea. All was hushed around; gently was
the water rippled by the night wind; gently did the night wind sigh
through the Colonnades of Venice. It was midnight; and still sat a
stranger, solitary and sad, on the border of the great canal. Now
with a glance he measured the battlements and proud towers of the
city; and now he fixed his melancholy eyes upon the waters with a
vacant stare. At length he spoke -
Horror in literature attains a new malignity in the work of Matthew
Gregory Lewis (1773-1818), whose novel The Monk (1796) achieved
marvelous popularity and earned him the nickname 'Monk' Lewis. This
young author, educated in Germany and saturated with a body of wild
Teuton lore unknown to Mrs. Radcliffe, turned to terror in forms
more violent than his gentle predecessor had ever dared to think
of; and produced as a result a masterpiece of active nightmare
whose general Gothic cast is spiced with added stores of
ghoulishness. The story is one of a Spanish monk, Ambrosio, who
from a state of over-proud virtue is tempted to the very nadir of
evil by a fiend in the guise of the maiden Matilda...The novel
contains some appalling descriptions such as the incantation in the
vaults beneath the convent cemetery, the burning of the convent,
and the final end of the wretched abbot. erring ancestress, The
Bleeding Nun, there are many enormously potent strokes; notably the
visit of the animated corpse to the Marquis's bedside, and the
cabalistic ritual whereby the Wandering Jew helps him to fathom and
banish his dead tormentor... -- H. P. Lovecraft, Supernatural
Horror In Literature
When "The Monk" first appeared in 1796, critics were shocked and
outraged. That a Member of Parliament should publish a novel filled
with blasphemy, rape, murder, incest, rotting corpses, and devil
worship was unthinkable and unprecedented. But efforts to suppress
the book failed, readers loved it, and it became a worldwide
bestseller. Today it is regarded as one of the finest Gothic horror
novels ever written.
M.G. Lewis's novel - written when he was only nineteen - centers
on Ambrosio, a monk renowned for his piety, who finds himself faced
with temptation when his passions are aroused by Matilda, a
beautiful girl who has entered the monastery disguised as a boy.
But after he succumbs to her charms, Ambrosio's lust for sensual
gratification quickly becomes insatiable, and he begins a
precipitous descent into depravity, indulging in sorcery, demonic
rituals, rape, and murder as he seeks to sate his unquenchable
desires. . . .
This definitive edition of "The Monk" reprints the unabridged text
of the three-volume 1796 first edition from the copy in the British
Library and features an introduction by one of the most popular and
acclaimed horror writers of our time, Stephen King. Also included
are six lurid full-page illustrations from the 1797 and 1807 Paris
editions of the novel, along with a portrait of the author and a
reproduction of the original title page.
Left at a monastery as a baby, Ambrosio grew up to be a cruel and
stern monk, renowned for his sermons and piety. When a nun named
Agnes goes to Ambrosio for the sacrament of confession, she admits
that she is pregnant after having a long love affair with a man
named Raymond. Though admissions told in confession are meant to be
kept in confidence, Ambrosio turns Agnes over to the authorities in
her convent for punishment. Without a trace of guilt or a second
thought, Ambrosio returns to his normal life after this, unaware
that he was soon to get himself into a situation that would make
him empathize with Agnes. Meanwhile, Raymond, Agnes' lover, is
confronted by her brother, who is angry that Raymond played a part
in his sister's tarnished reputation. In order to earn support and
sympathy, Raymond tells he and Agnes' elaborate love story,
challenging the society's reaction to their relationship and
pregnancy. Ambrosio, however, is unaware of this, nor does he think
about it after he meets a beautiful woman named Matilda. Overcome
with lust, Ambrosio begins an illicit affair with Matilda, breaking
his vow of celibacy. Though he considers ending things with
Matilda, Ambrosio finds himself addicted to her company, as Matilda
helps satiate his every desire. As their relationship unfolds,
however, Ambrosio finds himself longing for more and more.
Committing crimes, harming others, and relying on supernatural
help, the once virtuous monk is now running out of time to repent.
M.G Lewis' The Monk: A Romance was one of the best-selling novels
of its era. With romance, crime, supernatural beings, and
near-death experiences, this gothic horror is a gripping and
haunting narrative that has remained compelling even to modern
audiences. Featuring the depiction of taboo topics, social
commentary, and themes of religion and temptation, The Monk: A
Romance is as introspective as it is eerie. This edition of The
Monk: A Romance by M.G Lewis is now presented with a new,
eye-catching cover design and is printed in a stylish font, making
it both accessible and contemporary.
Left at a monastery as a baby, Ambrosio grew up to be a cruel and
stern monk, renowned for his sermons and piety. When a nun named
Agnes goes to Ambrosio for the sacrament of confession, she admits
that she is pregnant after having a long love affair with a man
named Raymond. Though admissions told in confession are meant to be
kept in confidence, Ambrosio turns Agnes over to the authorities in
her convent for punishment. Without a trace of guilt or a second
thought, Ambrosio returns to his normal life after this, unaware
that he was soon to get himself into a situation that would make
him empathize with Agnes. Meanwhile, Raymond, Agnes’ lover, is
confronted by her brother, who is angry that Raymond played a part
in his sister’s tarnished reputation. In order to earn support
and sympathy, Raymond tells he and Agnes’ elaborate love story,
challenging the society’s reaction to their relationship and
pregnancy. Ambrosio, however, is unaware of this, nor does he think
about it after he meets a beautiful woman named Matilda. Overcome
with lust, Ambrosio begins an illicit affair with Matilda, breaking
his vow of celibacy. Though he considers ending things with
Matilda, Ambrosio finds himself addicted to her company, as Matilda
helps satiate his every desire. As their relationship unfolds,
however, Ambrosio finds himself longing for more and more.
Committing crimes, harming others, and relying on supernatural
help, the once virtuous monk is now running out of time to repent.
M.G Lewis’ The Monk: A Romance was one of the best-selling novels
of its era. With romance, crime, supernatural beings, and
near-death experiences, this gothic horror is a gripping and
haunting narrative that has remained compelling even to modern
audiences. Featuring the depiction of taboo topics, social
commentary, and themes of religion and temptation, The Monk: A
Romance is as introspective as it is eerie. This edition of The
Monk: A Romance by M.G Lewis is now presented with a new,
eye-catching cover design and is printed in a stylish font, making
it both accessible and contemporary.
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