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Published when Matthew 'Monk' Lewis (1775-1818) was only twenty, this masterpiece of Gothic fiction combines sheer sensationalism with a powerful exploration of sexual desire and the abuse of power.
Savaged by critics for its blasphemy and obscenity, particularly since the author was a Member of Parliament, it soon attracted thousands of readers keen to see if it lived up to its lurid reputation. With acute psychological insight, Lewis shows the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a worthy Capuchin superior who is tempted by Matilda – a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy – and eventually succumbs to magic, murder, incest and torture.
The novel 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 far more universal: the way powerful violent and erotic impulses lurking within us all can break through every barrier of social restraint.
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.
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Comments about The Monk:
This is the Gothic genre at its best. On a superficial level the book is engaging and entertaining. Scratch the surface and the narrative works as a psychological drama - with Freudian Oedipal overtones, despite it being written long before Freud. When the book was first published in the late 18th Century, it caused offence and little wonder. It deals with the subject of sex, incest, the black arts and spirituality. It might change your perception of just how prudish people really were hundreds of years ago. In my opinion, and I have read many gothic novels, there is no better portrayal of a villain than in Lewis'Monk.
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| Introduction | p. 5 |
| Foreword | p. 9 |
| Preface | p. 17 |
| The Sermon | p. 21 |
| The Fall | p. 47 |
| The Trap | p. 81 |
| The Bleeding Nun | p. 99 |
| The Premature Burial | p. 143 |
| The Temptation | p. 157 |
| The Magical Incantation | p. 171 |
| The Murder | p. 191 |
| The Ghost | p. 203 |
| The Vaults | p. 225 |
| The Rape | p. 251 |
| The Expiation | p. 289 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780140436037
ISBN-10: 0140436030
Series: Penguin Classics
Audience:
General
For Ages: 18+ years old
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 416
Published: December 1998
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 12.9
x 1.8
Weight (kg): 0.288
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