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The Monk
â Few could sustain the glance of his eye, at once fiery and penetrating’
Savaged by critics for its supposed profanity and obscenity, and bought in large numbers by readers eager to see whether it lived up to its lurid reputation, The Monk became a succ̬s de scandale when it was published in 1796 Рnot least because its author was a member of parliament and only twenty years old. It recounts the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a Capuchin superior, who succumbs first to temptations offered by a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy, and continues his descent with increasingly depraved acts of sorcery, murder, incest and torture. Combining sensationalism with acute psychological insight, this masterpiece of Gothic fiction is a powerful exploration of how violent and erotic impulses can break through the barriers of social and moral restraint.
This edition is based on the first edition of 1796, which appeared before Lewis’s revisions to avoid charges of blasphemy. In his introduction, Christopher MacLachlan discusses the novel’s place within the Gothic genre, and its themes of sexual desire and the abuse of power.
Savaged by critics for its supposed profanity and obscenity, and bought in large numbers by readers eager to see whether it lived up to its lurid reputation, The Monk became a succ̬s de scandale when it was published in 1796 Рnot least because its author was a member of parliament and only twenty years old. It recounts the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a Capuchin superior, who succumbs first to temptations offered by a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy, and continues his descent with increasingly depraved acts of sorcery, murder, incest and torture. Combining sensationalism with acute psychological insight, this masterpiece of Gothic fiction is a powerful exploration of how violent and erotic impulses can break through the barriers of social and moral restraint.
This edition is based on the first edition of 1796, which appeared before Lewis’s revisions to avoid charges of blasphemy. In his introduction, Christopher MacLachlan discusses the novel’s place within the Gothic genre, and its themes of sexual desire and the abuse of power.
453 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1796
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About the author
Matthew Gregory Lewis
232 books311 followersMatthew Gregory Lewis was an English novelist and dramatist, often referred to as "Monk" Lewis, because of the success of his classic Gothic novel, The Monk.
Matthew Gregory Lewis was the firstborn child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. Both his parents' families had connections with Jamaica. Lewis' father owned considerable property in Jamaica, within four miles of Savanna-la-Mer, or Savanna-la-Mar, which was hit by a devastating earthquake and hurricane in 1779. Lewis would later inherit this property.
In addition to Matthew Gregory Lewis, Matthew and Frances had three other children: Maria, Barrington, and Sophia Elizabeth. On 23 July 1781, when Matthew was six and his youngest sister was one and a half years old, Frances left her husband, taking the music master, Samuel Harrison, as her lover. During their estrangement, Frances lived under a different name, Langley, in order to hide her location from her husband. He still, however, knew her whereabouts. On 3 July 1782, Frances gave birth to a child. That same day, hearing of the birth, her estranged husband returned. Afterwards, he began to arrange a legal separation from his wife. After formally accusing his wife of adultery through the Consistory Court of the Bishop of London on 27 February 1783, he petitioned the House of Lords for permission to bring about a bill of divorce. However, as these bills were rarely granted, it was rejected when brought to voting. Consequently, Matthew and Frances remained married until his death in 1812. Frances, though withdrawing from society and temporarily moving to France, was always supported financially by her husband and then later, her son. She later returned to London and then finally finished her days at Leatherhead, rejoining society and even becoming a lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales. Frances and her son remained quite close, with her taking on the responsibility of helping him with his literary career. She even became a published author, much to her son’s dislike.
Matthew Gregory Lewis began his education at a preparatory school under Reverend Dr. John Fountain, Dean of York at Marylebone Seminary, a friend of both the Lewis and Sewell families. Here, Lewis learned Latin, Greek, French, writing, arithmetic, drawing, dancing, and fencing. Throughout the school day, he and his classmates were only permitted to converse in French. Like many of his classmates, Lewis used the Marylebone Seminary as a stepping stone, proceeding from there to the Westminster School, like his father, at age eight. Here, he acted in the Town Boys’ Play as Falconbridge in King John and then My Lord Duke in High Life Below Stairs. Later, again like his father, he began studying at Christ Church, Oxford on 27 April 1790 at the age of fifteen. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1794. He later earned a master's degree from the same school in 1797.
Matthew Gregory Lewis was the firstborn child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. Both his parents' families had connections with Jamaica. Lewis' father owned considerable property in Jamaica, within four miles of Savanna-la-Mer, or Savanna-la-Mar, which was hit by a devastating earthquake and hurricane in 1779. Lewis would later inherit this property.
In addition to Matthew Gregory Lewis, Matthew and Frances had three other children: Maria, Barrington, and Sophia Elizabeth. On 23 July 1781, when Matthew was six and his youngest sister was one and a half years old, Frances left her husband, taking the music master, Samuel Harrison, as her lover. During their estrangement, Frances lived under a different name, Langley, in order to hide her location from her husband. He still, however, knew her whereabouts. On 3 July 1782, Frances gave birth to a child. That same day, hearing of the birth, her estranged husband returned. Afterwards, he began to arrange a legal separation from his wife. After formally accusing his wife of adultery through the Consistory Court of the Bishop of London on 27 February 1783, he petitioned the House of Lords for permission to bring about a bill of divorce. However, as these bills were rarely granted, it was rejected when brought to voting. Consequently, Matthew and Frances remained married until his death in 1812. Frances, though withdrawing from society and temporarily moving to France, was always supported financially by her husband and then later, her son. She later returned to London and then finally finished her days at Leatherhead, rejoining society and even becoming a lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales. Frances and her son remained quite close, with her taking on the responsibility of helping him with his literary career. She even became a published author, much to her son’s dislike.
Matthew Gregory Lewis began his education at a preparatory school under Reverend Dr. John Fountain, Dean of York at Marylebone Seminary, a friend of both the Lewis and Sewell families. Here, Lewis learned Latin, Greek, French, writing, arithmetic, drawing, dancing, and fencing. Throughout the school day, he and his classmates were only permitted to converse in French. Like many of his classmates, Lewis used the Marylebone Seminary as a stepping stone, proceeding from there to the Westminster School, like his father, at age eight. Here, he acted in the Town Boys’ Play as Falconbridge in King John and then My Lord Duke in High Life Below Stairs. Later, again like his father, he began studying at Christ Church, Oxford on 27 April 1790 at the age of fifteen. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1794. He later earned a master's degree from the same school in 1797.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,665 reviews
February 11, 2020
When I was younger, I avoided this book because the literary snob in me--a much more insistent voice back then than now--had decided, on the basis of ”informed opinion,” that “The Monk” was a calculated exercise in sensationalism, a device for producing horrific thrills through the deliberate, exploitative use of cheap effects and anti-Catholic stereotypes.
Now that I have read it, I see that the literary snob in me had a point. “The Monk” is all of these things. But it is also more.
I think the young Matthew Lewis liked Walpole and loved Radcliff, but believed that they both fell short of his own darker, revolutionary vision, particularly in regard to the supernatural, providence, and fate. For Lewis, the supernatural is neither an obvious intrusion of the symbolic into the actual, a providential and prophetic sign (Walpole) nor a mere objective correlative for the heroine's emotional state which--once it has served its sentimental purpose--can be explained away and summarily discarded (Radcliff). No, the supernatural for Lewis is an elusive, complex phenomenon, a dangerous disruption of the ordinary, which may be mocked by the rationalist or embraced by the gullible, which may at times be a mere legend (or a stratagem exploiting a legend), but could just as easily turn out to be real. And if real, it will be something horribly real--relentless and insistent at best, malevolent and destructive at worst, and only tangentially connected to providence.
It is in his radical criticism of providence itself that Lewis differs most markedly from his influences. For Mrs. Radcliff (and Walpole, to a lesser extent) Providence is a benevolent but mischievous uncle who enjoys scaring the children before he rewards them with treats. But for Lewis, Providence is a capricious, unreliable overseer, capable of allowing the spotless innocent to be ravished and destroyed by the wicked. The fact that the wicked one later meets with a terrifying supernatural destruction never quite makes up for the great horror or the grave injustice of the initial violation.
In addition, Lewis brings the dark side of Shakespeare plus the spirit of early German Romanticism and the recent French Revolution into the already familiar world of sentimental dialogue, medieval abbeys and Salvator Rosa landscapes, giving the gothic world a wider breadth and a greater force.
(A final note: all lovers of Poe should read this novel. Just as "The Fall of the House of Usher" was inspired by "Otranto," so "The Pit and the Pendulum" was inspired by "The Monk." In both cases Poe surpasses his influences, but the comparisons are extremely interesting.)
October 27, 2020
Update In the shop on Saturday, Oct 24th, a girl of about 14, a good customer who normally reads things like Friday Nights at Freddy's bought this book. This morning, her mother came in ranting and raving with the book in a real state. She said it was pornography (debatable) and wicked (definitely) and if the Church knew I was selling books like this to children (she belongs to the Full Body Church of Jesus Christ Evangelist which is why her 14 year old is still reading Friday Night at Freddy's), they would get my trade licence withdrawn. (Threats, threats). I told my clerk to give her the money back.
So the girl came in this afternoon as we knew she would, and gave her back the mashed-up copy of The Monk (we are very subversive and support her and other girls with dragon mothers) and Watership Down which she thought her mother wouldn't find offensive. I hope she enjoys The Monk.
____________________
It is is such a great fun book to read. It's really not like anything else at all, it's so extreme in every way. It was written in the era of the great classics, but this one is never going to be taught in schools.
The book out-Gothics all the Gothic novels you ever read, Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey isn't even related to the raw perversion and criminality of this madcap horror ride through the forbidden where taboos fall one by one as the The Monk, unable to live up to his vows gives in to every deviant temptation. In him, every tenet of pure, celibate monastic existence becomes corrupted and evil.
The Monk has everything - a cross-dressing seductive heroine, get thee to a nunnery oh you virgin (but not for long), sex, incest, rape, madness, torture, death, crypts, poison, magic, ghosts, bandits, vermin, the devil and the total moral and social degradation of all concerned.
The author, who was only 20 at the time, let his fevered imagination run as wild as it wanted and then whipped it on a bit further. The most perverted and extreme taboos were just eccentricities to be worked into the characters and plot.
What makes the book so outstanding, and why it has never been out of print in the over 200 years since it was first published, is that it is written with great intelligence and insight into people's psyches by an extremely talented author. And, unlike some classics, it isn't in the least bit boring.
But seriously, no one is ever going to be asked to write a book report in school for it. I might have though. If I'd know about the book I would have done it as 'summer reading'. Those reports had to be read out to the class. That would have enlivened things a bit.
It's free here. It says it's a romance. I wouldn't really call it that!
Edited for some egregious typos, bad grammar and triple-redundant words, mostly 'mad'.
So the girl came in this afternoon as we knew she would, and gave her back the mashed-up copy of The Monk (we are very subversive and support her and other girls with dragon mothers) and Watership Down which she thought her mother wouldn't find offensive. I hope she enjoys The Monk.
____________________
It is is such a great fun book to read. It's really not like anything else at all, it's so extreme in every way. It was written in the era of the great classics, but this one is never going to be taught in schools.
The book out-Gothics all the Gothic novels you ever read, Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey isn't even related to the raw perversion and criminality of this madcap horror ride through the forbidden where taboos fall one by one as the The Monk, unable to live up to his vows gives in to every deviant temptation. In him, every tenet of pure, celibate monastic existence becomes corrupted and evil.
The Monk has everything - a cross-dressing seductive heroine, get thee to a nunnery oh you virgin (but not for long), sex, incest, rape, madness, torture, death, crypts, poison, magic, ghosts, bandits, vermin, the devil and the total moral and social degradation of all concerned.
The author, who was only 20 at the time, let his fevered imagination run as wild as it wanted and then whipped it on a bit further. The most perverted and extreme taboos were just eccentricities to be worked into the characters and plot.
What makes the book so outstanding, and why it has never been out of print in the over 200 years since it was first published, is that it is written with great intelligence and insight into people's psyches by an extremely talented author. And, unlike some classics, it isn't in the least bit boring.
But seriously, no one is ever going to be asked to write a book report in school for it. I might have though. If I'd know about the book I would have done it as 'summer reading'. Those reports had to be read out to the class. That would have enlivened things a bit.
It's free here. It says it's a romance. I wouldn't really call it that!
Edited for some egregious typos, bad grammar and triple-redundant words, mostly 'mad'.
August 8, 2019
”Lucifer stood before him a second time. He borrowed the Seraph’s form to deceive Ambrosio. He appeared in all that ugliness, which since his fall from heaven had been his portion: His blasted limbs still bore marks of the Almighty’s thunder: A swarthy darkness spread itself over his gigantic form: His hands and feet were armed with long Talons: Fury glared in his eyes, which might have struck the bravest heart with terror: Over his huge shoulders waved two enormous sable wings; and his hair was supplied by living snakes, which twined themselves round his brows with frightful hissings. In one hand He held a roll of parchment, and in the other an iron pen. Still the lightning flashed around him, and the Thunder with repeated bursts, seemed to announce the dissolution of nature.”
How does Ambrosio the most pious, the most venerated monk in all of Madrid find himself at this point bargaining with Lucifer for the tattered remains of his blackened soul?
Ambrosio had been left on the monastery doorstep “when he was too young to tell his tale”and had never known a moment of the world beyond those monastic walls. Because of these unique circumstances he had never been exposed to temptation, vice, sin or the charms of the female form. Now the upper class women did find his eloquence when he gave sermons so enticing that he quickly became the most popular monk for hearing confessions. Which I often thought that one of the bonuses of being a member of the cloth would be to hear all the juicy details of confession. Now don’t hold anything back young lady salvation is in the details.
I digress.
My point is that even with his sheltered upbringing he had a good idea what all those people were getting up to out there in the regular world, but he had an almost scientific detachment from the conception and the temptations of sin.
The downfall of Ambrosio was just too tempting for Lucifer. He sends Rosario to the monastery to be Ambrosio’s assistance. Rosario keeps his face hidden under a cowl and makes himself indispensable to Ambrosio. After he has gained the trust of the monk he reveals himself to be a woman, a beautiful woman named Matilda. This was a HOLY SHIT moment for Ambrosio. Needless to say after much wringing of hands and grand speeches about his virtue being beyond reproach he finds out after all he is just a man.
”Dangerous Woman! said He; Into what an abyss of misery have you plunged me! Should your sex be discovered, my honour, nay my life, must pay for the pleasure of a few moments. Fool that I was, to trust myself to your seductions! What can now be done? How can my offence be expiated? What atonement can purchase the pardon of my crime? Wretched Matilda, you have destroyed my quiet for ever!”
It really isn’t fair after all. I mean if Lucifer decided to send a beautiful being to any one of us with the intention of getting us to “fall from grace” we would all be doomed. Samuel Taylor Coleridge thought that the creation of Matilda was Lewis’s masterpiece. He said she was “exquisitely imagined” and “superior in wickedness to the most wicked of men." When I think about this book being published in 1796, in the infant stages of novel writing, by a young man of 19 and written in just ten weeks it is staggering to contemplate how wonderfully he developed the villains of this story. The writing is weak when it comes to characters representing the commendable people. They were cardboard cutouts just mere backdrops for the villains to ply their villainy upon.
Ambrosio soon tires of the beautiful Matilda and turns his attentions to the seduction of Antonia a timid and innocent girl of 15. Matilda turns demon pimp and acquires magic to help Ambrosio feed his growing lust. Lewis builds the tension in this section as there are several moments when we feel that he is about to accomplish his task and something interferes. He knows it is not right to despoil this girl of her virtue, but he can not resist his own base urges. ”Every feature, look, and motion declares you formed to bless, and to be blessed yourself! Turn not on me those supplicating eyes: Consult your own charms; They will tell you, that I am proof against entreaty. Can I relinquish those limbs so white, so soft, so delicate; Thos swelling breasts, round, full, and elastic! These lips fraught with such inexhaustible sweetness? Can I relinquish these treasures, and leave them to another’s enjoyment? No, Antonia; never, never! I swear it by this kiss, and this! and this!”
Of course this is not Ambrosio’s fault. It is the girl’s fault.
”Wretched Girl, you must stay here with me! Here amidst these lonely Tombs, these images of Death, these rotting loathsome corrupted bodies! Here shall you stay, and witness my sufferings; witness what it is to die in the horrors of despondency, and breathe the last groan in blasphemy and curses! And who am I to thank for this? What seduced me into crimes, whose bare remembrance makes me shudder? Fatal Witch! was it not they beauty? Have you not plunged my soul into infamy? Have you not made me a perjured Hypocrite, a Ravisher, an Assassin! Nay, at this moment, does not that angel look bid me despair of God’s forgiveness?"
If she just wasn’t so damn beautiful he would have been fine. He would have let her keep her virtue and he would be back on the path to righteousness.
Matthew Lewis
Now Lewis does ramble around a bit. We follow the adventures of some noblemen trying to save their sister/fiance from being condemned to a convent because her parents made a promise to God. The Prioress turns out to be another great villain and capable of such diabolical vengeance that yet again Lewis made this reader uneasy. He also incorporates the Bleeding Nun into this section.
”WIth trembling apprehension I examined this midnight Visitor. God Almighty! It was the Bleeding Nun! Her face was still veiled. She lifted up her veil slowly. What sight presented itself to my startled eyes! I beheld before me an animated Corse. Her countenance was long and haggard; Her cheeks and lips were bloodless; The paleness of death was spread over her features, and here eye-balls fixed steadfastly upon me were lustreless and hollow.”
And the Wandering Jew.
”He spoke in a commanding tone, and drew the sable band from his fore-head. In spite of his injunctions to the contrary, Curiosity would not suffer me to keep my eyes off his face; I raised them, and behold a burning Cross impressed upon his brow. For the horror with which this object inspired me I cannot account, but I never felt its equal! My senses left me for some moments; A mysterious dread overcame my courage, and had not the Exorciser caught my hand, I would Have fallen out of the Circle.”
Wandering Jew by Dore
Stephen King wrote an interesting introduction to this volume. He puts Walpole and Lewis in perspective with the emergence of this Gothic-Horror genre. ”If this new genre had an Elvis Presley, it was Walpole. Then came Matthew Lewis the genre’s first punk, the Johnny Rotten of the Gothic novel. The Monk was a black engine of sex and the supernatural that changed the genre--and the novel itself--forever.”
Is that Johnny Rotten or is that Matthew Lewis?
That sums up for me why when I was deciding between three stars and four stars I gave the push to four. Lewis published the first edition Anonymously, but then when it became a sensation he published the second edition under his own name and added M.P. to reflect his recently acquired seat in the House of Commons. Charges of “immorality” and “wild extravagances” started to be flung in his direction and “an injunction to restrain its sales was obtained”. Bowing to pressure he reworked and removed some of the more offensive passages. There is nothing like a little controversy to drum up book sales.
Where Walpole and Radcliffe kept the true horror of their writing off screen Lewis audaciously grabs the reader’s hand and forces it into the maw of the gruesome. He writes vividly of the most horrible circumstances. He even came to the attention of Lord Byron. "Wonder-working Lewis, Monk or Bard, who fain wouldst make Parnassus a churchyard; Even Satan's self with thee might dread to dwell, And in thy skull discern a deeper hell." Ghosts, demons, burning crosses, diabolical evil, incest, murder, riots, rape, robbery, crypts, and demonic magic kept the pages turning. If he had put more flesh on the bones of the more honorable characters bringing them up to par with the ingenious descriptions of his villains this would have been a novel to contend with the very best.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
How does Ambrosio the most pious, the most venerated monk in all of Madrid find himself at this point bargaining with Lucifer for the tattered remains of his blackened soul?
”His Brother Monks, regarding him as a Superior Being...They were persuaded, that what He did must be right...His monastic seclusion had till now been in his favour, since it gave him no room for discovering his bad qualities. The superiority of his talents raised him too far above his Companions to permit his being jealous of them: His exemplary piety, persuasive eloquence, and pleasing manners had secured him universal Esteem, and consequently He had no injuries to revenge: His Ambition was justified by his acknowledged merit, and his pride considered as no more than proper confidence. He never saw, much less conversed with the other sex; He was ignorant of the pleasures in Woman’s power to bestow.
Ambrosio had been left on the monastery doorstep “when he was too young to tell his tale”and had never known a moment of the world beyond those monastic walls. Because of these unique circumstances he had never been exposed to temptation, vice, sin or the charms of the female form. Now the upper class women did find his eloquence when he gave sermons so enticing that he quickly became the most popular monk for hearing confessions. Which I often thought that one of the bonuses of being a member of the cloth would be to hear all the juicy details of confession. Now don’t hold anything back young lady salvation is in the details.
I digress.
My point is that even with his sheltered upbringing he had a good idea what all those people were getting up to out there in the regular world, but he had an almost scientific detachment from the conception and the temptations of sin.
The downfall of Ambrosio was just too tempting for Lucifer. He sends Rosario to the monastery to be Ambrosio’s assistance. Rosario keeps his face hidden under a cowl and makes himself indispensable to Ambrosio. After he has gained the trust of the monk he reveals himself to be a woman, a beautiful woman named Matilda. This was a HOLY SHIT moment for Ambrosio. Needless to say after much wringing of hands and grand speeches about his virtue being beyond reproach he finds out after all he is just a man.
”Dangerous Woman! said He; Into what an abyss of misery have you plunged me! Should your sex be discovered, my honour, nay my life, must pay for the pleasure of a few moments. Fool that I was, to trust myself to your seductions! What can now be done? How can my offence be expiated? What atonement can purchase the pardon of my crime? Wretched Matilda, you have destroyed my quiet for ever!”
It really isn’t fair after all. I mean if Lucifer decided to send a beautiful being to any one of us with the intention of getting us to “fall from grace” we would all be doomed. Samuel Taylor Coleridge thought that the creation of Matilda was Lewis’s masterpiece. He said she was “exquisitely imagined” and “superior in wickedness to the most wicked of men." When I think about this book being published in 1796, in the infant stages of novel writing, by a young man of 19 and written in just ten weeks it is staggering to contemplate how wonderfully he developed the villains of this story. The writing is weak when it comes to characters representing the commendable people. They were cardboard cutouts just mere backdrops for the villains to ply their villainy upon.
Ambrosio soon tires of the beautiful Matilda and turns his attentions to the seduction of Antonia a timid and innocent girl of 15. Matilda turns demon pimp and acquires magic to help Ambrosio feed his growing lust. Lewis builds the tension in this section as there are several moments when we feel that he is about to accomplish his task and something interferes. He knows it is not right to despoil this girl of her virtue, but he can not resist his own base urges. ”Every feature, look, and motion declares you formed to bless, and to be blessed yourself! Turn not on me those supplicating eyes: Consult your own charms; They will tell you, that I am proof against entreaty. Can I relinquish those limbs so white, so soft, so delicate; Thos swelling breasts, round, full, and elastic! These lips fraught with such inexhaustible sweetness? Can I relinquish these treasures, and leave them to another’s enjoyment? No, Antonia; never, never! I swear it by this kiss, and this! and this!”
Of course this is not Ambrosio’s fault. It is the girl’s fault.
”Wretched Girl, you must stay here with me! Here amidst these lonely Tombs, these images of Death, these rotting loathsome corrupted bodies! Here shall you stay, and witness my sufferings; witness what it is to die in the horrors of despondency, and breathe the last groan in blasphemy and curses! And who am I to thank for this? What seduced me into crimes, whose bare remembrance makes me shudder? Fatal Witch! was it not they beauty? Have you not plunged my soul into infamy? Have you not made me a perjured Hypocrite, a Ravisher, an Assassin! Nay, at this moment, does not that angel look bid me despair of God’s forgiveness?"
If she just wasn’t so damn beautiful he would have been fine. He would have let her keep her virtue and he would be back on the path to righteousness.
Matthew Lewis
Now Lewis does ramble around a bit. We follow the adventures of some noblemen trying to save their sister/fiance from being condemned to a convent because her parents made a promise to God. The Prioress turns out to be another great villain and capable of such diabolical vengeance that yet again Lewis made this reader uneasy. He also incorporates the Bleeding Nun into this section.
”WIth trembling apprehension I examined this midnight Visitor. God Almighty! It was the Bleeding Nun! Her face was still veiled. She lifted up her veil slowly. What sight presented itself to my startled eyes! I beheld before me an animated Corse. Her countenance was long and haggard; Her cheeks and lips were bloodless; The paleness of death was spread over her features, and here eye-balls fixed steadfastly upon me were lustreless and hollow.”
And the Wandering Jew.
”He spoke in a commanding tone, and drew the sable band from his fore-head. In spite of his injunctions to the contrary, Curiosity would not suffer me to keep my eyes off his face; I raised them, and behold a burning Cross impressed upon his brow. For the horror with which this object inspired me I cannot account, but I never felt its equal! My senses left me for some moments; A mysterious dread overcame my courage, and had not the Exorciser caught my hand, I would Have fallen out of the Circle.”
Wandering Jew by Dore
Stephen King wrote an interesting introduction to this volume. He puts Walpole and Lewis in perspective with the emergence of this Gothic-Horror genre. ”If this new genre had an Elvis Presley, it was Walpole. Then came Matthew Lewis the genre’s first punk, the Johnny Rotten of the Gothic novel. The Monk was a black engine of sex and the supernatural that changed the genre--and the novel itself--forever.”
Is that Johnny Rotten or is that Matthew Lewis?
That sums up for me why when I was deciding between three stars and four stars I gave the push to four. Lewis published the first edition Anonymously, but then when it became a sensation he published the second edition under his own name and added M.P. to reflect his recently acquired seat in the House of Commons. Charges of “immorality” and “wild extravagances” started to be flung in his direction and “an injunction to restrain its sales was obtained”. Bowing to pressure he reworked and removed some of the more offensive passages. There is nothing like a little controversy to drum up book sales.
Where Walpole and Radcliffe kept the true horror of their writing off screen Lewis audaciously grabs the reader’s hand and forces it into the maw of the gruesome. He writes vividly of the most horrible circumstances. He even came to the attention of Lord Byron. "Wonder-working Lewis, Monk or Bard, who fain wouldst make Parnassus a churchyard; Even Satan's self with thee might dread to dwell, And in thy skull discern a deeper hell." Ghosts, demons, burning crosses, diabolical evil, incest, murder, riots, rape, robbery, crypts, and demonic magic kept the pages turning. If he had put more flesh on the bones of the more honorable characters bringing them up to par with the ingenious descriptions of his villains this would have been a novel to contend with the very best.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
October 26, 2024
Scandalous and scintillating. The Monk is a literary marvel.
Watch my BookTube video featuring books with Satan & demons .😈
Behold, the book that ruined Matthew Gregory Lewis' career. When it was first published in 1796, The Monk was deemed too scandalous for polite society because of its profane, obscene content. I couldn't help but wonder if it would still be considered shocking today, and now that I've read it I can attest that, YES, the story is scandalous and alarming (but not in a way that would end the author's career).
The story concerns a monk named Ambrosio who encounters temptation in the form of a young girl disguised as a boy who enters his monastery. He quickly succumbs to temptation, but it doesn't stop there; his descent grows increasingly depraved and sensational with each passing chapter. The result is a tragic story of social and moral failings.
As can be common with classic literature, The Monk is a story within a story, so be prepared to tumble down the rabbit hole, and brace yourself for one of the most memorable (and satisfying) conclusions in classic literature. Cannot recommend this highly enough!
Watch my BookTube video featuring books with Satan & demons .😈
Behold, the book that ruined Matthew Gregory Lewis' career. When it was first published in 1796, The Monk was deemed too scandalous for polite society because of its profane, obscene content. I couldn't help but wonder if it would still be considered shocking today, and now that I've read it I can attest that, YES, the story is scandalous and alarming (but not in a way that would end the author's career).
The story concerns a monk named Ambrosio who encounters temptation in the form of a young girl disguised as a boy who enters his monastery. He quickly succumbs to temptation, but it doesn't stop there; his descent grows increasingly depraved and sensational with each passing chapter. The result is a tragic story of social and moral failings.
As can be common with classic literature, The Monk is a story within a story, so be prepared to tumble down the rabbit hole, and brace yourself for one of the most memorable (and satisfying) conclusions in classic literature. Cannot recommend this highly enough!
November 16, 2020
Revived review because I just found the cover of the edition I read way back when - check it out -
That is soooooo trashy! Could it be any trashier if she was in a bikini?
Anyway... original review follows.
********************************
Calling all Gothic Novel fans : you have to read The Monk - this is the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of Gothic novels which will unjade the most jaded. Here you will find much fun to be had with nuns, priests with uncontrollable underwear, more nuns, pregnant nuns, nuns with minimal clothing, nuns giving birth in frankly unsanitory conditions attended only by untrained inappropriate monks, heaving bosoms, unspeakable acts, souls in the process of being damned for all eternity, mostly ghostly ectoplasm, also big rats.
The things that happen to people after they are dead in this book are more than happen to living people in some other books I have read.
I remember well that as I perused this volume, those many years ago, my hair rose perpendicularly from my scalp and tingles spread across my nether regions.
That is soooooo trashy! Could it be any trashier if she was in a bikini?
Anyway... original review follows.
********************************
Calling all Gothic Novel fans : you have to read The Monk - this is the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of Gothic novels which will unjade the most jaded. Here you will find much fun to be had with nuns, priests with uncontrollable underwear, more nuns, pregnant nuns, nuns with minimal clothing, nuns giving birth in frankly unsanitory conditions attended only by untrained inappropriate monks, heaving bosoms, unspeakable acts, souls in the process of being damned for all eternity, mostly ghostly ectoplasm, also big rats.
The things that happen to people after they are dead in this book are more than happen to living people in some other books I have read.
I remember well that as I perused this volume, those many years ago, my hair rose perpendicularly from my scalp and tingles spread across my nether regions.
April 21, 2017
LOSING MY RELIGION
Αυτό το "γοτθικό" κλασικό βιβλίο με οδήγησε στην Ισπανία του μεσαίωνα σε ένα κλίμα δεισιδαιμονίας θρησκευτικής αποχαύνωσης και διαστροφής.
Τοποθετημένο σε ένα μεσαιωνικό μοναστήρι με έναν χαρισματικά και αγγελικά διεστραμμένο καλόγερο που μαγεύει τα πλήθη, αρχίζει να περιπλέκεται μια υπόθεση σκοτεινή και μακάβρια με ιστορίες, γεγονότα και αφηγήσεις να γεννιούνται συνεχώς μέσα απο άλλες ιστορίες και να περιπλέκονται με εξαιρετική μαεστρία και σπονδυλωτή πλοκή.
Απλοί θεοφοβούμενοι άνθρωποι- ιππότες- κληρονόμοι πλουσιων οικογενειών με τίτλους και διακρίσεις-ιερά εξέταση-καλόγριες-Εωσφόρος-παρθένες-μαγισσες-αμαρτίες-έρωτες-κρυφοί-πόθοι ανομολόγητοι- πάθη κολασμένα- όλη η νομοτέλεια της ανθρώπινης και της θεϊκής φύσης πρωταγωνιστούν με συμβολικό τροπο σε αυτό το εμβληματικό και επαναστατικό μυθιστόρημα.
Φυσικά βασικό πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο έχει ο έρωτας σε ολες του τις μορφές και τις εκφάνσεις. Αλλα και τίποτα απο ολα τα αλλα που εξιστορούνται-και γίνονται με την δεινότητα και το πάθος που εξελίσσεται στην φαντασία μας-δεν ειναι όπως φαίνεται...
Εξαίσια περιγραφικό, τέλεια μεταφρασμένο δεν μπορείς εύκολα να το εντάξεις σε κάποια κατηγορία είδους βιβλίου. Ανατρεπτικό,σαρωτικό,χωρις εξωραϊσμούς και διακρίσεις,ένα μαύρο παραμύθι με εκπληκτική μυθοπλασία και τρομερό ρεαλισμό.
Ηθικό δίδαγμα: κάθε μορφή φανατισμού και αρρωστημένης πίστης ειναι μια σοβαρή ασθένεια που πλήττει θανάσιμα την ψυχή και τα χαρίσματα της ανθρώπινης ύπαρξης οδηγώντας τη σε διχασμό και ολοκληρωτική ανυπαρξία.
Καλή ανάγνωση !!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
* Παρακαλώ όσοι-ες απο εσάς έχουν διαβάσει παρόμοια βιβλία να με ενημερώσουν σχετικά. Θα σας ήμουν ευγνώμων.
Ευχαριστώ.
Αυτό το "γοτθικό" κλασικό βιβλίο με οδήγησε στην Ισπανία του μεσαίωνα σε ένα κλίμα δεισιδαιμονίας θρησκευτικής αποχαύνωσης και διαστροφής.
Τοποθετημένο σε ένα μεσαιωνικό μοναστήρι με έναν χαρισματικά και αγγελικά διεστραμμένο καλόγερο που μαγεύει τα πλήθη, αρχίζει να περιπλέκεται μια υπόθεση σκοτεινή και μακάβρια με ιστορίες, γεγονότα και αφηγήσεις να γεννιούνται συνεχώς μέσα απο άλλες ιστορίες και να περιπλέκονται με εξαιρετική μαεστρία και σπονδυλωτή πλοκή.
Απλοί θεοφοβούμενοι άνθρωποι- ιππότες- κληρονόμοι πλουσιων οικογενειών με τίτλους και διακρίσεις-ιερά εξέταση-καλόγριες-Εωσφόρος-παρθένες-μαγισσες-αμαρτίες-έρωτες-κρυφοί-πόθοι ανομολόγητοι- πάθη κολασμένα- όλη η νομοτέλεια της ανθρώπινης και της θεϊκής φύσης πρωταγωνιστούν με συμβολικό τροπο σε αυτό το εμβληματικό και επαναστατικό μυθιστόρημα.
Φυσικά βασικό πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο έχει ο έρωτας σε ολες του τις μορφές και τις εκφάνσεις. Αλλα και τίποτα απο ολα τα αλλα που εξιστορούνται-και γίνονται με την δεινότητα και το πάθος που εξελίσσεται στην φαντασία μας-δεν ειναι όπως φαίνεται...
Εξαίσια περιγραφικό, τέλεια μεταφρασμένο δεν μπορείς εύκολα να το εντάξεις σε κάποια κατηγορία είδους βιβλίου. Ανατρεπτικό,σαρωτικό,χωρις εξωραϊσμούς και διακρίσεις,ένα μαύρο παραμύθι με εκπληκτική μυθοπλασία και τρομερό ρεαλισμό.
Ηθικό δίδαγμα: κάθε μορφή φανατισμού και αρρωστημένης πίστης ειναι μια σοβαρή ασθένεια που πλήττει θανάσιμα την ψυχή και τα χαρίσματα της ανθρώπινης ύπαρξης οδηγώντας τη σε διχασμό και ολοκληρωτική ανυπαρξία.
Καλή ανάγνωση !!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
* Παρακαλώ όσοι-ες απο εσάς έχουν διαβάσει παρόμοια βιβλία να με ενημερώσουν σχετικά. Θα σας ήμουν ευγνώμων.
Ευχαριστώ.
May 15, 2021
Among the controversial literary works published throughout world history, few have sparked the level of outrage and obsession associated with Matthew Lewis’ 1796 novel The Monk. Even before his book bugged out eyes all across London, the patriarch was feeling hesitant toward Gothic plots. On one hand, Ann Radcliffe’s narrative puzzleboxes were charmingly written. But on the other, her female characters were too pushy against their fathers, too resistant of assigned husbands, and too eager to run off on exotic adventures. A girl could get ideas reading such folly. What a mess that would be!
If women had only been casual readers of Gothic novels, picking one up at random merely to pass the time, it might not have been so unnerving. But it wasn’t like that at all. Girls read these books constantly, aloud while gathered around the kitchen table, late into the night—till their candles burnt low or their voices rasped hoarse. They visited circulating libraries daily in hopes to find the latest volume of romantic terror. They discussed every element, every side character, and no doubt imagined what scandals took place between the lines, where subtext teased sheltered sensibilities. As much as some men might have wanted to, there was no prying away these titillating tales from their wives and daughters. And, to be fair, men were also hooked. The Gothic novel was essentially a new invention at this time. It captured the imagination of practically everyone.
Even still, Lewis’ The Monk took the genre further than polite society ever expected. Scandalous passages included hot sex, cold murder, stark horror, and all levels of blasphemy committed by religious figures—within holy walls, no less. Every ghastly moment was described with unyielding, painstaking detail. It was one thing to imagine the possibility of sexual plunder in the castle of Udolpho, where militant men lurked the darkened stone walls and snuck into bedrooms via secret passage. It was quite another to read such sequences fully realized on the page. As literary scholar Ed Cameron put it, “Lewis offers the reader a pornographic Gothic in which the previously ambiguous supernatural is now given in all its obnoxious presence."
It may be strange to associate pornographic pleasure with a novel largely about an evil monk who systematically plots the rape and murder of beautiful girls around Madrid, but these unexpected responses to the novel should be a testament to Lewis’ genius. The novel horrifies, but it also lights a fire in the bosom of readers. Indeed, one artist even adapted the reading phenomenon for canvas. In his “A Lady Reading the Monk,” Charles Williams drew an eighteenth century woman clad in a revealing nightgown. She clutches the forbidden book in her left hand, while her right is slipped underneath her gown and appears to be exploring her genital region. A burning fire heats the room and a cat watches with curiosity, marveled by the sight of the woman’s partially exposed backside.
With such violence, smut, and anti-Catholic sentiments available to the general public—not to mention the discovery that its author was a member of Parliament—there is no surprise that the tsunami of controversy created a bestseller for Lewis. Still, controversy and popularity is not enough to consider a novel a landmark. Many—if not most—disputed texts eventually fade away into obscurity. The Monk, however, remains a classic. Particularly for the schools of Gothic Studies and Horror.
There is much to admire about the novel, from impeccable prose, lively characters, fascinating B-plots, emotional dialogue, to its relentless impending doom. One element of Lewis’ artistry that is understudied, however, is his handling of a villain point of view. Ambrosio’s diabolical persona shares traits with earlier villains, such as Walpole’s Manfred, Radcliffe’s Montoni and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, but it is fresh for its front row seat to escalating horror. The reader is still tied to a damsel in distress, as was a norm set by Walpole and Radcliffe, but now they also get to experience the methodical drumbeat of villainy from the perspective of the villain. It is this differentiation, perhaps more than any other, which has made The Monk such an enduring and hugely influential text.
Lewis makes Ambrosio a figure worth following even as he systematically plots evil deeds. There's just enough evidence that Ambrosio is swept up in something more evil—the corrupt and hypocritical institution of the Catholic church—that we almost want him to find redemption. There is a very awkward moment toward the end where the reader must decide if they'd like to see the evil monk have his soul saved by God, but be severely punished by the Inquisition, or get away with his earthly crimes yet condemn his soul to Hell. Neither is an ideal option. Do we hate him? If so, why do we want to see him saved one way or another?
It's easy to see why The Monk is often heralded as the first horror novel. Though Lewis was interacting with trending Gothic motifs that were so popular in the 1790s, his escalations into the dark regions of terror, such as a willingness to describe violence, demonic conjuring and actual supernatural haunts, make him much grittier than his peers. The effect is transformational, the creation of an aesthetic that would inspire multitudes of knock-offs in Lewis' own lifetime, and whose influence can still be found in modern horror novels today.
If you're looking for a 200+ year-old classic that can still make you blush, still make you tremble, and also make you think, it doesn't get much better than The Monk.
If women had only been casual readers of Gothic novels, picking one up at random merely to pass the time, it might not have been so unnerving. But it wasn’t like that at all. Girls read these books constantly, aloud while gathered around the kitchen table, late into the night—till their candles burnt low or their voices rasped hoarse. They visited circulating libraries daily in hopes to find the latest volume of romantic terror. They discussed every element, every side character, and no doubt imagined what scandals took place between the lines, where subtext teased sheltered sensibilities. As much as some men might have wanted to, there was no prying away these titillating tales from their wives and daughters. And, to be fair, men were also hooked. The Gothic novel was essentially a new invention at this time. It captured the imagination of practically everyone.
Even still, Lewis’ The Monk took the genre further than polite society ever expected. Scandalous passages included hot sex, cold murder, stark horror, and all levels of blasphemy committed by religious figures—within holy walls, no less. Every ghastly moment was described with unyielding, painstaking detail. It was one thing to imagine the possibility of sexual plunder in the castle of Udolpho, where militant men lurked the darkened stone walls and snuck into bedrooms via secret passage. It was quite another to read such sequences fully realized on the page. As literary scholar Ed Cameron put it, “Lewis offers the reader a pornographic Gothic in which the previously ambiguous supernatural is now given in all its obnoxious presence."
It may be strange to associate pornographic pleasure with a novel largely about an evil monk who systematically plots the rape and murder of beautiful girls around Madrid, but these unexpected responses to the novel should be a testament to Lewis’ genius. The novel horrifies, but it also lights a fire in the bosom of readers. Indeed, one artist even adapted the reading phenomenon for canvas. In his “A Lady Reading the Monk,” Charles Williams drew an eighteenth century woman clad in a revealing nightgown. She clutches the forbidden book in her left hand, while her right is slipped underneath her gown and appears to be exploring her genital region. A burning fire heats the room and a cat watches with curiosity, marveled by the sight of the woman’s partially exposed backside.
With such violence, smut, and anti-Catholic sentiments available to the general public—not to mention the discovery that its author was a member of Parliament—there is no surprise that the tsunami of controversy created a bestseller for Lewis. Still, controversy and popularity is not enough to consider a novel a landmark. Many—if not most—disputed texts eventually fade away into obscurity. The Monk, however, remains a classic. Particularly for the schools of Gothic Studies and Horror.
There is much to admire about the novel, from impeccable prose, lively characters, fascinating B-plots, emotional dialogue, to its relentless impending doom. One element of Lewis’ artistry that is understudied, however, is his handling of a villain point of view. Ambrosio’s diabolical persona shares traits with earlier villains, such as Walpole’s Manfred, Radcliffe’s Montoni and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, but it is fresh for its front row seat to escalating horror. The reader is still tied to a damsel in distress, as was a norm set by Walpole and Radcliffe, but now they also get to experience the methodical drumbeat of villainy from the perspective of the villain. It is this differentiation, perhaps more than any other, which has made The Monk such an enduring and hugely influential text.
Lewis makes Ambrosio a figure worth following even as he systematically plots evil deeds. There's just enough evidence that Ambrosio is swept up in something more evil—the corrupt and hypocritical institution of the Catholic church—that we almost want him to find redemption. There is a very awkward moment toward the end where the reader must decide if they'd like to see the evil monk have his soul saved by God, but be severely punished by the Inquisition, or get away with his earthly crimes yet condemn his soul to Hell. Neither is an ideal option. Do we hate him? If so, why do we want to see him saved one way or another?
It's easy to see why The Monk is often heralded as the first horror novel. Though Lewis was interacting with trending Gothic motifs that were so popular in the 1790s, his escalations into the dark regions of terror, such as a willingness to describe violence, demonic conjuring and actual supernatural haunts, make him much grittier than his peers. The effect is transformational, the creation of an aesthetic that would inspire multitudes of knock-offs in Lewis' own lifetime, and whose influence can still be found in modern horror novels today.
If you're looking for a 200+ year-old classic that can still make you blush, still make you tremble, and also make you think, it doesn't get much better than The Monk.
August 20, 2021
I love this cover. It is closer to the feel of the novel than any plot description I could possibly give.
How does one describe the plot of this book? Yes, there is a synopsis that describes one of the plot lines, but the book is all over the place. Extremely entertaining, but with enough plot lines to fill a 800+ page book. We get a monk who falls in love with a woman who had a picture of herself made looking like the Madonna (and who had a convoluted scheme to get the painting to the monk so he could become obsessed with it), a man in love with a nun (and he had an adventure involving bandits and another convoluted relationship with the nun’s aunt) and another gentleman who falls in love with a woman whose mother married above her station and had to flee the country and who lost a son under mysterious circumstances and… this only the first 100 pages. It's ridiculous how all over the place it is.
…
And I loved it.
This is the most gothic Gothic to ever gothic. It was written fairly early into the genre's history, and yet it already feels like the author was embracing self-parody with his use of tropes… and yes, this is often clearly intentional.
This is one hell of a book. Published in 1796, The Monk is also one of the first extreme horror novels. Oh, it's fairly slow paced at the start and some extreme horror fans may find it a bit dull as they are used to getting to the gruesome bits fast… but the last 100 pages or so of this book has material I did not think I would see in a book from this era. Just off the top of my head, this is a book that contains murder, torture, rape, and descriptions of corpses in various stage of rot. It also has a poem section with a variation of the "Worms Crawl In" (also known as The Hearse Song).
It may also surprise you to find that this is a very funny book. Lewis wrote it all purposely trying to get a reaction out of people, but one of those reactions he wanted was laughter. Take a scene in which a character recounts an experience she had with a ghost. She says the week before her death, she saw the woman *GASP* eating a chicken wing on Friday (which according to the Catholic church at the time was a sin). She explains how she later saw the ghost again, and what did it say?
“Oh! That chicken’s wing! My poor soul suffers for it!”
This book is pure chaos… but chaos at it's finest. I can't say that it's a truly "great" book, but I dug the hell out of it. As ridiculous as it is, I can also say its highly influential to the horror genre, so, well, there's that too it too! Thus if you're looking for a classic that feels like a sleazy horror novel, have I got the book for you.
4/5 stars and a recommendation to all horror and classic fans who don't have to take their books too seriously.
As a quick aside, I wonder how many times the word “perfidious” is used in the novel. I think one could make a drinking game of it if they truly hated their liver…
May 4, 2024
Ambrosio, the abbot, is the perfect monk, head of an abbey in Madrid, and the idol of the city, a young, handsome, charismatic man, with a spellbinding voice, that thrills the congregation at his church. All the people flock to it, to hear his sermons, five minutes after the bells ring, the church is overflowing, and the noble families are there, silently the assembly listens, a living saint, they witness, the proud people are ecstatic, in this modern age (the 1700's), God has sent them Ambrosio! The Capuchin Friar (an order of independent Franciscans), the Monk, is not what he appears to be, everything, a mirage, the orphan, found at the door of the abbey, as an infant, raised in the monastery, never leaving its grounds, nobody knows where the child came from... Now evil thoughts permeates his curious mind, lust and debauchery, after thirty dull years, the Monk, wants to have some fun, the deadly boredom must end soon, risk his reputation, if only the abbot had a chance...Ambrosio is close to a novice by the name of Rosario, his only friend, who mysteriously arrived at the abbey, this young gentleman, always covers his face, keeps to himself, except for the abbot, their discussions are what the monk looks forward to, during the bleak daily ennui. But finally in the garden of the abbey, Rosario reveals to Ambrosio, he's a she, a woman called Matilda, of course , after a short hesitation, carnal knowledge commences, that "She" looks like the Madonna, doesn't hurt. The abbot soon shows lack of interest, a new, fresh conquest is needed, the very accommodating Rosario/Matilda , through witchcraft, helps him, try to violate another innocent woman... Midnight, at the cemetery, he hears the owls ominous shrieks, opens the gate, into the vast, dark, eerie underground vaults of the abbey's graveyard, jointly used by the nearby convent. Ambrosio slowly descends the forbidding stairs, his heart is pounding, a flickering lamp to show the many decaying bodies, unknown vermin creeping around the horrific scene, while the monks and nuns above, hold a sacred procession, viewed by the citizens of Madrid, he goes on, until he reaches the tomb of the supposedly dead, Antonia , the drugged girl, is still alive and waking up just now, she see him and thinks all will be safe, the Monk moves closer.......Later he hears the sound of footsteps approaching him, fiend, friend or enemy? The uneasy monk awaits in the gloom, is his destiny, death or life? ...Condemned when first published, in England, in 1796, and thus a bestseller, considered now, the Gothic classic novel, even though the twenty -year- old British author, uses Italian names in Spain, murder, incest, parricide, lascivious men and willing women (including an old maid). Religious bigotry, Black Magic, and some strange, creepy, and weird scenes, supernatural atmosphere too, graveyards, ghosts, demons, secret identities, and a hidden prisoner, held by, yes nuns. Everything that a reader, comes to expect and dread, hate and love, in this type of book, it's all there, not for everyone...Young Matthew Gregory Lewis, was an English M.P. during the bright daylight.
June 21, 2023
VENDERE L’ANIMA
Il primo film tratto da questo romanzo è una produzione italo-franco-tedesca del 1972, sceneggiatura firmata dallo spagnolo Luis Buñuel e dal francese Jean-Claude Carrière, regia del greco Adonis Kyrou, con Franco Nero nella parte del monaco Ambrosio e Nathalie Delon in quella di Matilda. Muoio dalla voglia di vederlo.
Matilda mi sazia di godimento fino al disgusto, mi attira a forza nelle sue braccia, fa il verso alla sgualdrina e si vanta della sua prostituzione.
Matthew Gregory Lewis aveva vent’anni quando scrisse questo romanzo, il suo più celebre, ventuno quando fu pubblicato: un’età che ritengo abbia contribuito alla sua voglia di scandalizzare e stupire - man mano che si va vanti con le pagine incontriamo religiosi fornicatori, incesto, magia, demonio, inquisizione, omicidio, tortura, stupro, eccetera.
Ancora il film del 1972: Franco Nero con Eliana de Santis che interpreta Antonia: Ambrosio la sequestra, la droga, la violenta, la uccide, e in punto di morte scopre che era sua sorella.
Il libro ebbe subito gran successo, anche di critica (Coleridge! Più avanti anche il marchese de Sade rivelò la sua ammirazione), ma l’anno dopo fu ritirato dalla vendita perché considerato troppo spinto.
Allora, Lewis sfrondò il romanzo degli aspetti più osé, ma lasciò la maggior parte di quelli spaventosi e lo ripubblicò come seconda edizione.
Nel 1990 uscì un nuovo adattamento cinematografico, produzione anglo-spagnola diretta dallo spagnolo Francisco Lara Polop, Paul McGann è il monaco e Sophie Ward è Matilda.
La storia si svolge a Madrid ai tempi dell’Inquisizione.
Ambrosio è un giovane monaco cappuccino, bello, rispettato e stimato, il confessore più richiesto della capitale spagnola: il romanzo racconta la sua caduta agli inferi.
Nel senso più letterale del termine, perché sarà il diavolo in persona a ucciderlo spingendolo giù da un dirupo dopo avergli rivelato che gli ha venduto l’anima per nulla, dio lo avrebbe perdonato nella sua infinita misericordia, e il tribunale lo avrebbe graziato. Pura diabolica perfidia luciferina, un signor demonio, non c’è che dire.
I piaceri dell’Inquisizione spagnola nel film del 1990.
Prima di finire nelle fiamme dell’inferno, Ambrosio s’innamora del suo giovane discepolo Rosario, che si scopre essere una discepola, anche carina, che più avanti si scopre essere incarnazione del diavolo.
Perché costei, di nome Matilda (proprio come il futuro romanzo di Mary Shelley), fa di tutto per corrompere Ambrosio: lo avvicina fingendosi uomo, entra nelle sue grazie, gli si rivela, lo conquista, lo possiede e si lascia possedere, lo spinge e aiuta a fare il male (sequestro, stupro, omicidio, eccetera).
Il diavolo a quell’epoca non vestiva ancora Prada, ma era già e sempre donna.
Ciliegina sulla torta: Ambrosio è solito pregare in ginocchio davanti a un dipinto della madonna, che si scopre essere il ritratto di Matilda!
Nel 2011 il terzo adattemento firmato Dominik Moll e interpretato da Vincent Cassel.
In punto di morte Ambrosio scopre di aver ucciso sua madre, violentato e ucciso sua sorella. Tanto per gradire.
Pur nella snellezza del testo, Lewis si concede digressioni, parentesi e percorsi secondari, durante i quali introduce l’Ebreo Errante e la Monica Sanguinante.
In pratica una summa del romanzo gotico, una gemma della letteratura del terrore, un horror antesignano.
Sempre “Le moine” di Dominik Moll con Vincent Cassel.
Ma anche, i complessi rapporti fra la solitudine, la società e l’immaginazione, fra la liberazione interiore dell’individuo nei mondi della fantasia e la sua sottomissione esterna ai limiti della convenzione e della repressione. Essenzialmente, l’esplorazione dei rapporti tra l’individuo e il suo ambiente. (David Punter dixit, nel suo "Storia della letteratura del terrore").
Argomenti che probabilmente valsero a The Monk l’entusiasmo del movimento surrealista: Bréton e Artaud lo citarono spesso, sottolineandone il messaggio trasgressivo e la carica libertina. Luis Buñuel scrisse la sceneggiatura del primo adattamento cinematografico.
Magari si deve proprio alla passione surrealista se il romanzo di Lewis è ancora noto e pubblicato.
Chapeau.
Matthew Gregory Lewis ritratto da Henry William Pickersgill, 1809.
Il primo film tratto da questo romanzo è una produzione italo-franco-tedesca del 1972, sceneggiatura firmata dallo spagnolo Luis Buñuel e dal francese Jean-Claude Carrière, regia del greco Adonis Kyrou, con Franco Nero nella parte del monaco Ambrosio e Nathalie Delon in quella di Matilda. Muoio dalla voglia di vederlo.
Matilda mi sazia di godimento fino al disgusto, mi attira a forza nelle sue braccia, fa il verso alla sgualdrina e si vanta della sua prostituzione.
Matthew Gregory Lewis aveva vent’anni quando scrisse questo romanzo, il suo più celebre, ventuno quando fu pubblicato: un’età che ritengo abbia contribuito alla sua voglia di scandalizzare e stupire - man mano che si va vanti con le pagine incontriamo religiosi fornicatori, incesto, magia, demonio, inquisizione, omicidio, tortura, stupro, eccetera.
Ancora il film del 1972: Franco Nero con Eliana de Santis che interpreta Antonia: Ambrosio la sequestra, la droga, la violenta, la uccide, e in punto di morte scopre che era sua sorella.
Il libro ebbe subito gran successo, anche di critica (Coleridge! Più avanti anche il marchese de Sade rivelò la sua ammirazione), ma l’anno dopo fu ritirato dalla vendita perché considerato troppo spinto.
Allora, Lewis sfrondò il romanzo degli aspetti più osé, ma lasciò la maggior parte di quelli spaventosi e lo ripubblicò come seconda edizione.
Nel 1990 uscì un nuovo adattamento cinematografico, produzione anglo-spagnola diretta dallo spagnolo Francisco Lara Polop, Paul McGann è il monaco e Sophie Ward è Matilda.
La storia si svolge a Madrid ai tempi dell’Inquisizione.
Ambrosio è un giovane monaco cappuccino, bello, rispettato e stimato, il confessore più richiesto della capitale spagnola: il romanzo racconta la sua caduta agli inferi.
Nel senso più letterale del termine, perché sarà il diavolo in persona a ucciderlo spingendolo giù da un dirupo dopo avergli rivelato che gli ha venduto l’anima per nulla, dio lo avrebbe perdonato nella sua infinita misericordia, e il tribunale lo avrebbe graziato. Pura diabolica perfidia luciferina, un signor demonio, non c’è che dire.
I piaceri dell’Inquisizione spagnola nel film del 1990.
Prima di finire nelle fiamme dell’inferno, Ambrosio s’innamora del suo giovane discepolo Rosario, che si scopre essere una discepola, anche carina, che più avanti si scopre essere incarnazione del diavolo.
Perché costei, di nome Matilda (proprio come il futuro romanzo di Mary Shelley), fa di tutto per corrompere Ambrosio: lo avvicina fingendosi uomo, entra nelle sue grazie, gli si rivela, lo conquista, lo possiede e si lascia possedere, lo spinge e aiuta a fare il male (sequestro, stupro, omicidio, eccetera).
Il diavolo a quell’epoca non vestiva ancora Prada, ma era già e sempre donna.
Ciliegina sulla torta: Ambrosio è solito pregare in ginocchio davanti a un dipinto della madonna, che si scopre essere il ritratto di Matilda!
Nel 2011 il terzo adattemento firmato Dominik Moll e interpretato da Vincent Cassel.
In punto di morte Ambrosio scopre di aver ucciso sua madre, violentato e ucciso sua sorella. Tanto per gradire.
Pur nella snellezza del testo, Lewis si concede digressioni, parentesi e percorsi secondari, durante i quali introduce l’Ebreo Errante e la Monica Sanguinante.
In pratica una summa del romanzo gotico, una gemma della letteratura del terrore, un horror antesignano.
Sempre “Le moine” di Dominik Moll con Vincent Cassel.
Ma anche, i complessi rapporti fra la solitudine, la società e l’immaginazione, fra la liberazione interiore dell’individuo nei mondi della fantasia e la sua sottomissione esterna ai limiti della convenzione e della repressione. Essenzialmente, l’esplorazione dei rapporti tra l’individuo e il suo ambiente. (David Punter dixit, nel suo "Storia della letteratura del terrore").
Argomenti che probabilmente valsero a The Monk l’entusiasmo del movimento surrealista: Bréton e Artaud lo citarono spesso, sottolineandone il messaggio trasgressivo e la carica libertina. Luis Buñuel scrisse la sceneggiatura del primo adattamento cinematografico.
Magari si deve proprio alla passione surrealista se il romanzo di Lewis è ancora noto e pubblicato.
Chapeau.
Matthew Gregory Lewis ritratto da Henry William Pickersgill, 1809.
July 10, 2018
One of the weirdest gothic tales I ever come across. In parts surreal. Highly recommended!
Read
January 30, 2023I think I'll just leave this here:
February 16, 2016
Does character redemption exist in Lewis’s world? No, I think not. The vile protagonist degrades himself on every level. Here’s a list to show how messed up he is:
1. He lusts after his sister.
2. He becomes obsessed.
3. He tries to rape his sister.
4. He goes insane.
5. He tries to kill his sister.
6. He yields his soul to Satan.
7. The end
He's just a little bit too creepy; he’s a complete sex pest with stalker like tendencies.
This is incredibly Gothic, more so than most Gothic classics. But, is that necessarily a good thing?
Certainly, it was enjoyable in parts, but, ultimately, it left me feeling rather dissatisfied. The power of seduction was running through this novel; the monk really had no chance of surviving it. He would have had to have an iron will to face the powers that were exerted on him. Even the most remote doubt in his beliefs could be exploited by Lucifer. The Monk has one major weakness, and that’s women. So, Lucifer sends the most perfect women, for the Monk, to corrupt him and apply directly to his one vulnerability. I never felt like there was any chance in hell of Ambrosio resisting the charms; it wasn’t like he was divided or displayed a struggle of resistance, he simply fell over his heels in made obsessive love. There were no two ways about it. He had no chance. He was doomed from the first page.
At times, it felt like it was over before it began. It was blatant that the Monk’s indulgence would lead to a cycle of moral degradation. He was obviously going to be defeated by the devil and end up in some form of hell. I just didn’t need to read it to know how it was going to play out. The sexual elements were also a little bit sordid. What I mean is, it was blatant and in your face. It lacked all the subtlety of Dracula and the brilliance of Stoker’s metaphorical actions. I think this was merely written to shock its readership. Obviously, at the time such lust in books was rare and surprising especially on such a fantastical sexual level. The Monk lusts after his own sister, albeit unknowingly, but it was like it was added to just to enhance the seducing power of evil. There was lust for the sake of lust, incest for the sake of incest, and sexual imagery for the sake of sexual imagery. I didn’t take a lot from it.
And it was one big inglorious headache. It took me a while to get over the disjointed style of the prose, the frequent shifts in narrator and the similar sounding characters. I would have been lost without a plot summary, and a breakdown of the characters. It all felt rather difficult to follow. Now I know what you’re thinking- isn’t that a problem with me personally rather than the novel? Well, yes, I suppose it is. But, this book was a struggle. There was something about it that put me off from the very beginning. And it only got worse. This is a classic that I really don’t like.
1. He lusts after his sister.
2. He becomes obsessed.
3. He tries to rape his sister.
4. He goes insane.
5. He tries to kill his sister.
6. He yields his soul to Satan.
7. The end
He's just a little bit too creepy; he’s a complete sex pest with stalker like tendencies.
This is incredibly Gothic, more so than most Gothic classics. But, is that necessarily a good thing?
Certainly, it was enjoyable in parts, but, ultimately, it left me feeling rather dissatisfied. The power of seduction was running through this novel; the monk really had no chance of surviving it. He would have had to have an iron will to face the powers that were exerted on him. Even the most remote doubt in his beliefs could be exploited by Lucifer. The Monk has one major weakness, and that’s women. So, Lucifer sends the most perfect women, for the Monk, to corrupt him and apply directly to his one vulnerability. I never felt like there was any chance in hell of Ambrosio resisting the charms; it wasn’t like he was divided or displayed a struggle of resistance, he simply fell over his heels in made obsessive love. There were no two ways about it. He had no chance. He was doomed from the first page.
At times, it felt like it was over before it began. It was blatant that the Monk’s indulgence would lead to a cycle of moral degradation. He was obviously going to be defeated by the devil and end up in some form of hell. I just didn’t need to read it to know how it was going to play out. The sexual elements were also a little bit sordid. What I mean is, it was blatant and in your face. It lacked all the subtlety of Dracula and the brilliance of Stoker’s metaphorical actions. I think this was merely written to shock its readership. Obviously, at the time such lust in books was rare and surprising especially on such a fantastical sexual level. The Monk lusts after his own sister, albeit unknowingly, but it was like it was added to just to enhance the seducing power of evil. There was lust for the sake of lust, incest for the sake of incest, and sexual imagery for the sake of sexual imagery. I didn’t take a lot from it.
And it was one big inglorious headache. It took me a while to get over the disjointed style of the prose, the frequent shifts in narrator and the similar sounding characters. I would have been lost without a plot summary, and a breakdown of the characters. It all felt rather difficult to follow. Now I know what you’re thinking- isn’t that a problem with me personally rather than the novel? Well, yes, I suppose it is. But, this book was a struggle. There was something about it that put me off from the very beginning. And it only got worse. This is a classic that I really don’t like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2022
El Monje, de Matthew G. Lewis, libro terrible y una de las cimas de la novela gótica, vio la luz en marzo de 1796, y despertó inmediatamente el interés y el asombro de la crítica y el público.
Hoy, más de doscientos años más tarde, el poder hipnótico de su prosa y el veneno moral que destilan sus páginas sigue despertando el asombro de las generaciones de lectores que gustan del terror clásico. Ya desde su aparición, la obra fue tachada y condenada por impía, libertina, atea y corrompida.
Lovecraft, el maestro de ceremonias de la literatura macabra, la considera sin dudar una obra maestra de verdadera pesadilla cuyos elementos generales de corte gótico están condimentados con un cúmulo de rasgos macabros.
La novela nos presenta a un monje español, Ambrosio, quien de un estado profundamente virtuoso pasa a ser tentado por el demonio bajo la apariencia de la doncella Matilde.
Finalmente, Ambrosio es condenado a morir en manos de la Inquisición.
Este clásico gótico me transportó a la España medieval en un clima de desenfreno religioso supersticioso y lleno de perversión.
Ambientado de lujo en un monasterio medieval con un monje muy carismático y pervertido al lado oscuro de la fuerza que os cautivará a seguir pasando sus páginas.
Envuelto en pecado algo muy oscuro y macabro comienza a desmoronarse en ese convento, con historias, eventos y una narración de calidad es lo que hace que las historias se entrelazen con una artesanía exquisita.
Personas temerosas de Dios, herederos de ricas familias, títulos nobiliarios, ambición, tenemos santos, monjas, muchos secretos, vírgenes y una lujuria infernal o angelical.
Violencia, obscenidades y lleno de sentimientos anticatólicos para el lector en general, y así se llegó a la gran controversia que se género en la época de su publicación.
Toda la naturaleza y superstición humana que nos representa en una historia que cuando fue escrita fue polémica pero revolucionaria y a día de hoy, sigue estando escrita de lujo.
Está escrito usando el lenguaje y maneras de la época, 1796. Algo a tener en cuenta. A mi me encantó.
La pasión y el deseo en todas sus formas tienen un protagonismo raíz en esta historia.
Narrado con intensidad se va desarrollando una oscura historia en nuestra imaginación, nada es lo que parece. Subversivo, arrollador, un cuento oscuro y tentador que ofrece una humanidad y un realismo en sus horribles formas.
Lewis llevó el género bastante más allá de lo que la sociedad esperaba. Los pasajes incluían sexo, asesinato frío, horror absoluto y todos los niveles de blasfemia cometidos además por las figuras religiosas y nada menos que dentro de los propios muros sagrados.
Cada uno de estos momentos fue descrito con detalles inflexibles y minuciosos. Una cosa era el morbo de imaginar la posibilidad de algo así pero más ligero.
Otra era leer dichas secuencias, sin filtros y llenas de pecado pero a su vez de realismo, al público le encantó, somos así.
"Lewis ofrece al lector un gótico pornográfico en el que lo sobrenatural previamente ambiguo ahora se presenta en toda su presencia odiosa".
Otras obras existieron y existen pero muchas de ellas, se han olvidado, otras incluso han dejado de existir.
"El Monje" siglos después de su creación sigue siendo, por suerte, un clásico. Terror gótico.
El padre Ambrosio es una figura que te hace a seguir incluso cuando planea sistemáticamente malas acciones. Ves lo fácil que es torcerse, lo que somos los humanos y lo que puede el deseo, la ambición y la superstición. Y la supervivencia.
Ambrosio se ve envuelto en algo más oscuro en una institución corrupta e hipócrita. Retratada perfectamente.
Con una herramienta de la época de una absoluta erradicación, fanatismo, hipocresía y miedo.
La Inquisición, quitemos el "Santa"..
El propio Lewis nos da brevemente la llave de la balanza.
Nos da a elegir por un momento si deseamos la condenación o la salvación de Ambrosio.
Es un clásico de la literatura moldeado para ser eterno, memorable, que te enseña muchas cosas del ser humano, los deseos, la lujuria, el fanatismo, la superstición y la fe mal llevados.
Una época oscura y gótica narrada por una mente revolucionaria. Y atrevida..✍️🎩
Hoy, más de doscientos años más tarde, el poder hipnótico de su prosa y el veneno moral que destilan sus páginas sigue despertando el asombro de las generaciones de lectores que gustan del terror clásico. Ya desde su aparición, la obra fue tachada y condenada por impía, libertina, atea y corrompida.
Lovecraft, el maestro de ceremonias de la literatura macabra, la considera sin dudar una obra maestra de verdadera pesadilla cuyos elementos generales de corte gótico están condimentados con un cúmulo de rasgos macabros.
La novela nos presenta a un monje español, Ambrosio, quien de un estado profundamente virtuoso pasa a ser tentado por el demonio bajo la apariencia de la doncella Matilde.
Finalmente, Ambrosio es condenado a morir en manos de la Inquisición.
Este clásico gótico me transportó a la España medieval en un clima de desenfreno religioso supersticioso y lleno de perversión.
Ambientado de lujo en un monasterio medieval con un monje muy carismático y pervertido al lado oscuro de la fuerza que os cautivará a seguir pasando sus páginas.
Envuelto en pecado algo muy oscuro y macabro comienza a desmoronarse en ese convento, con historias, eventos y una narración de calidad es lo que hace que las historias se entrelazen con una artesanía exquisita.
Personas temerosas de Dios, herederos de ricas familias, títulos nobiliarios, ambición, tenemos santos, monjas, muchos secretos, vírgenes y una lujuria infernal o angelical.
Violencia, obscenidades y lleno de sentimientos anticatólicos para el lector en general, y así se llegó a la gran controversia que se género en la época de su publicación.
Toda la naturaleza y superstición humana que nos representa en una historia que cuando fue escrita fue polémica pero revolucionaria y a día de hoy, sigue estando escrita de lujo.
Está escrito usando el lenguaje y maneras de la época, 1796. Algo a tener en cuenta. A mi me encantó.
La pasión y el deseo en todas sus formas tienen un protagonismo raíz en esta historia.
Narrado con intensidad se va desarrollando una oscura historia en nuestra imaginación, nada es lo que parece. Subversivo, arrollador, un cuento oscuro y tentador que ofrece una humanidad y un realismo en sus horribles formas.
Lewis llevó el género bastante más allá de lo que la sociedad esperaba. Los pasajes incluían sexo, asesinato frío, horror absoluto y todos los niveles de blasfemia cometidos además por las figuras religiosas y nada menos que dentro de los propios muros sagrados.
Cada uno de estos momentos fue descrito con detalles inflexibles y minuciosos. Una cosa era el morbo de imaginar la posibilidad de algo así pero más ligero.
Otra era leer dichas secuencias, sin filtros y llenas de pecado pero a su vez de realismo, al público le encantó, somos así.
"Lewis ofrece al lector un gótico pornográfico en el que lo sobrenatural previamente ambiguo ahora se presenta en toda su presencia odiosa".
Otras obras existieron y existen pero muchas de ellas, se han olvidado, otras incluso han dejado de existir.
"El Monje" siglos después de su creación sigue siendo, por suerte, un clásico. Terror gótico.
El padre Ambrosio es una figura que te hace a seguir incluso cuando planea sistemáticamente malas acciones. Ves lo fácil que es torcerse, lo que somos los humanos y lo que puede el deseo, la ambición y la superstición. Y la supervivencia.
Ambrosio se ve envuelto en algo más oscuro en una institución corrupta e hipócrita. Retratada perfectamente.
Con una herramienta de la época de una absoluta erradicación, fanatismo, hipocresía y miedo.
La Inquisición, quitemos el "Santa"..
El propio Lewis nos da brevemente la llave de la balanza.
Nos da a elegir por un momento si deseamos la condenación o la salvación de Ambrosio.
Es un clásico de la literatura moldeado para ser eterno, memorable, que te enseña muchas cosas del ser humano, los deseos, la lujuria, el fanatismo, la superstición y la fe mal llevados.
Una época oscura y gótica narrada por una mente revolucionaria. Y atrevida..✍️🎩
March 25, 2022
El mejor clásico gótico que he leído y uno de los mejores finales que me he encontrado en una novela, básicamente dos en uno. El monje, novela publicada en 1796, hace total justicia al género gótico, ya que en ella nos encontramos con muchos elementos típicos del mismo: desde una atmósfera inquietante, oscura y tenebrosa, hasta apariciones de ciertas entidades que más de un susto sí que me han dado.
Una historia que te mantiene pegado al libro de principio a fin, fácil de leer y con una narrativa no lineal (se pasa yendo y viniendo del presente al pasado de cuando en cuando), y además, encontramos al menos tres tramas que en un principio podrían parecer independientes, pero que al final, como piezas de rompecabezas, todo termina encajando.
Por el lado de los personajes, ¿qué puedo decir?, todos están bien construidos y con un buen desarrollo, así como las historias en las que se ven involucrados. Ambrosio, el monje supuestamente virtuoso, tiene uno de los mejores finales posibles, no podría haber esperado menos.
En fin, una gran recomendación para empezar a leer obras del género gótico, para seguir leyéndolo, y para los amantes del mismo (aunque pienso que los amantes del género ya lo habrán leído). Por cierto, esta edición de Alma Clásicos tiene un par de ilustraciones que te hacen la experiencia un tanto más aterradora, y por ende también la recomiendo.
Citas favoritas:
“¡Ay de mí! ¡Cuántas veces la imaginación, en sueños,
Evocará en mi mente mi país natal!
¡Cuántas veces la nostalgia tristes recuerdos me traerá
De los perdidos placeres y amigos queridos dejados atrás!”
“… no tuvo reparo en contarle todas sus penas, miedos e inquietudes, por pequeñas que fuesen; y le agradeció su bondad con todo el sincero entusiasmo que el sentirse favorecido enciende en los corazones jóvenes e inocentes. Solo ellos saben apreciar los beneficios en todo su valor. Los que son conscientes de la perfidia y el egoísmo del género humano reciben siempre los favores con aprensión y desconfianza; sospechan que detrás escóndese alguna intención secreta; expresan su agradecimiento con comedimiento y cautela, y temen alabar excesivamente una acción generosa, sabedores de que un día u otro podríanles pedir la devolución del favor.“
Una historia que te mantiene pegado al libro de principio a fin, fácil de leer y con una narrativa no lineal (se pasa yendo y viniendo del presente al pasado de cuando en cuando), y además, encontramos al menos tres tramas que en un principio podrían parecer independientes, pero que al final, como piezas de rompecabezas, todo termina encajando.
Por el lado de los personajes, ¿qué puedo decir?, todos están bien construidos y con un buen desarrollo, así como las historias en las que se ven involucrados. Ambrosio, el monje supuestamente virtuoso, tiene uno de los mejores finales posibles, no podría haber esperado menos.
En fin, una gran recomendación para empezar a leer obras del género gótico, para seguir leyéndolo, y para los amantes del mismo (aunque pienso que los amantes del género ya lo habrán leído). Por cierto, esta edición de Alma Clásicos tiene un par de ilustraciones que te hacen la experiencia un tanto más aterradora, y por ende también la recomiendo.
Citas favoritas:
“¡Ay de mí! ¡Cuántas veces la imaginación, en sueños,
Evocará en mi mente mi país natal!
¡Cuántas veces la nostalgia tristes recuerdos me traerá
De los perdidos placeres y amigos queridos dejados atrás!”
“… no tuvo reparo en contarle todas sus penas, miedos e inquietudes, por pequeñas que fuesen; y le agradeció su bondad con todo el sincero entusiasmo que el sentirse favorecido enciende en los corazones jóvenes e inocentes. Solo ellos saben apreciar los beneficios en todo su valor. Los que son conscientes de la perfidia y el egoísmo del género humano reciben siempre los favores con aprensión y desconfianza; sospechan que detrás escóndese alguna intención secreta; expresan su agradecimiento con comedimiento y cautela, y temen alabar excesivamente una acción generosa, sabedores de que un día u otro podríanles pedir la devolución del favor.“
April 18, 2023
¡¡Un clásico sublime!!
Este mes hemos hecho una lectura conjunta mi madre y yo, y la hemos disfrutado muchísimo.
Se trata de todo un referente dentro de la literatura gótica; El Monje de Matthew G. Lewis.
En ella veremos la vida del abad Ambrosio, quien vive recluido y en recogimiento desde que lo abandonaron en la puerta de la iglesia siendo un bebé. Nadie sabe sus orígenes.
Alaban sus virtudes como si de un santo se tratara.
Es por ello que cada semana se congrega una gran multitud para escuchar sus plegarias.
La edición que yo tengo de Alma Clásicos Ilustrados está dividida en tres grandes partes, es en la última donde más la he disfrutado.
Reconozco que han habido pasajes que me han resultado tremendamente tediosos y densos por excesivas descripciones y subtramas que me aburrían en exceso.
Además de la inclusión de versos larguísimos que hacía que me perdiera, salvo unos pocos, el resto me parecieron difíciles de leer.
Al margen de esto, es magistral la forma que tiene de entrelazar varias historias paralelas que se unirán de la forma más inesperada.
Por un lado tenemos el eje principal de la historia, que no es otro que la vida y virtudes del abad Ambrosio, quien se verá tentado por el demonio a caer en los más bajos instintos.
Algo que para él es algo impensable.
Él está por encima del resto de los mortales y presume de ello.
Y por otro tenemos la historia del marqués Ramón, quien está locamente enamorado de la hermana de su gran amigo Lorenzo de Medina; la bella Inés. La cual, por infortunios del destino ha acabado interna en el convento de Santa Clara, a solo unos pasos del monasterio de los monjes capuchinos.
De hecho solo les separa el cementerio.
Lorenzo a su vez ha quedado prendado de la candidez e inocencia de la joven Antonia.
Todo esto puede parecer un poco caótico y propio de una telenovela, con tanto amorío que es algo que a mi me cuesta leer, y con las discusiones y desmayos propios de la época incluidos 😂, pero todo va cobrando sentido poco a poco hasta que todas estas historias convergen en un final muy bien cerrado y sorprendente.
A lo largo de toda la narración no sólo encontraremos fantasmas, demonios y demás. También habrá tiempo para las aventuras e historias que se relatan entre los diversos personajes que irán apareciendo, como La monja ensangrentada o la de El judío errante que no tienen desperdicio.
Por supuesto, no faltará la gran crítica a todo el sistema monástico, al abuso de poder que ejercen al estar en un estado "superior" al resto. Es algo que me resultó muy llamativo y más teniendo en cuenta la época en la que fue escrito.
Muy valiente por parte del autor plasmar todas estas realidades y mostrarlas tan claramente.
Desde las peores vejaciones (violaciones, incesto, torturas...) hasta los castigos más crueles y retorcidos.
Y todo ello con tan solo 19 años y en un plazo de dos meses.
Increíble.
Es un clásico imperdible que conjuga muy bien múltiples elementos como la brujería, pactos demoníacos, fantasmas, traiciones, el Madrid más decadente, amores... encontrándonos historias dentro de la historia principal, algo que puede parecer caótico pero que pronto el autor sabe encauzar y hacer que nos metamos tan de lleno en la historia que no podremos dejar de leer hasta desvelar todos y cada uno de los misterios que se esconden tras sus páginas, que no son pocos 😅
Por si fuera poco, al cerrar el libro es de esas historias que te quedas "rumiando".
¿Acaso no es fácil resistir a la tentación cuando nunca te has visto expuesta a ella? Ahí lo dejo 😉
Para Ambrosio nada será fácil desde la aparición de la enigmática Matilde.
A partir de entonces se descubrirá su verdadero rostro. Es el personaje más claramente retratado y en el que veremos una evolución más clara y escalofriante.
Da para un buen debate, sin duda.
Todo amante de la literatura gótica debería leerlo.
Es una joya 💜
💒 "¡No temas, Ambrosio! Ten confianza en la fortaleza de tu virtud. Entra resueltamente en el mundo, de cuyas debilidades tú estás por encima. Piensa que ahora estás exento de cualquier defecto humano, y resiste todas las artes de los espíritus de las tinieblas. ¡Van a enterarse de quién eres!."
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
Este mes hemos hecho una lectura conjunta mi madre y yo, y la hemos disfrutado muchísimo.
Se trata de todo un referente dentro de la literatura gótica; El Monje de Matthew G. Lewis.
En ella veremos la vida del abad Ambrosio, quien vive recluido y en recogimiento desde que lo abandonaron en la puerta de la iglesia siendo un bebé. Nadie sabe sus orígenes.
Alaban sus virtudes como si de un santo se tratara.
Es por ello que cada semana se congrega una gran multitud para escuchar sus plegarias.
La edición que yo tengo de Alma Clásicos Ilustrados está dividida en tres grandes partes, es en la última donde más la he disfrutado.
Reconozco que han habido pasajes que me han resultado tremendamente tediosos y densos por excesivas descripciones y subtramas que me aburrían en exceso.
Además de la inclusión de versos larguísimos que hacía que me perdiera, salvo unos pocos, el resto me parecieron difíciles de leer.
Al margen de esto, es magistral la forma que tiene de entrelazar varias historias paralelas que se unirán de la forma más inesperada.
Por un lado tenemos el eje principal de la historia, que no es otro que la vida y virtudes del abad Ambrosio, quien se verá tentado por el demonio a caer en los más bajos instintos.
Algo que para él es algo impensable.
Él está por encima del resto de los mortales y presume de ello.
Y por otro tenemos la historia del marqués Ramón, quien está locamente enamorado de la hermana de su gran amigo Lorenzo de Medina; la bella Inés. La cual, por infortunios del destino ha acabado interna en el convento de Santa Clara, a solo unos pasos del monasterio de los monjes capuchinos.
De hecho solo les separa el cementerio.
Lorenzo a su vez ha quedado prendado de la candidez e inocencia de la joven Antonia.
Todo esto puede parecer un poco caótico y propio de una telenovela, con tanto amorío que es algo que a mi me cuesta leer, y con las discusiones y desmayos propios de la época incluidos 😂, pero todo va cobrando sentido poco a poco hasta que todas estas historias convergen en un final muy bien cerrado y sorprendente.
A lo largo de toda la narración no sólo encontraremos fantasmas, demonios y demás. También habrá tiempo para las aventuras e historias que se relatan entre los diversos personajes que irán apareciendo, como La monja ensangrentada o la de El judío errante que no tienen desperdicio.
Por supuesto, no faltará la gran crítica a todo el sistema monástico, al abuso de poder que ejercen al estar en un estado "superior" al resto. Es algo que me resultó muy llamativo y más teniendo en cuenta la época en la que fue escrito.
Muy valiente por parte del autor plasmar todas estas realidades y mostrarlas tan claramente.
Desde las peores vejaciones (violaciones, incesto, torturas...) hasta los castigos más crueles y retorcidos.
Y todo ello con tan solo 19 años y en un plazo de dos meses.
Increíble.
Es un clásico imperdible que conjuga muy bien múltiples elementos como la brujería, pactos demoníacos, fantasmas, traiciones, el Madrid más decadente, amores... encontrándonos historias dentro de la historia principal, algo que puede parecer caótico pero que pronto el autor sabe encauzar y hacer que nos metamos tan de lleno en la historia que no podremos dejar de leer hasta desvelar todos y cada uno de los misterios que se esconden tras sus páginas, que no son pocos 😅
Por si fuera poco, al cerrar el libro es de esas historias que te quedas "rumiando".
¿Acaso no es fácil resistir a la tentación cuando nunca te has visto expuesta a ella? Ahí lo dejo 😉
Para Ambrosio nada será fácil desde la aparición de la enigmática Matilde.
A partir de entonces se descubrirá su verdadero rostro. Es el personaje más claramente retratado y en el que veremos una evolución más clara y escalofriante.
Da para un buen debate, sin duda.
Todo amante de la literatura gótica debería leerlo.
Es una joya 💜
💒 "¡No temas, Ambrosio! Ten confianza en la fortaleza de tu virtud. Entra resueltamente en el mundo, de cuyas debilidades tú estás por encima. Piensa que ahora estás exento de cualquier defecto humano, y resiste todas las artes de los espíritus de las tinieblas. ¡Van a enterarse de quién eres!."
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
August 9, 2022
I think Wilkie Collins has spoiled me when it comes to this type of Victorian/Gothic/Thriller because it's so hard to match his writing and storytelling skills. That being said, I'll add that The Monk was a fun read. While it's clearly an attack on organized religion - the Catholic church in particular - a close reading makes it also clear that Lewis found a significant difference between organized religion and a personal relationship with a Supreme Being. While he provides several interesting twists, his inexperience - at age 19 - at storytelling is evident as he inserts seemingly innocuous scenes early for the purpose of explaining his twists later. That's as annoying in an 18th century book as it is in a current TV crime drama. It's also possible to tell when a twist is coming by the increase in his verbosity as he tries to build tension and suspense. His best twist is saved for last but is presented in such an "Oh, by the way" manner in his rush to finish the story that it loses most of its shock value. Despite these shortcomings, this is a good book for any fan of Gothic literature or for a stormy weekend curled up in your favorite reading spot.
October 28, 2018
Προκλητικό, ιερόσυλο και βλάσφημο για την εποχή του βιβλίο (το αγαπώ), το οποίο γράφτηκε το 1796. Παρόλα αυτά, ο Καλόγερος καταφέρνει μέχρι και σήμερα να προκαλεί ανατριχίλες ή ακόμα και να σοκάρει τις μικρότερες ηλικίες αναγνωστών. Στις σελίδες του παρελαύνουν οι πάντες και τα πάντα! Ματωμένα φαντάσματα, μάγισσες, απαγωγές, βιασμοί, αποτρόπαιοι θάνατοι, διαφθορά, ο ίδιος ο σατανάς αυτοπροσώπως και στο κέντρο των πάντων ο συμβολισμός του προπατορικού αμαρτήματος και φυσικά ο μέγας πειρασμός.
Ευτυχώς αυτό το βιβλίο δεν το ξεπέρασε, ούτε το άφησε πίσω ο αδίσταχτος χρόνος και η εποχή μας. Διαβάζεται αχόρταγα και ευχάριστα και στις ημέρες μας.
Η γλώσσα δεν είναι καθόλου επιτηδευμένη, η αφήγηση απλή και η πλοκή όσο γρήγορη πρέπει, ενώ τα γυρίσματα της μπαίνουν όπου ακριβώς χρειάζεται, για να προκαλέσει τα κατάλληλα συναισθήματα κάθε φορά.
Επιπλέον ευχάριστη έκπληξη για εμένα, αποτέλεσαν οι μπαλάντες, που συχνά πυκνά είτε διάβαζαν είτε απήγγειλαν οι ήρωες.
Ευτυχώς αυτό το βιβλίο δεν το ξεπέρασε, ούτε το άφησε πίσω ο αδίσταχτος χρόνος και η εποχή μας. Διαβάζεται αχόρταγα και ευχάριστα και στις ημέρες μας.
Η γλώσσα δεν είναι καθόλου επιτηδευμένη, η αφήγηση απλή και η πλοκή όσο γρήγορη πρέπει, ενώ τα γυρίσματα της μπαίνουν όπου ακριβώς χρειάζεται, για να προκαλέσει τα κατάλληλα συναισθήματα κάθε φορά.
Επιπλέον ευχάριστη έκπληξη για εμένα, αποτέλεσαν οι μπαλάντες, που συχνά πυκνά είτε διάβαζαν είτε απήγγειλαν οι ήρωες.
October 9, 2016
“What? live to plunge myself in infamy? to become an agent of hell? to work the destruction in both you and myself?”
Alright, this book is hilarious.
However, there are a few spoilers in this review. If you think you’ll read The Monk someday (and you should, seriously), maybe come back to this another time. Or don’t, who knows, maybe it won’t be so bad? Maybe this is the best, most spoiler free review you’ll ever read in your life? (see, I’m tempting you, because it’s the theme of the book!).
I’m serious though, there are spoilers.
So it features Ambrosio, our “Bad Blood” monk, who at firsts seems a very devout believer and as though he’s generally a good person. This is a lie. Sure he gets “seduced” by his trusty novice sidekick Rosario, who turns out to be a woman named Matilda (and how’s a man supposed to resist that, I mean, she’s a WOMAN and PRETTY, get it together Ambrosio), but really his capacity for sin was there from the start, it was only, truly, a matter of time before he fell and in his vanity and stupidity forgot how to get back up. So the first sin is committed by sleeping with a dying Matilda! Of course, because she’s a woman, and not a helpless idiot, she doesn’t die and he, being a man, and a shitty one at that, tires of her, like, a week after they started doing the do.
There are tears, but instead of shunning him and leaving the monastery to seek greener pastures she offers to help him seduce his new target, the pious, innocent Antonia (and really, Ambrosio, you maybe shouldn’t trust a woman who cheated death, but he’s not really that smart and kind of a coward).
In between those two plotting on how to get into her pants, there’s another plot involving Don Lorenzo, who’s also in love with Antonia (popular gal, that innocence really attracts the men), and his friend Don Raymond who’s in love with Lorenzo’s sister, Agnes, who’s in a convent in the same city. A great detail is how the villains of the story almost all belong to the convent/monastery, God needs better representatives.
There are many stories-within-the-story, one involving a ghost (really, one of the best parts of the story), one involving a band of robbers luring people into a house only to murder them and steal their money, but my personal favourite is Antonia’s aging aunt Leonella finding a young, handsome, gold digging man who agrees to marry her despite her unattractive features (that she’s completely oblivious to), but because of her wealth. You go, Leonella, you’re the true heroine of this story.
The whole thing is just… a lot.
I mean, someone gets torn a apart by an angry crowd, there are TWO kidnappings, someone gives birth to a baby IN A DUNGEON, someone gets raped and murdered in a freaking crypt, there’s torture, love-me-or-I-die romance, and then the Devil shows up to buy a few souls and fling someone off a cliff.
There are so many hilarious moments and brilliant details (like Antionia’s mother, Elvira, copying out the bible by hand, leaving out the steamy bits, so Antonia will be safe in her complete and child-like innocence, because that always ends well), and it wasn’t overtly sexist, not more than I expected at least. The men were mostly useless without the women, so that makes up for it.
For a book that was written in 10 weeks, by someone not yet 20, it is quite impressive. Other than the excellent plot(s), there is depth and serious consideration hidden in there, even some literary critique. It’s not merely frivolous entertainment, which only heightens the enjoyment.
What a book, what an adventure, what a good time. I loved it, I loved it so much.
Alright, this book is hilarious.
However, there are a few spoilers in this review. If you think you’ll read The Monk someday (and you should, seriously), maybe come back to this another time. Or don’t, who knows, maybe it won’t be so bad? Maybe this is the best, most spoiler free review you’ll ever read in your life? (see, I’m tempting you, because it’s the theme of the book!).
I’m serious though, there are spoilers.
So it features Ambrosio, our “Bad Blood” monk, who at firsts seems a very devout believer and as though he’s generally a good person. This is a lie. Sure he gets “seduced” by his trusty novice sidekick Rosario, who turns out to be a woman named Matilda (and how’s a man supposed to resist that, I mean, she’s a WOMAN and PRETTY, get it together Ambrosio), but really his capacity for sin was there from the start, it was only, truly, a matter of time before he fell and in his vanity and stupidity forgot how to get back up. So the first sin is committed by sleeping with a dying Matilda! Of course, because she’s a woman, and not a helpless idiot, she doesn’t die and he, being a man, and a shitty one at that, tires of her, like, a week after they started doing the do.
There are tears, but instead of shunning him and leaving the monastery to seek greener pastures she offers to help him seduce his new target, the pious, innocent Antonia (and really, Ambrosio, you maybe shouldn’t trust a woman who cheated death, but he’s not really that smart and kind of a coward).
In between those two plotting on how to get into her pants, there’s another plot involving Don Lorenzo, who’s also in love with Antonia (popular gal, that innocence really attracts the men), and his friend Don Raymond who’s in love with Lorenzo’s sister, Agnes, who’s in a convent in the same city. A great detail is how the villains of the story almost all belong to the convent/monastery, God needs better representatives.
There are many stories-within-the-story, one involving a ghost (really, one of the best parts of the story), one involving a band of robbers luring people into a house only to murder them and steal their money, but my personal favourite is Antonia’s aging aunt Leonella finding a young, handsome, gold digging man who agrees to marry her despite her unattractive features (that she’s completely oblivious to), but because of her wealth. You go, Leonella, you’re the true heroine of this story.
The whole thing is just… a lot.
I mean, someone gets torn a apart by an angry crowd, there are TWO kidnappings, someone gives birth to a baby IN A DUNGEON, someone gets raped and murdered in a freaking crypt, there’s torture, love-me-or-I-die romance, and then the Devil shows up to buy a few souls and fling someone off a cliff.
There are so many hilarious moments and brilliant details (like Antionia’s mother, Elvira, copying out the bible by hand, leaving out the steamy bits, so Antonia will be safe in her complete and child-like innocence, because that always ends well), and it wasn’t overtly sexist, not more than I expected at least. The men were mostly useless without the women, so that makes up for it.
For a book that was written in 10 weeks, by someone not yet 20, it is quite impressive. Other than the excellent plot(s), there is depth and serious consideration hidden in there, even some literary critique. It’s not merely frivolous entertainment, which only heightens the enjoyment.
What a book, what an adventure, what a good time. I loved it, I loved it so much.
November 9, 2017
Readathon 2017 22/26: Ένα βιβλίο που εκδόθηκε πριν το 1850
Πραγματικά ακόμα και τώρα, 1,5 μέρα μετά, δεν ξέρω τι και πως θα το κρίνω.
Σίγουρα αυτά που θα πω θα είναι πολύ λίγα και φτωχά με σχέση τα αισθήματα που μου έβγαλε αυτό το βιβλίο.
Ο Matthew Lewis σε αυτό το αριστούργημα (διότι για αυτό πρόκειται) μας ξετυλίγει την αχαλίνωτη φαντασία του και μας ταξιδεύει στην Ισπανία των Ιπποτών και των Τίτλων και τον Καθολικών με τα πρέπει και τα μη. Μας ταξιδεύει σε δεισιδαιμονίες, θρύλους και σε παγιδευμένες ψυχές που αναζητούν λύτρωση.
Μας μιλάει για την αμαρτία τόσο της ψυχής όσο και του σώματος. Το πόσο ένας αγνός σεβάσμιος άνθρωπος με ένα υπέρτατο εγωισμό και περηφάνια καταντάει ένας τιποτένιος αμαρτωλός θολωμένος με μια σαρωτική μανία που φτάνει τα όρια της παράνοιας.
Μας μιλάει και για τον έρωτα. Τον έρωτα τον ανεκπλήρωτο και τον έρωτα που αντέχει στο χρόνο, στο πόνο, στα θέλω των άλλων.
Αυτό το βιβλίο τείνει να είναι η αρχή των πάντων και στις σελίδες του καταλαβαίνεις ποιοι και σε ποια σημεία έχουν επηρεαστεί από την γραφή του. Όπως στις σελίδες του καταλαβαίνεις και από που έχει επηρεαστεί και ο ίδιος.
Αυτό το πολύπλευρο μυθιστόρημα αν μπορούσα να το κατηγοριοποίησω θα το έκανα ως ένα δυνατό βιβλίο τρόμου, όσο και θρίλερ, όσο και περιπέτειας, όσο και αστυνομικό, όσο και Φαντασίας, όσο και κοινωνικό, όσο και ρομαντικό.
5 αστέρια είναι λίγα τόσα λίγα....
Πραγματικά ακόμα και τώρα, 1,5 μέρα μετά, δεν ξέρω τι και πως θα το κρίνω.
Σίγουρα αυτά που θα πω θα είναι πολύ λίγα και φτωχά με σχέση τα αισθήματα που μου έβγαλε αυτό το βιβλίο.
Ο Matthew Lewis σε αυτό το αριστούργημα (διότι για αυτό πρόκειται) μας ξετυλίγει την αχαλίνωτη φαντασία του και μας ταξιδεύει στην Ισπανία των Ιπποτών και των Τίτλων και τον Καθολικών με τα πρέπει και τα μη. Μας ταξιδεύει σε δεισιδαιμονίες, θρύλους και σε παγιδευμένες ψυχές που αναζητούν λύτρωση.
Μας μιλάει για την αμαρτία τόσο της ψυχής όσο και του σώματος. Το πόσο ένας αγνός σεβάσμιος άνθρωπος με ένα υπέρτατο εγωισμό και περηφάνια καταντάει ένας τιποτένιος αμαρτωλός θολωμένος με μια σαρωτική μανία που φτάνει τα όρια της παράνοιας.
Μας μιλάει και για τον έρωτα. Τον έρωτα τον ανεκπλήρωτο και τον έρωτα που αντέχει στο χρόνο, στο πόνο, στα θέλω των άλλων.
Αυτό το βιβλίο τείνει να είναι η αρχή των πάντων και στις σελίδες του καταλαβαίνεις ποιοι και σε ποια σημεία έχουν επηρεαστεί από την γραφή του. Όπως στις σελίδες του καταλαβαίνεις και από που έχει επηρεαστεί και ο ίδιος.
Αυτό το πολύπλευρο μυθιστόρημα αν μπορούσα να το κατηγοριοποίησω θα το έκανα ως ένα δυνατό βιβλίο τρόμου, όσο και θρίλερ, όσο και περιπέτειας, όσο και αστυνομικό, όσο και Φαντασίας, όσο και κοινωνικό, όσο και ρομαντικό.
5 αστέρια είναι λίγα τόσα λίγα....
December 1, 2018
ΈΠΟΣ!!!!
Το 5 ως βαθμολογία είναι λίγο. Εδώ έχουμε το απόλυτο γοτθικό μυθιστόρημα.
Η ιστορία εξελίσσεται σ ένα μεσαιωνικό μοναστήρι όπου οι ηγούμενοι κυριεύονται από έντονα κ ανομολόγητα πάθη. Η λαγνεία, το μίσος, ο θρησκευτικός φανατισμός, η εξουσία, ο έρωτας, η ηδονή κυριεύουν κ χειραγωγούν τον αξιοσέβαστο ηγούμενο του μοναστηριού, Αμβρόσιο. Τυφλωμένος κ παρασυρόμενος από τα κάλη γυναικών θα διαπράξει εγκλήματα αφού θα καταπατήσει τις ηθικές αρχές του κ όλα όσα διέπει η θρησκεία του.
Αγωνία, ψέματα, δολοπλοκίες, μίση, πάθη, μυστικά που ξετυλίγονται με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο.
Σκοτεινή ατμόσφαιρα, άνθρωποι φιλήδονοι, που δεν μπορούν να χαλιναγωγήσουν κ να κατευνάσουν τις ορμές τους.
Από τα καλύτερα μου αναγνώσματα!
Αξίζει να διαβαστεί!
Το 5 ως βαθμολογία είναι λίγο. Εδώ έχουμε το απόλυτο γοτθικό μυθιστόρημα.
Η ιστορία εξελίσσεται σ ένα μεσαιωνικό μοναστήρι όπου οι ηγούμενοι κυριεύονται από έντονα κ ανομολόγητα πάθη. Η λαγνεία, το μίσος, ο θρησκευτικός φανατισμός, η εξουσία, ο έρωτας, η ηδονή κυριεύουν κ χειραγωγούν τον αξιοσέβαστο ηγούμενο του μοναστηριού, Αμβρόσιο. Τυφλωμένος κ παρασυρόμενος από τα κάλη γυναικών θα διαπράξει εγκλήματα αφού θα καταπατήσει τις ηθικές αρχές του κ όλα όσα διέπει η θρησκεία του.
Αγωνία, ψέματα, δολοπλοκίες, μίση, πάθη, μυστικά που ξετυλίγονται με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο.
Σκοτεινή ατμόσφαιρα, άνθρωποι φιλήδονοι, που δεν μπορούν να χαλιναγωγήσουν κ να κατευνάσουν τις ορμές τους.
Από τα καλύτερα μου αναγνώσματα!
Αξίζει να διαβαστεί!
January 17, 2026
This one wasn’t really what I was expecting to be honest. Although for 1796 it’s pretty dark with some of its themes. I enjoyed it, but it was kinda meh through the middle part of the story. I knew it was going to all come together in the end but it just took me a while to get there. I will say though, the ending was so so good! By far it was my favourite part!
February 16, 2016
OMGGGGGGG.... I totally CANNOT believe that the author of this book was 19 YEARS OLD when he wrote this, and he wrote it under 10 WEEKS . This is a masterpiece!! A 18TH CENTURY GOTHIC GODDAMN MASTERPIECE!!! Seriously high school kids would have loved the hell out of this and seek to read more classics were they not confined to snoring tomes like... idk, A scarlet letter? (Sorry, Hawthorne I have never gotten used to you ). "The Monk" retells the stories of a monk who abandons his virtues to become perfidious. So engulfed with lust and horror that he went at length to sell his soul for the devil and commit most heinous crimes. I was at first expected to read some long and boring stories about theology and rambling monologues, but this book turned out to have EVERYTHING that made a novel awesome : romance, poetry, murder, death, kidnapping, evil schemes, satire, social commentary, rape, incest, ghost, demons, poison, secret underground entrances, a devil that throw a guy off a cliff, and FUCKING great PLOT TWISTS! I was so blown away at the end that I nearly ripped my hair off and sunk into irretrievable euphoria. Lewis's novel, with anti-Catholic sentiments influenced by the French Revolution, was actually banned in England when it first published but that only instigated more people to read it, albeit illicitly. Well, who cannot help but being enchanted by Lewis? Even Edgar A. Poe cited him as an inspiration for his short story "The Pit and The Pendulum."
December 28, 2019
Μία απολαυστική ανάγνωση. Όταν ξεκινάς ένα βιβλίο που χαρακτηρίζεται γοτθικού τύπου, γραμμένο στα τέλη του 18ου αιώνα, τι ενδιαφέρον θα έχει η πλοκή της σε αναγνώστες που κινούνται στους ρυθμούς του Ιντερνετ; Σε αναγνώστες που δίπλα τους βουίζει το κινητός; Στους τρελούς ρυθμούς των 5 G ένας καλόγερος πόσο μπορεί να διεγείρει το ενδιαφέρον, τις αισθήσεις, την πλοκή; Κι όμως....Δεν είναι μόνο οι πολύπλοκοι χαρακτήρες που ξυπνούν μέσα σου οι όποιοι υπαρξιακοί προβληματισμοί. Είναι και το σασπένς που διατρέχει όλες τις σελίδες του βιβλίου. Από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος. Έστω κι αν το τέλος προσγειώνεται ανώμαλα στην μανιχαϊστική άποψη του καλού και του κακού. Του Θεού και του Διαβόλου.
Εν κατακλείδι. Πέρασα καλά. Το ρούφηξα, το χάρηκα αλλά δυστυχώς τέλειωσε....Ναι αν αναρωτιέστε. Αξίζει να το διαβάστε και να ξεφύγετε από τις πολυπλοκότητες που δημιουργούν σήμερα πολλοί συγγραφείς για να προβάλουν τα βιβλία τους. Ένας καλός συγγραφές δεν χρειάζεται να μπερδεύει και να ταλαιπωρεί τον αναγνώστη του. Μέσα από την απλή ιστορία του δίνει αυτό που επιζητεί ο κάθε αναγνώστης.
Εν κατακλείδι. Πέρασα καλά. Το ρούφηξα, το χάρηκα αλλά δυστυχώς τέλειωσε....Ναι αν αναρωτιέστε. Αξίζει να το διαβάστε και να ξεφύγετε από τις πολυπλοκότητες που δημιουργούν σήμερα πολλοί συγγραφείς για να προβάλουν τα βιβλία τους. Ένας καλός συγγραφές δεν χρειάζεται να μπερδεύει και να ταλαιπωρεί τον αναγνώστη του. Μέσα από την απλή ιστορία του δίνει αυτό που επιζητεί ο κάθε αναγνώστης.
October 7, 2020
El monje de Mattew Lewis es todo un referente de la novela gótica. Un dato interesante, fue escrita en solo diez semanas. Hay que quitarse el sombrero ante esta maratónica obra, especialmente por la calidad del trabajo y la edad del autor cuando la escribió.
La novela es todo un culebrón. Encontramos el clásico antagonismo bueno-malo, damiselas en peligro, amores a primera vista y el infaltable caballero salvador; estilo muy presente en la época, revelador de los valores y temas predominantes, y propio de la novela gótica. Sin duda, es un culebrón bien contado, de los que atrapan y mantienen excelente ritmo.
Solo hay un personaje redondo, los demás fueron perfilados de una manera básica y predecible, la excepción es Ambrosio, y es suficiente para sostener la narración. En las cuatrocientas páginas que componen El monje, se develan sus conflictos y las transformaciones que operan en él. Esas 400 páginas no se sienten, resultan envolventes y mantienen expectantes. Es un buen libro para los amantes de la narrativa gótica e imperdible por sus alusiones a mitos populares, como el de la monja sangrienta. Mitos que posteriormente se convirtieron en temas recurrentes de la narrativa de terror
La novela es todo un culebrón. Encontramos el clásico antagonismo bueno-malo, damiselas en peligro, amores a primera vista y el infaltable caballero salvador; estilo muy presente en la época, revelador de los valores y temas predominantes, y propio de la novela gótica. Sin duda, es un culebrón bien contado, de los que atrapan y mantienen excelente ritmo.
Solo hay un personaje redondo, los demás fueron perfilados de una manera básica y predecible, la excepción es Ambrosio, y es suficiente para sostener la narración. En las cuatrocientas páginas que componen El monje, se develan sus conflictos y las transformaciones que operan en él. Esas 400 páginas no se sienten, resultan envolventes y mantienen expectantes. Es un buen libro para los amantes de la narrativa gótica e imperdible por sus alusiones a mitos populares, como el de la monja sangrienta. Mitos que posteriormente se convirtieron en temas recurrentes de la narrativa de terror
September 20, 2018
Είχα την εντύ��ωση οτι ο Καλόγερος θα ήταν ένα βαρύ αργόσυρτο βιβλίο και για αρκετό καιρό δίσταζα να το διαβάσω.Ίσως να φταίει και λίγο το εξώφυλλο γι'αυτο.Φανταστείτε την έκπληξη μου όταν, παίρνοντας τελικά την απόφαση να το διαβάσω,βρέθηκα μπροστά σε ένα εξαιρετικά ευκολοδιάβαστο κείμενο που ,ειδικά στην αρχή που το σατιρικό του ύφος είναι έντονο,είχε και πλάκα.Στη συνέχεια γίνεται όλο και πιο σκοτεινό,όσο σκοτεινή είναι η ψυχή των φανατικών.
Πολύ τολμηρό για την εποχή του με τόσες αναφορές στο σεξ και την περιγραφή του βιασμού ,όπως και με την επίθεση που ουσιαστικά κάνει στην υποκρισία των ανθρώπων της Εκκλησίας.
Ένα πολύ ωραίο σκοτεινο και μακάβριο παραμύθι,γεμάτο φαντάσματα, θρύλους και ανθρώπινη κακία.
Πολύ τολμηρό για την εποχή του με τόσες αναφορές στο σεξ και την περιγραφή του βιασμού ,όπως και με την επίθεση που ουσιαστικά κάνει στην υποκρισία των ανθρώπων της Εκκλησίας.
Ένα πολύ ωραίο σκοτεινο και μακάβριο παραμύθι,γεμάτο φαντάσματα, θρύλους και ανθρώπινη κακία.
January 26, 2021
Novela gótica de finales del siglo XVIII, escrita por un joven de solo 20 años y en apenas 10 semanas. Es una novela sorprendente por la época en que fue escrita y por los temas que trata. Algunas de las cuestiones más escabrosas referentes al sexo o la violencia se abordan sin ningún tipo de tapujos y de manera explícita, lo cual hizo que fuera muy criticada (y censurada) en su época. La novela es una dura crítica al catolicismo y especialmente al sacramento de la confesión.
La novela me mantuvo muy enganchado, no dejó de sorprenderme por su manera de tratar ciertos temas, me gustó muchísimo su contenido de tipo sobrenatural y el final me pareció una pasada. Me ha reconciliado con la novela gótica. Muy recomendable.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG9e4...
La novela me mantuvo muy enganchado, no dejó de sorprenderme por su manera de tratar ciertos temas, me gustó muchísimo su contenido de tipo sobrenatural y el final me pareció una pasada. Me ha reconciliado con la novela gótica. Muy recomendable.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG9e4...
October 6, 2019
¿Saben esa sensación que uno tiene cuando está leyendo una novela a la que le quedan apenas unas cincuenta páginas y que hace que empieces a leerla más lento porque no quieres que se termine? Todos la hemos tenido más de una vez y eso suele ir acompañado de un regusto dulce en el paladar que te invita a hacer críticas grandilocuentes y entusiastas acerca de lo que acabas de terminar. Gritas a todo el mundo que tienen que leer este libro. Sonríes cuando alguien a quien ni siquiera conoces sabe de la existencia de esta historia y vas buscando como un loco nuevas reseñas y adaptaciones al celuloide de la historia porque quieres seguir adentrándote en un mundo nuevo que desconocías poco tiempo atrás.
Este es uno de esos libros. Uno de esos que perdurará para siempre en tu cabeza y que lo subirás a los más elevados peldaños de tus lecturas favoritas.
¿Pero realmente es tan bueno como dicen? Si esa es una de esas novelas pomposas que se enredan en tramas rebuscadas y que apenas dará nada de miedo. Mmmmm, déjenme explicar unas cositas.
Hace más de doscientos años el ser humano tenía otra visión de lo sobrenatural y manejaba unos acordes del terror que no se pueden equiparar a los que estamos acostumbrados en estos tiempos. Hoy en día leemos acerca de posesiones demoniacas, asesinos enmascarados, cadáveres que regresan con ansias de sangre y tripas, licántropos, vampiros y espectros vengativos y toda una suerte de criaturas que nos deleitan con sus temidas presencias.
Pues imaginen por un momento que pudieras recopilar todos los temores actuales y adaptarlos para los lectores de una época pasada donde el miedo a la muerte, a la presencia de espíritus, a los infiernos y a la pérdida de la virtud se unieran en una sola novela. Y que todas y cada unos de los engranajes que sustentan una situación aterradora se alinean para mostrarte una historia compacta que no se te va a quitar de la cabeza con facilidad.
Entonces, ¿tienes que leerlo si o si? Pues depende de ti como lector. Si esperas una novela de digestión rápida, que no te haga pensar y que esté llena de situaciones aterradoras en cada capítulo que leas mejor no te fíes demasiado de mi entusiasmo. Pero si están dispuestos a dar ese paso adelante y quieren conocer la historia de este monje Ambrosio, ejemplo andante de virtud y coraje y ver cómo sus más absolutas convicciones se van al carajo sin que apenas se pueda dar cuenta es la novela que están tardando en leer.
Y no solo eso, que ya sería más que suficiente. A lo largo de la novela iremos conociendo otras historias igual o más terroríficas que la de el monje. Habrán extraños exorcistas, monjas impuras, castigos inhumanos, confusiones fantasmales, serpientes, cadáveres putrefactos, torturas medievales, engaños, sexo no consentido, humor negro, leyendas medievales, fantasmas, espíritus, magia negra y brujería, querubines, maldiciones, pueblos enfurecidos, criptas y hasta un final que te helará toda tu memoria desde el momento en que dejes de leer esta novela.
Esta novela es para mi ya lo mejor que he podido leer este año y, probablemente, me acompañará durante mucho tiempo en mis recuerdos.
A todos aquellos que me pregunten si merece o no la pena leer esta obra clásica cumbre del gótico, de más de dos siglos de antigüedad, y uno de los exponentes máximos del género del terror les tendré que decir que están tardando en hacerlo.
Este es uno de esos libros. Uno de esos que perdurará para siempre en tu cabeza y que lo subirás a los más elevados peldaños de tus lecturas favoritas.
¿Pero realmente es tan bueno como dicen? Si esa es una de esas novelas pomposas que se enredan en tramas rebuscadas y que apenas dará nada de miedo. Mmmmm, déjenme explicar unas cositas.
Hace más de doscientos años el ser humano tenía otra visión de lo sobrenatural y manejaba unos acordes del terror que no se pueden equiparar a los que estamos acostumbrados en estos tiempos. Hoy en día leemos acerca de posesiones demoniacas, asesinos enmascarados, cadáveres que regresan con ansias de sangre y tripas, licántropos, vampiros y espectros vengativos y toda una suerte de criaturas que nos deleitan con sus temidas presencias.
Pues imaginen por un momento que pudieras recopilar todos los temores actuales y adaptarlos para los lectores de una época pasada donde el miedo a la muerte, a la presencia de espíritus, a los infiernos y a la pérdida de la virtud se unieran en una sola novela. Y que todas y cada unos de los engranajes que sustentan una situación aterradora se alinean para mostrarte una historia compacta que no se te va a quitar de la cabeza con facilidad.
Entonces, ¿tienes que leerlo si o si? Pues depende de ti como lector. Si esperas una novela de digestión rápida, que no te haga pensar y que esté llena de situaciones aterradoras en cada capítulo que leas mejor no te fíes demasiado de mi entusiasmo. Pero si están dispuestos a dar ese paso adelante y quieren conocer la historia de este monje Ambrosio, ejemplo andante de virtud y coraje y ver cómo sus más absolutas convicciones se van al carajo sin que apenas se pueda dar cuenta es la novela que están tardando en leer.
Y no solo eso, que ya sería más que suficiente. A lo largo de la novela iremos conociendo otras historias igual o más terroríficas que la de el monje. Habrán extraños exorcistas, monjas impuras, castigos inhumanos, confusiones fantasmales, serpientes, cadáveres putrefactos, torturas medievales, engaños, sexo no consentido, humor negro, leyendas medievales, fantasmas, espíritus, magia negra y brujería, querubines, maldiciones, pueblos enfurecidos, criptas y hasta un final que te helará toda tu memoria desde el momento en que dejes de leer esta novela.
Esta novela es para mi ya lo mejor que he podido leer este año y, probablemente, me acompañará durante mucho tiempo en mis recuerdos.
A todos aquellos que me pregunten si merece o no la pena leer esta obra clásica cumbre del gótico, de más de dos siglos de antigüedad, y uno de los exponentes máximos del género del terror les tendré que decir que están tardando en hacerlo.
December 20, 2017
This was going to be part of my themed Halloween 2017 Reads, but I overestimated my reading speed (or lack thereof) and here we are in December. Just as well I suppose as The Monk: A Romance took me 48 days to read, mostly as an audiobook I was listening to in the bus on my two hours commutes to work. Ah, but those were vastly amusing bus journeys thanks to this outrageously fun, (unintentionally) silly book.
The Monk is often described as a gothic novel, which is not inaccurate but to my mind, it is a no holds barred supernatural occult horror novel. However, it was published in 1796, prior to the birth of horror as a genre of fiction. While the language is unavoidably dated, the plot feels like an occult horror novel from the 70s, something Dennis Wheatley could have written. The novel is set in Spain and is made up of two main plotlines that only intersect toward the end of the book. There is plotline about a poor girl called Agnes who is committed to a convent against her will by her overzealous mother. To makes matters worse after “taking the veil” she realizes that she is pregnant with her lover’s child, this caused the super cruel prioress to imprison her in a ratty dungeon.
An actual scene from the book!
The central story arc, however, is about the eponymous monk, called Ambrosio who is introduced to us at the beginning of the book as an extremely pious abbot, but by becomes a depraved sex maniac by the end of the book. Ambrosio’s downfall is caused by the seduction by the amazingly wicked Matilda, introduced to us disguised as a monk called Rosario. It turns out that Matilda is a Satanist and, using her wiles, manages to lead Ambrosio away from his religion and God. She also persuades him to avail himself of her black magic artifacts to have his way with have his ways with another beautiful girl called Antonia.
I had no idea what to expect from The Monk, but I literally did not expect the Spanish Inquisition! Yes, the dreaded S.I. make an appearance in this book, their chief weapons are surprise and fear ...fear and surprise ... and ruthless efficiency...
Anyway, besides the S.I., I also did not expect the book’s descent into a tale of rape, murder, torture and general mayhem. The first half of the narrative is a fairly restrained gothic tale of a monk losing his religion, an innocent girl imprisoned in a convent, and her friends’ efforts to liberate her. Suddenly ghosts, demons, and black magic things are all over the place. I found the book’s sudden shift in tone vastly amusing. However, this novel is not for the faint of heart, especially as the author is very unkind to beautiful innocent young ladies in this book. Most of Matthew Lewis’ female characters have no agency to speak of, with the obvious exception of the Satanic femme fatale Matilda, and Antonia’s brave mother. The dialogue tends to be longwinded and flowery, but I like it! I don’t really see how this book can be analyzed as a serious work of literature. It is more like an evil romp with little in the way of moral lessons or philosophy to impart, read it for a hoot I would say. But only if you like this sort of thing (hooty Satanic romps). Definitely recommended for Iron Maiden fans.
Note: Audiobook read by James K. White for Librivox (free audiobooks). On the whole a pretty good narration, thank you.
Quotes:
“It was not so lovely from regularity of features as from sweetness and sensibility of Countenance. The several parts of her face considered separately, many of them were far from handsome; but when examined together, the whole was adorable.”
“She was wise enough to hold her tongue. As this is the only instance known of a Woman's ever having done so, it was judged worthy to be recorded here.”
“Suddenly deprived of pleasures, the use of which had made them an absolute want, the Monk felt this restraint severely. Naturally addicted to the gratification of the senses, in the full vigour of manhood, and heat of blood, He had suffered his temperament to acquire such ascendency that his lust was become madness.”
The Monk is often described as a gothic novel, which is not inaccurate but to my mind, it is a no holds barred supernatural occult horror novel. However, it was published in 1796, prior to the birth of horror as a genre of fiction. While the language is unavoidably dated, the plot feels like an occult horror novel from the 70s, something Dennis Wheatley could have written. The novel is set in Spain and is made up of two main plotlines that only intersect toward the end of the book. There is plotline about a poor girl called Agnes who is committed to a convent against her will by her overzealous mother. To makes matters worse after “taking the veil” she realizes that she is pregnant with her lover’s child, this caused the super cruel prioress to imprison her in a ratty dungeon.
An actual scene from the book!
The central story arc, however, is about the eponymous monk, called Ambrosio who is introduced to us at the beginning of the book as an extremely pious abbot, but by becomes a depraved sex maniac by the end of the book. Ambrosio’s downfall is caused by the seduction by the amazingly wicked Matilda, introduced to us disguised as a monk called Rosario. It turns out that Matilda is a Satanist and, using her wiles, manages to lead Ambrosio away from his religion and God. She also persuades him to avail himself of her black magic artifacts to have his way with have his ways with another beautiful girl called Antonia.
I had no idea what to expect from The Monk, but I literally did not expect the Spanish Inquisition! Yes, the dreaded S.I. make an appearance in this book, their chief weapons are surprise and fear ...fear and surprise ... and ruthless efficiency...
Anyway, besides the S.I., I also did not expect the book’s descent into a tale of rape, murder, torture and general mayhem. The first half of the narrative is a fairly restrained gothic tale of a monk losing his religion, an innocent girl imprisoned in a convent, and her friends’ efforts to liberate her. Suddenly ghosts, demons, and black magic things are all over the place. I found the book’s sudden shift in tone vastly amusing. However, this novel is not for the faint of heart, especially as the author is very unkind to beautiful innocent young ladies in this book. Most of Matthew Lewis’ female characters have no agency to speak of, with the obvious exception of the Satanic femme fatale Matilda, and Antonia’s brave mother. The dialogue tends to be longwinded and flowery, but I like it! I don’t really see how this book can be analyzed as a serious work of literature. It is more like an evil romp with little in the way of moral lessons or philosophy to impart, read it for a hoot I would say. But only if you like this sort of thing (hooty Satanic romps). Definitely recommended for Iron Maiden fans.
Note: Audiobook read by James K. White for Librivox (free audiobooks). On the whole a pretty good narration, thank you.
Quotes:
“It was not so lovely from regularity of features as from sweetness and sensibility of Countenance. The several parts of her face considered separately, many of them were far from handsome; but when examined together, the whole was adorable.”
“She was wise enough to hold her tongue. As this is the only instance known of a Woman's ever having done so, it was judged worthy to be recorded here.”
“Suddenly deprived of pleasures, the use of which had made them an absolute want, the Monk felt this restraint severely. Naturally addicted to the gratification of the senses, in the full vigour of manhood, and heat of blood, He had suffered his temperament to acquire such ascendency that his lust was become madness.”
August 7, 2018
5 estrellas porque se las ha ganado
¡Tengo tantas cosas que comentar de esta novela! Mi mente ahora mismo es un conjunto de pensamientos sugeridos, escasamente desarrollados. O digo en serio que ha sido una lectura muy intensa y que jamás, JAMÁS, leeré nada igual. No digo que sea uno de mis libros favoritos, pero es una novela que recomiendo a cualquier persona que ya tenga una trayectoria en la literatura gótica o, al menos, esté curtida de literatura del siglo XVIII-XIX. Para mi volver a la literatura gótica con El monje ha sido una experiencia harto satisfactoria. Me he reencontrado con esa literatura que me enseño un camino y que me dio una identidad. Ha sido como volver al seno materno, a los brazos de la mismísima Ann Radcliffe, después de una guerra. Aprecio las cosas de otra manera, busco otros elementos, pero sigo amando la literatura gótica de la misma manera entusiasta y apasionada que en 2015, cuando comencé mis andaduras por estos tenebrosos senderos.
El monje es una novela dividida en 3 partes donde prevalece la descripción al diálogo. Una novela con tres frentes: una monja marcada por la ignominia, una chiquilla recién llegada a Madrid con sus familiares y un monje alabado por todos, que es la mismísima encarnación de la pureza y castidad cristianas. En este contexto podríamos haber encontrado una novela bastante aburrida plagada de descripciones tediosas de la arquitectura madrileña o de la sociedad del siglo XVIII (algo que a mi me habría gustado ver, pero bueno, entiendo que no todo el mundo puede buscar este tipo de información). Sin embargo, es una novela muy narrativa donde prevalecen los hechos a la descripción del entorno. Distintas historias conectan unos personajes con otros de manera natural, ingeniosa e interesante. A veces sí que resultan ligeramente pesadas ciertas historias, sobre todo porque Lewis también introduce poesías y mitos para introducir al lector mucho más en los hechos narrados. Pero no es algo que en el conjunto sea de una importancia decisiva a la hora de disfrutar la lectura.
Respecto a lo demás, la parte sobrenatural es seguramente lo que más he disfrutado junto al contenido explícito y violento de la historia. Lo diré una y mil veces: que esto fuera escrito en 1796 me parece revolucionario. He leído historias posteriores que por muchísimo menos eran llevadas a tribunales. Es un libro escrito con mucha rabia, con pasión, con ardor...La misma se percibe la interacción con los personajes, en el mundo sobrenatural que subyace y en el mismísimo tratamiento de los temas. Lewis, básicamente, se caga en la institución cristiana católica apostólica. Pero de una manera muy de la época: elegante y sin despeinarse. Volviendo a la parte sobrenatural, me gusta que Lewis no explique porque suceden ciertos fenómenos como si hacía su antecesora, Radcliffe. Lewis no pretende en ningún momento ser raciona. El mundo estaba cambiando y él era joven y parte de ese futuro. La influencia del materialismo desfasado de LaMettrie y compañía no caló jamás en él. Y, como Radcliffe, también coge mucha influencia de Shakespeare e introduce algún elemento cómico, como la casera de Antonia, heroína gótica de la novela.
Los personajes están bien construidos, no son meros arquetipos. Se aprecia una vuelta de tuerca en el arquetipo de mujer casta y virginal, como también en el del abad cuya rectitud solo es superada por la pureza de su alma. Todo acaba convirtiéndose en una caricatura macabra que fascina y aterroriza como las pinturas negras de Goya. Pero lo mejor es que Lewis no intenta justificarlo. Porque, básicamente, NO HACE FALTA.
Ha sido una lectura densa pero maravillosa. Ojalá hablar más sobre ella en el futuro…
¡Tengo tantas cosas que comentar de esta novela! Mi mente ahora mismo es un conjunto de pensamientos sugeridos, escasamente desarrollados. O digo en serio que ha sido una lectura muy intensa y que jamás, JAMÁS, leeré nada igual. No digo que sea uno de mis libros favoritos, pero es una novela que recomiendo a cualquier persona que ya tenga una trayectoria en la literatura gótica o, al menos, esté curtida de literatura del siglo XVIII-XIX. Para mi volver a la literatura gótica con El monje ha sido una experiencia harto satisfactoria. Me he reencontrado con esa literatura que me enseño un camino y que me dio una identidad. Ha sido como volver al seno materno, a los brazos de la mismísima Ann Radcliffe, después de una guerra. Aprecio las cosas de otra manera, busco otros elementos, pero sigo amando la literatura gótica de la misma manera entusiasta y apasionada que en 2015, cuando comencé mis andaduras por estos tenebrosos senderos.
El monje es una novela dividida en 3 partes donde prevalece la descripción al diálogo. Una novela con tres frentes: una monja marcada por la ignominia, una chiquilla recién llegada a Madrid con sus familiares y un monje alabado por todos, que es la mismísima encarnación de la pureza y castidad cristianas. En este contexto podríamos haber encontrado una novela bastante aburrida plagada de descripciones tediosas de la arquitectura madrileña o de la sociedad del siglo XVIII (algo que a mi me habría gustado ver, pero bueno, entiendo que no todo el mundo puede buscar este tipo de información). Sin embargo, es una novela muy narrativa donde prevalecen los hechos a la descripción del entorno. Distintas historias conectan unos personajes con otros de manera natural, ingeniosa e interesante. A veces sí que resultan ligeramente pesadas ciertas historias, sobre todo porque Lewis también introduce poesías y mitos para introducir al lector mucho más en los hechos narrados. Pero no es algo que en el conjunto sea de una importancia decisiva a la hora de disfrutar la lectura.
Respecto a lo demás, la parte sobrenatural es seguramente lo que más he disfrutado junto al contenido explícito y violento de la historia. Lo diré una y mil veces: que esto fuera escrito en 1796 me parece revolucionario. He leído historias posteriores que por muchísimo menos eran llevadas a tribunales. Es un libro escrito con mucha rabia, con pasión, con ardor...La misma se percibe la interacción con los personajes, en el mundo sobrenatural que subyace y en el mismísimo tratamiento de los temas. Lewis, básicamente, se caga en la institución cristiana católica apostólica. Pero de una manera muy de la época: elegante y sin despeinarse. Volviendo a la parte sobrenatural, me gusta que Lewis no explique porque suceden ciertos fenómenos como si hacía su antecesora, Radcliffe. Lewis no pretende en ningún momento ser raciona. El mundo estaba cambiando y él era joven y parte de ese futuro. La influencia del materialismo desfasado de LaMettrie y compañía no caló jamás en él. Y, como Radcliffe, también coge mucha influencia de Shakespeare e introduce algún elemento cómico, como la casera de Antonia, heroína gótica de la novela.
Los personajes están bien construidos, no son meros arquetipos. Se aprecia una vuelta de tuerca en el arquetipo de mujer casta y virginal, como también en el del abad cuya rectitud solo es superada por la pureza de su alma. Todo acaba convirtiéndose en una caricatura macabra que fascina y aterroriza como las pinturas negras de Goya. Pero lo mejor es que Lewis no intenta justificarlo. Porque, básicamente, NO HACE FALTA.
Ha sido una lectura densa pero maravillosa. Ojalá hablar más sobre ella en el futuro…
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