Reading Notes on The Monk

Reading Notes: Matthew Lewis, The Monk
Nov 27-30, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter

Began M.G. Lewis's relentlessly sacreligious "The Monk," set in Spain which is to the British mind the site of religious excess in same way that France stands for the excess of irreligion. Difficult to say which the British fear and abhor more. 11:28 AM Nov 27th, 2008 from txt

The spurned Baroness: "my love is become hatred and my wounded pride shall not be unatoned. Go where you will, my vengeance will follow." 11:46 AM Nov 28th, 2008 from txt

Denoument of Nun with the Bleeding Hands episode has Melmothian figure, revealed to be the Wandering Jew (fiery cross on forehead and all). 9:01 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Lewis places age of sexual urgency at 30 rather than adolescence; in some ways, the travail of the monk Ambrosio is a midlife crisis. 9:11 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Forgiving sister's rape: "strict honor would oblige me to wash off in your blood the stain thrown upon my family; but the (cont'd) "circumstances of your case forbid me to consider you an enemy." The honorable solution is a Papal Bull and, of course, marriage. 9:34 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

In cases of both Ambrosio and "bleeding hands" nun (Beatrice) artificiality of convent system accentuates licentiousness. 9:46 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Matilda/Rosario's seduction of Ambrosio involves secret gift: a painting of the Madonna with her own features for him to adore in his cell. 11:44 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Matilda to Ambrosio post-coitis: "unnatural were your vows of celibacy; man was not created for such a state; were love a crime God would not have made it so sweet, so irresistible!" Her tempting of Ambrosio comes after she sucks poison from his blood. 11:53 AM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Elvira, mother of virginal Antonia, edits the bible used by her daughter, sees clearly the snares used by both noble and clerical seducers. 2:04 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Bible a reference book of sin: "every thing called by its name . . . the annals of a brothel would scarcely furnish a greater choice of indecency" 2:10 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Elvira warning Antonia of the monk's urges is careful "lest in removing the bandage of ignorance, the veil of innocence should rent away" 2:19 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Matilda, adept of natural philosophy, advocate of unrestrained passion. The image she conjures of Antonia shows a playful bird at her breast 2:36 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

His attempts to seduce Antonia with religion foiled by Elvira, Ambrosio, with temptress Matilda's aid, tries again with Satanic methods. 2:52 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Ambrosio precursor of Raskolnikov: "The murdered Elvira was constantly before his eyes, his guilt already punished by agonies of conscience" 3:54 PM Nov 29th, 2008 from txt

Ambrosio is only character drawn in 3 dimensions, so for all his perfidy he demands sympathy for his quick descent from virtue and status. 9:18 AM Nov 30th, 2008 from txt

Satan appears first to Ambrosio as naked youth then, at time for surrender of soul, as snake-crowned, sable-winged monster, iron pen in hand 10:06 AM Nov 30th, 2008 from txt

Satan gloats over Ambrosio: "Know vain man that I have long marked you for my prey: I watched the movements of your heart; I saw you were virtuous from vanity not principle, and I seized the fit moment of seduction." S thus reveals he plotted A's doom from outset 11:11 AM Nov 30th, 2008 from txt

Lewis ends "The Monk" in moral fashion, but without abandoning his critique of convent system or of nobility's relative insularity. 11:48 AM Nov 30th, 2008 from txt