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

Reading Notes on The Antiquary

Reading Notes: Walter Scott, The Antiquary
November 22-25, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter.

Scott's "The Antiquary" begins as lampoon of reverance for the past: Oldbuck's false Roman ruins and Sir Arthur's exaggerated family heroism 10:21 AM Nov 22nd, 2008 from txt

King Alphonso of Castile quoted as life needful of: "old wood to burn, old books to read, old wine to drink, old friends to converse with" 10:26 AM Nov 22nd, 2008 from txt

Oldbuck on the parasitic professions: "the clergy live by our sins, the medical faculty by our diseases, the law gentry by our misfortunes." 9:10 AM Nov 23rd, 2008 from txt

At ruined Abbey: Oldbuck, Sir Arthur, Dousterswivel each see a different lost paradise in Monkish past: scholarly, orthodox, alchemical. 9:18 AM Nov 23rd, 2008 from txt

The mendicant/beggar and former poacher Edie Ochiltree wanders homeless by choice, witnessing that which others gossip or speculate over 2:56 PM Nov 23rd, 2008 from txt

Edie on the once formidable, now demented Elspeth: the remaining areas of her mind are all the more majestic for being surrounded by ruins 6:15 PM Nov 23rd, 2008 from txt

Oldbuck on Edie's role in community: "the oracle of the district ... genealogist, newsman, master of revels, doctor in a pinch, or divine" 7:28 AM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

More of Oldbuck on the wise vagrant Edie: "he is so far a true philosopher as to be a contemmer of all ordinary rules of hours and times." 7:31 AM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

Sir Arthur, ruined, sees himself "a fallen lamb" who will not lie on the heather for ten minutes before ravens and crows pick out his eyes" 9:12 AM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

Sir Arthur undervalues Oldbuck as too penurious to lend money and thus likely to give only "scraps of misanthropy and quaint ends of Latin" 9:36 AM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

To work with just 20 pp. left of The Antiquary" Maddening, even as it is clear how it will end: love and virtue rewarded; fortune assured 9:48 AM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

"The Antiquary" opposes the Monkish/Peaceful ideology of Oldbuck and Edie with the Martial/Aristocratic ideology of Sir Arthur and Hector. 5:39 PM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

Scott's de-centered hero, Lovell, unites both ideologies in that he is both studious and brave (and also, as revealed, a legitimate heir). 5:44 PM Nov 25th, 2008 from web

Reading Notes on Private Confessions and Memoirs of a Justified Sinner

Reading Notes: James Hogg, Private Confessions and Memoirs of a Justified Sinner
November 8-9, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter

Cold drizzle. Made first fire of the year: slow to start but roaring now. Starting Hogg's "Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner" 8:44 AM Nov 8th from txt

"The ways of heaven are altogether inscrutable and soar as far above and beyond the works and comprehension of man as the sun flaming in majesty, is above the tiny boy's evening rocket" 10:00 AM Nov 8th

Rife w/ doubles, specters. Book's dilemma: "we have nothing on earth but our senses to depend on; if these deceive us, what are we to do?" 12:38 PM Nov 8th from txt

Mrs Logan on Robert Wringham: "I believe he sees every one of his actions justified before God, and instead of having stings of conscience for these, he takes great merit to himself in having effected them" Calvinst belief in predestination becomes demonic. 1:25 PM Nov 8th from txt

In Confessions, Robert addresses readers as "wicked of the world." Non elect's names "written on the red letter side of the book of life" 2:33 PM Nov 8th from txt

Robert's demon similar to Dostoevsky's "Double" in his antic capering and his visibility to others. But also intimate, like Twain's No. 44 8:45 AM Nov 9th from txt

Robert warned: "There is not an error into which man can fall, which he may not press Scripture into his service as proof of the probity of" 9:09 AM Nov 9th from txt

The devil Gil-Martin places veil of mist betw Robert + heaven, similar to demonic fog George sees vying with the rainbow atop Arthur's Seat 10:05 AM Nov 9th from txt

Link to "Jeckyl and Hyde" clear in how Robert sleeps while other does mayhem. Duality in several registers: theology, psych, social, folk. 2:32 PM Nov 9th from txt

In story of ultra-godly town of Auchtermuchty, only the unbeliever -- who knows the language of crows -- can see the new Minister is a devil 2:46 PM Nov 9th from txt

Robert Wringhim also somewhat recalls Frederic's Theron Ware in that he takes spiritual doctrine as applicable to real life. 7:33 PM Nov 9th from txt

Scene shifts to a printing office (presaging Twain's #44). Robert intends to publish his Confessions in the guise of a Bunyanesque allegory. 10:01 PM Nov 9th from txt

Confessions ends with no clear determination of what truly occurred: epic of delusion? supernatural visit? or hypocritical "justification"? 8:42 AM yesterday from web

Also interesting in Confessions to think of the religiously "justified" sinning (+ murder) in relation to the dubious concept of "just" war about 22 hours ago from web

Reading Notes on Can You Forgive Her?

Reading Notes: Anthony Trollope, Can You Forgive Her?
October 25-November 6, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter.

In "CYFH?," Alice Vavasor's choice between the "worthy" "milk-and-honey" John Grey and the "brandy" of her "wild man" cousin George Vavasor 2:25 PM Oct 25th, 2008 from txt

Plantangenet Palliser an avatar of dullness; proud to be dull. "If he was dull as a statesman, he was even more dull in private life." 12:48 PM Oct 26th, 2008 from txt

Trollope creates no win situations for Alice and Glencora: the worthy men are dull and gray, the romantic men are schemers or wastrels. 8:24 PM Oct 31st, 2008 from txt

"Can You Forgive Her" shifts from genteel parlour drama to near-Gothic as George Vavasor's rage spills over, his threats barely contained. 1:35 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

George Vavasor's thoughts increasingly turn to murder, but he doesn't plot murder (and suicide) so much as he dreams it. 7:46 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

George Vavasor's campaign manager, the lawyer Scruby: "the man was like a rat, and knew a falling house by the instinct that was in him." 8:05 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

Stymied in raising funds:"George Vavasor cursed the City and made his calculation about murdering it. Might not a river of strychnine ..." 8:20 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

Back to "Can You Forgive Her?" George Vavasor so disruptive a presence in the Trollope universe that he has to be despatched to America. 7:59 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

In Dickens, George's fate would have been part of the cresendo. In Balzac, the plot would have centered on such a remarkable villain. 8:02 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

Trollope always trying to be fair to characters. George is such a monster, he needs to be sent offstage, spoken about only in hushed tones. 8:05 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

Up early to finish Trollope; per his stultifying conservative vision dullness, social order must prevail over even the most trivial revolts 8:52 AM Nov 6th, 2008 from web