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Matthew Lewis - The Monk (Big Book List)

 I typing these initial comments on Matthew Lewis’ The Monk on September 13 because I am very far behind this month. To date, I have only finished 1 book and my aim is usually for 4 books a month. I may not make it this month. I loved Matthew Lewis’ The Monk but I do not think I would read this book again. This book genuinely troubled me at times that made me have this crazy sort of feeling of simultaneously not wanting to continue reading because the subject matter was so troubling but then wanting to continue reading so as to be quit of this horrendously troubling text. 

This book is astonishingly modern in its explicit depictions of horror that I am amazed that it has not had a famously popular horror movie adaptation. It would be difficult to adapt because of the nature of the crimes committed but it would be a riveting film if handled well. Throughout the text, though, I was confused often because the names and the placement of the stories seemed to run together. I had to read a sort of Spark Notes summary at times to remember which story we were in. The framing story takes this layered approach that is often not well done in literature. The story starts with a young woman and her older aunt attending a church service in Madrid. Two well known men, Lorenzo and Cristobol, about town descend upon the pretty young woman who seems to be there simply to pray and see a famous monk preach. From here the story gets confusing. Chapter 2 sees the locus of the story shift to that of the perspective of the monk, Ambrosio in a sort of homage to Abelard and Heloise but with a darker twist. Then from here Chapter 3 sees the focus of the narration to Raymond who details why he loves Agnes a still different set of characters. Then we snap back to Ambrosio in one of the most gripping scenes I can recall.

 

In Chapter 2, Ambrosio condemns a young woman caught up in an affair that results in a pregnancy, and then the young monk that confides in Ambrosio reveals himself to be a woman, named Matilda, in disguise and is secretly deeply in love with Ambrosio. They sleep together against Ambrosio’s better judgment. After this occasion, Ambrosio ardor turns away from Matilda and now becomes fixed on Antonia the young woman from the beginning who Lorenzo pledges marriage to. In order to gain access to Antonia unaware, Matilda and Ambrosio make a deal with the devil to have supernatural powers. This conference between Ambrosio, Matilda and a spirit that appears suddenly in Ambrosio’s chambers is one of the most electrifying moments in literature that I have ever read. Lewis’ devil is a sort of a waif of a young man sort of laconically reclining with flaming, scaly wings pinned between himself and the wall and necklace and wristlets of fire, pale, sallow, and limp in a appearance. He grants Ambrosio this request and gives him a silver myrtle branch that Ambrosio may use as a wand sort of tool to grant access to any door and knock out Antonia when he enters upon her chamber. Ambrosio follows through on this endeavor and the results are truly, seriously disturbing. The moment that Ambrosio is finally able to carry out his plan is after the convent and abbey are stormed for a different reason, that Ambrosio draws the sleeping Antonia down to the crypt below the abbey where they have the assault happens among the tombs of long dead nuns and monks. It is one of the most uncomfortable moments I have ever read in literature.

 

I do not read horror. As a teenager, I loved horror movies, but I have not since watched a single horror movie in the last decade or so. There are several movies that I would love to watch but don’t find the stomach for even Get Out or A Quiet Place or Bird Box but its not something ever seem to find time for. Lewis was a wake up call for me that it is just not content that I take in often and this one was of the best sort of material I think horror can be. It was incredible, but not an experience I would enter into again willingly. I will remember that moment where the demon appears to Matilda and Ambrosio the first time forever, it was a type experience in reading that doesn’t happen often.

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