The Gothic Project - The Monk - background information

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The Monk - background information This is a rather abbreviated version of the information available about the novel due to the fact that there are so many spoilers in the information.

The Monk: A Romance is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796. A quickly written book from early in Lewis's career (in one letter he claimed to have written it in ten weeks, but other correspondence suggests that he had at least started it, or something similar, a couple of years earlier), it was published before he turned twenty. It is a prime example of the type of Gothic that specializes in the aspect of horror. Its convoluted and scandalous plot has made it one of the most important Gothic novels of its time, often imitated and adapted for the stage and the screen.

Characters

Agnes is Don Lorenzo's younger sister, her mother fell ill while pregnant with Agnes and vowed to send Agnes to the convent if she delivered her safely, her parents want her to become a nun

Ambrosio is an extremely devout monk about 30 years old. He was found left at the Abbey doorstep when he was too young to tell his tale. The monks consider him a present from the Virgin Mary and they educate him at the monastery.

Antonia is a timid and innocent girl of 15. She was brought up in an old castle in Murcia with only her mother Elvira and is therefore very sheltered.

Leonella is Elvira's sister and Antonia's spinster aunt.

Don Lorenzo de Medina is Agnes's older brother and friend of Don Raymond and Don Christoval.

Rosario is a the young boy who looks up to Ambrosio "with a respect approaching idolatry". Rosario is brought to the Monastery by a well-dressed rich stranger but not much more is known of his past.

The Prioress, also known as Mother St. Agatha, she is the inspiration for the Abbess of San Stephano in Radcliffe's The Italian.

Don Raymond is the son of a Marquis and is also known as Alphonso d'Alvarada.

Donna Rodolpha, Baroness of Lindenburg meets Don Raymond while traveling to Strasbourg.

Mother St. Ursula - info removed because of soiler

Theodore is Don Raymond's page.

Virginia de Villa Franca, introduced late in the story, is a beautiful, virtuous young relation of the Prioress

Publication history

Composition

Lewis said he got his first inspiration for the novel from a short story by Richard SteeleRichard Steele called The History of Santon Barsisa, which was published in The Guardian in 1713.

First edition

The first edition of The Monk was published sometime between 1795 and 1796. Older scholarship tended toward a 1795 publication year, but because no copies of the book so dated could be found, and because contemporary sources did not begin announcing or referencing the work until March 1796, the latter date began to be preferred. It was published anonymously, but for Lewis's initials after the preface and was highly praised by reviewers in The Monthly Mirror of June 1796 as well as the Analytical Review.

Second edition

The first edition sold well, and a second edition was published in October 1796. The good sales and reviews of the first had emboldened Lewis, and he signed the new edition with his full name, adding "M.P." to reflect his newly acquired seat in the House of Commons. The book continued to rise in popularity, but in a February 1797 review by a writer for the European Magazine, the novel was criticized for "plagiarism, immorality, and wild extravagance."

Fourth edition

Lewis wrote to his father on February 23, 1798, attempting to make reparations: the controversy caused by The Monk was a source of distress to his family. As recorded by Irwin: “twenty is not the age at which prudence is most to be expected. Inexperience prevented my distinguishing what should give offence; but as soon as I found that offence was given, I made the only reparation in my power: I carefully revised the work, and expunged every syllable on which could be grounded the slightest construction of immorality. This, indeed, was no difficult task, for the objection rested entirely on expressions too strong, and words carelessly chosen; not on the sentiments, characters, or general tendency of the work.”