The Monk, published in 1796 by Matthew Lewis, holds the distinction of one of the most popular and controversial gothic novels of all time. Set against the backdrop of the Protestant Reformation in Spain, the novel addresses and challenges many sensitive and taboo societal norms, and elements of seduction, blasphemy, incest and lust are central to the text. At the time it was written, gender ideologies in Europe were governed by the idea of ​​the coexistence of men and women in separate spheres, where women "naturally" embodied traits of moral superiority, conformity and virtue, which made them ideal partners. domestic life and at the same time lacking libido – those with a sexual appetite were frowned upon. Conversely, men were the embodiment of rationality and strength, and were subject to fewer societal restrictions. (Huges, 2014) However, monastic chastity was still obligatory, thus highlighting the dominant role that the dominant religion – Catholicism – played in defining societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality. With sexual transgression as one of its central elements, the text features characters who violate these ideals and the consequences they face become a reflection of the contemporary attitude towards such transgressions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay The novel centers on Ambrosio, a monk, led to satisfy his carnal desire by the temptation of Mathilde – previously disguised as a male admirer d'Ambrosio, Rosario. By providing her with sexual favors, he tires of her and becomes overwhelmed with sexual attraction towards the virginal and virtuous Antonia. Matilda aids Ambrosio in his quest to satisfy this desire, an act which leads him to commit a series of even more heinous crimes – including rape and murder – and ultimately leads to his downfall. At the heart of the novel is the transgression of gender ideals and the consequences associated with it, and through the pursuit of the devout monk Ambrosio to satisfy his sexual urges and the subsequent punishment at the hands of the Devil, depicting the woman Matilda sexually motivated as the Demon, and Antonia innocent as a virtuous victim, she condemns the violation of prescribed standards of chastity. Simultaneously, through the contrasting language used in the context of the characters of the lecherous Matilda, the modest Antonia, and the sinful Bleeding Nun – who shamelessly pursues her carnal desires and is subjected to eternal suffering – he laments the exploration of female sexuality, linking the consequences directly to sin and death. The themes of anti-Catholicism and sexual desire parallel these critiques and the misrepresentation of transgressive male sexuality and its negative connotations is directly attributed to Ambrosio's religious upbringing, thus connecting to the different agenda, but not separate, from Lewis to mock. institutionalized religion (Rosenthal, 2016). The monk's condemnation of sexual transgression is primarily exemplified by his central villain, Ambrosio, a friar who was left at the abbey gate as a child and raised within the Church. His sheltered upbringing limited his exposure to many worldly desires and gave him an apparent set of virtues that left him intoxicated with an immense sense of superiority. He is mainly praised for his sexual chastity and in the first pages of the novel Lorenzo describes him as "such a strict observer of chastity that he does not know howconsists of the difference between man and woman” (Le Moine, page 15). . This description capitalizes on his ignorance of the reality of sexuality, accentuated by the fact that he prides himself on his isolation, and although he is praised for his initial lack of awareness of the sexual drive, it is the same unconsciousness which later leads to his serious transgressions, as he never learns to exercise control over such base impulses. Monastic chastity was central to the Catholic approach to Christianity and by emphasizing Ambrosio's extremely pious nature, the author contrasts and therefore attributes his openly blasphemous transgressions to the "feminine" position in which the Church placed him mis – protected and sheltered to save her virtue as a woman. was at the time. The lack of self-awareness instilled in him due to his religious upbringing is instrumental in him falling prey to the Devil's temptations and thus his transgression and the resultant consequences he faces are more attributed to the failures of the Devil. The Catholic Church – and its overt emphasis on monastic chastity – blames the sin of a man who loses his virtue during premarital sexual acts. He is described as "not having yet learned that for a heart that does not know it, vice is always more dangerous when it hides behind the mask of virtue" (The Monk, page 87) when he learns that Mathilde was the model for the portrait of the Virgin Mary that he admired with so much desire. From the beginning, he seems fascinated by purity and virtue, and is consequently attracted to Matilda, eventually succumbing to his sexual desire for her and sleeping with her. However, as Matilda becomes more advanced in his sexual advances, he tires of her and shifts his desire towards the innocent Antonia, thus highlighting some very disturbing sexual behavior for which the overtly Catholic nature of his value system is blamed. His upbringing was so sheltered and isolated, reinforced and validated by his religious context, that he was aroused by the erotic nature of modesty and lost all forms of moral reasoning, giving in to his carnal desires and committing rape and sexual assault. murders to satisfy them. . He can thus be seen as a tragic hero, and his transgressions as an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of his limited exposure to reality. Therefore, the novel's view of his sexual transgressions, although extremely negative, as depicted through Ambrosio's ultimate fate – the realization that he raped his sister and murdered her mother before falling victim to the Devil – may be associated with Lewis's condemnation of religious extremism, even more than with his criticism of male sexual transgression. Premarital sex was common among the male nobility in the 18th century – men would visit brothels to use prostitutes – and although frowned upon, it was treated as an open secret and without Catholic morality, men were not rejected. Staying true to this context, through Ambrosio's rebellious transgression and the way his overtly religious value system counterproductively leads him to commit crimes, the theme of religious hypocrisy and anti- Catholicism is reinforced and the condemnation of male sexuality becomes secondary to this end. The women in the novel, however, are not favored with the same treatment, and Lewis openly condemns and demonizes those who transgress the dominant ideals of chastity and praises those who conform to them. Transgressive female sexuality is embodied through the character of Matilda, who is introduced as a male Rosario, admits to being a woman and is later revealed to be a demon. She seducesAmbrosio by his initial apparent modesty and later reprimands his values ​​of chastity by telling him: “his vows of celibacy were not natural; man was not created for such a state; and if love were a crime, God would never have made it so sweet, so irresistible! (The Monk, page 238) and that he should “banish these clouds from his brow” (The Monk, page 238). She directly demeans the central ideals of Catholicism and blatantly deviates from the expectations of an 18th-century woman in terms of assertiveness and awareness of her sexuality (Huges, 2014). She displays a strong sense of self-awareness and competence, as she knows what she wants and uses every means at her disposal to get it – she succeeds in seducing Ambrosio. with her, and later facilitates his sexual predation on Antonia, both through despicable means of manipulation and through associations with the Devil. She thus becomes the incarnation of everything that is anti-religious and anti-feminine; her advances on Ambrosio are described in highly sexist terms as she takes the lead in their sexual relationship, leaving Ambrosio "trembling and weak" (The Monk, page 247) as she becomes more "masculine" and the despoiler of the former “feminine” of Ambrosio. virtue and sexual innocence. Allusions to the Devil are made regularly through her actions, an example of which is her asking Ambrosio for a rose as a token of her affection, which leads to a snake biting him and he almost dies - allowing her to seduce him. in his vulnerability. (The Monk, page 56) This indulgence in temptation can be associated with the story of the Garden of Eden in Genesis, where Eve, herself persuaded by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, in turn tempts Adam to do the same, and they both face temptation. punishment from God for their transgression. This strongly parallels Matilda, the woman, who tempts Ambrosio, the pious man, to go against God's will – an act of defiance that ends disastrously for the latter. Through the gender-shifting and demonic depiction of Matilda, Lewis makes his stance on female sexuality very evident, and the novel opposes female sexual transgression. It is implied that in order to assume roles of power – as Matilda does – women must corrupt their virtue, and such behavior of rejecting gender ideals is almost demonic and not conducive to anyone's long-term happiness . This view is reinforced by the portrayal of Beatrice – the Bleeding Nun – fostering associations between women who go against the status quo with sin and death. A prostitute during her lifetime, Beatrice "abandoned herself freely to the impulse of her passions, and seized the first opportunity to procure their gratification" (The Monk, page 180), thus becoming a blatant rebel to the dominant prescriptions of a docile and virtuous female behavior. Unlike the guilty Ambrosio, she reveled in her transgression and, although forced into the alliance by her parents, “professed herself an atheist” (The Monk, page 180) and “took advantage of every opportunity to mock her monastic vows and made a fool of himself.” the most sacred ceremonies of religion” (The Monk, page 180). His breaking of his vows of chastity and plotting murders in order to pursue his sexual desires is analogous to Ambrosio's doing the same to Antonia, and his atheism reinforces the dissociation of religious faith from sexual liberation - a common element in stories of many of them. the characters of the novel. Beatrice, ultimately murdered by her lover, is condemned to haunt the Earth as a Bleeding Nun, and her fate illustrates the eternal suffering that female transgression entails. In the 18th century, women were. 2016.