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The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis6/12/2023 ![]() ![]() In spite of the mountains of criticism against the book, it remained a best seller well into the 19th century. The sexual tension between Ambrosio and this character-along with the eventual revelation of true identity-are an exposé on the topic of same-sex love and makes this work an early contribution to LGBT literature. Lewis also chose to blend the roles of gender in this work-particularly in the character of Rosario/Matilda. The Monk finds itself straddling the genres of Gothicism and Decadence, and includes elements of Romanticism. In fact, the book caused such a scandal that Lewis published another version complete with redactions and entire rewrites so as to remove the shame it had brought upon his family and the political institution of which he was a part. But by the third year, there began a growing criticism of the book and of Lewis mostly on the basis of immorality. When The Monk was first published in 1795, it was received well by readers and reviewers causing a second edition to be printed the following year. It is the old story of the forces of good versus the forces of evil, except that in this one evil comes out ahead. It includes several subplots: rape, torture and incest. Matthew Gregory Lewis's The Monk: A Romance is a story of frustrated and unrequited desire between mentor and pupil mixed with elements of the supernatural. LibriVox recording of The Monk: A Romance. ![]()
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