The Monk Essay - To What End

To What End
In the novel The Monk, author Matthew Lewis weaves a classic gothic tale of good and evil. All the characters involved in this twisted story are faced with various ordeals of temptation and heroism, of which they either succeed or fail miserably. One character in particular is dealt the heaviest of the tests of temptation. At the beginning, Ambrosio, abbot at the monastery of the Capuchins, is introduced as a holy man, respected by all and believed to be a saint. All the people of Madrid flock to his parish every Thursday to hear him speak the gospel and give his soulful sermons. Many followers go so far as to call him “The Man of Holiness”(19). Ambroiso’s actions, up until the beginning of the tale, all support these beliefs; however, what is actually happening inside the abbots mind is something darker and much more unstable. Ambroiso “falls from grace” extremely easily as his faith and will power are tested by none other than the Devil himself. Thi...