Lewis's The Monk, Sexuality, and Desire

Whether this was Lewis's intention or not, The Monk can be read as a damning indictment of the "unnatural" practices of the Catholic Church. Lewis displays a remarkable amount of sympathy for those guilty of sexual transgressions,
as long as those transgressions are in a form that he considers acceptable. For example, Agnes' and Raymon's relationship, although she has taken the vows and they are not married, are viewed with sympathy by characters in the novel, except for Ambrosio, whom we know is guilty of the worst transgressions himself. Repeated mention is made that the convent doesn't suit Agnes' character, and that to shut herself away and not have the chance to have a husband and children is an unnatural choice. Yet Ambrosio also experiences sexual desire, but his desires manifest themselves in a twisted way. He uses withcraft and subterfuge to achieve his evil aims, and the consummation of his desire for Antonia leads to her destruction. On page 297, Lorenzo's thinks, as he watches a religious procession, "He had long observed with disapprobation and contempt the superstition which governed Madrid's inhabitants. His good sense had pointed out to him the artifices of the monks, and the gross absurdity of their miracles, wonders, and suppositious reliques. He blushed to see is countrymen the dupes of deceptions so ridiculous..." (Lewis 230). The nuns of St. Clare are described in equally unflattering terms, with mention made of the intrigues and petty jealousies that flourish inside the claustrophobic confines of the convent. Far from expressing admiration for those who choose a religious vocation, Lewis seems to be telling the reader that ardent Catholicism causes more harm than good.
There is also an interesting inversion of sexuality of the characters in Lewis's work, particularly Ambrosio and Matilda, which I will be talking about further in my presentation tonight, but consider the language that is used to describe Ambrosio at the outset of the novel. He has never left the cloister walls, he's virtuous and a a virgin, and is protected in the abbey much as a young woman would be. His reaction to Matilda's sexual advances and their eventual liasion is also described in very gendered terms, as Matilda takes the lead in their sexual relationship, leaving Ambriosio "trembling and weak." After Matilda has him under her control. she drops all pretenses to gentleness and timidity and begins displaying a masculinity that Ambrosio finds very distasteful. Of course, since we learn that Matilda is no woman and not human at all, we see how Ambrosio has adopted the traditional "feminine" role in their relationship, while Matilda has played the role of despoiler.