Cover of The Monk

The Monk

by Matthew Gregory Lewis

First published
1796
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"The Monk: A Romance" by M. G. Lewis is a Gothic novel published in 1796. It follows Ambrosio, a virtuous monk who succumbs to forbidden desires when a mysterious figure infiltrates his monastery. His fall from grace spirals into a dark tale of lust, murder, and demonic pacts. Scandalous for its sexually explicit content and themes of rape and incest, it became the most controversial Gothic novel of the 18th century, shocking readers while achieving immense popularity and influencing the horror genre.

  • Horror tales
  • Gothic fiction
  • Monks
  • Madrid (Spain)

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #601. The Monk on Wikipedia.

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