The Monk: A Romance

Content Warning: This section references rape and incest.

The Monk insists that every person is vulnerable to temptation, and it strongly condemns those who fail to make allowances for human frailty in their judgments of others. Ambrosio breaks his vows of chastity in his sexual relationship with Matilda; however, the narrative suggests that sexual transgressions (though sinful) matter little in comparison to the sins of pride and hypocrisy—essentially, the sins of believing oneself to be (or portraying oneself as) above temptation.

When the narrative first reveals Ambrosio’s real and flawed character (in contrast to his public performance of saintliness), the author does not emphasize his lustfulness but instead depicts his prideful and confident belief in his unique ability to withstand temptation: “Have I not freed myself from the frailty of Mankind? Fear not, Ambrosio! Take confidence in the strength of your virtue, to whose failings you are superior; Reflect that you are exempted from Humanity’s defects” (33). Ambrosio’s confidence in his own virtue leads him to treat Agnes—who has sinned through her sexual relationship with Don Raymond—mercilessly, cruelly turning her over to the vicious prioress. Agnes responds by predicting that Ambrosio’s confidence in his own lack of “frailty” will lead to his downfall: “Insolent in your yet-unshaken virtue, you disdain the prayers of a Penitent […] Oh! then when you yield to impetuous passions […] Think upon your Cruelty! Think upon Agnes, and despair of pardon!” (39).