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Portrayal of Gothic Femininities in "The Monk"
Written by Matthew Gregory Lewis in 1796, "The Monk" is a classic novel that is from Gothic literature. Female figures are used as symbols in many parts of the story, and the idea "gothic femininity" can be seen several times throughout the story. The setting fits with the Gothic theme as the story's beginning takes place in a mysterious church in Madrid, and the two main characters are both women. Leonella and her niece Antonia have come to the church to hear a great priest named Ambrosio speak, and what follows becomes both a romance and a tragedy. While waiting for Ambrosio to speak the two women tell their stories to a pair of men, Don Lorenzo and Don Christoval, and this conversation starts a chain of reactions that changes many lives. Lorenzo falls in love with Antonia, but she desires the priest Ambrosia, and this conflict...
With several interesting women characters representing things like spirituality and death, the "gothic femininity" is one of the main themes of "The Monk."
An example of "gothic femininity" is found in chapter 1 of "The Monk," when Don Lorenzo tries to convince Leonella to let him lift the veil covering her niece's face. Lewis writes that "her niece was silent, but made no further opposition to Don Lorenzo's efforts, who, armed with the Aunt's sanction hastened to remove the Gauze. What a Seraph's head presented itself to his admiration! Yet it was rather bewitching than beautiful." A seraph is similar to an angel as a supernatural being with six wings, so this is symbolism to represent Antonia as…
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