The Monk: A Romance tells of the spectacular downfall of a Spanish monk. Ambroio lusts for the woman Matilda, who is disguised as a monk, but once he has had her he becomes infatuated with the innocent Antonia. This novel was the first to villainize a priest, and has all the trappings of the Gothic novel, including ruined castles, rape, incest, demonic contracts and the Spanish Inquisition. Lewis ...