The Representation of Satan in Lewis' The Monk

"Fallen Angel" by Alexandre Cabanel

In M.G. Lewis' novel The Monk, there is a constant focus on morality and the deceptive appearances which evil can don.  In Catholic teaching, morality is a black and white issue.  A strict moral code exists which, if one undertakes to live by this code, is supposed to allow one to differentiate easily between what is good and what is evil.  However, as Lewis illustrates in his novel, drawing this distinction is not always so simple.  Lewis would argue that when it comes to morality, there are shades of gray.  Things can appear to be nonthreatening when in fact they are the most detrimental to one's moral character. By depicting the ever-changing appearance of Satan throughout the novel, Lewis illustrates this fact.

In Catholic tradition, Satan is oftentimes represented as a serpent (ie. Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden/The Fall of Man).  With this knowledge, it is not surprising that the first embodiment of Satan that we see in the novel is that of the Serpent.  This instance comes about when Ambrosio is in the garden with Matilda and she is pleading with him to allow her to stay and to love him.  At first, Ambrosio comes to the conclusion that she must leave at once, however, the more Matilda implores, the more his rationalization causes him to believe that allowing her to remain is harmless.  As soon as he comes to this decision, he goes to pick a rose from the garden.  The rose represents everything virtuous: purity, piety, beauty and goodness.  Behind the appearance of this beauty, Ambrosio does not see the danger lurking.  As soon as he goes to pick it, he gets bitten by the Serpent, which is illustrated as he states, "I have received my death...Concealed among the Roses…A Serpent…” (location 863).  This moment marks the Fall of Ambrosio and his descent into Satan's power.  Much like the rose, Matilda is outwardly beautiful and appears to be nothing but goodness.  However, as we learn, Matilda is a "subordinate but crafty spirit" who assumed human form, in the likeness of his Madonna, in order to seduce Ambrosio (location 5560).  She is Satan's instrument and works much like the Serpent in the roses to "bite" Ambrosio, putting him under the sway of Satan's power.

Image from nephilim.vip-blog.com

The next time that we encounter Satan within the novel is when Matilda summons him in the basement of the Abbey.  This time, Satan "borrowed the Seraph's form to deceive Ambrosio" (location 5470).  At this point in time, Ambrosio has not yet fully descended into Satan's power.  He still needs to be persuaded into taking the next step in his Fall and raping Antonia.  Because Satan needs to sway Ambrosio into enacting this sin, he takes a form that is breathtaking and inspires awe instead of one that is terrible in its repugnance.  Lewis depicts Satan as, "a figure more beautiful than Fancy’s pencil ever drew.  It was a youth seemingly scarce eighteen, the perfection of whose form and face was unrivaled.  He was perfectly naked: A bright star sparkled upon his forehead; two crimson wings extended themselves from his shoulders; and his silken locks were confined by a band of many-coloured fires, which played round his head, formed themselves into a variety of figures, and shone with a brilliance far surpassing that of precious stones” (location 3474-3477).  By taking the form of an angelic creature, rather than the terrifying demon that he truly is, he makes Ambrosio more comfortable with his decision to enlist his aid.  After all, how could a creature so beautiful be truly evil?  With the vision of this awesome being, Ambrosio is once again deceived into misrepresenting the evil that can lie in beauty.

Finally, when Ambrosio calls upon Satan to help him escape imprisonment, we see Satan in his true form.  Instead of the beautiful youth who appeared to Ambrosio before, Satan "appeared in all that ugliness which since his fall from heaven had been his portion: His blasted limbs still bore marks of the Almighty’s thunder: a swarthy darkness spread itself over his gigantic form: his hands and feet were armed with long Talons: fury glared in his eyes, which might have struck the bravest heart with terror: over his huge shoulders waved two enormous sable wings; and his hair was supplied by living snakes, which twined themselves round his brows with frightful hissings” (location 5470-5474).  Ambrosio, who is caught off guard by this visage, is repelled by the creature which he calls to his aid.  No longer is evil disguised by beauty and the appearance of goodness.  With this new appearance to evil, Ambrosio is less inclined to give in to the temptation of Satan's aid.  He rebuffs Satan's offer and sends him away.  However, as Satan knows in his coming to Ambrosio in his true form, Ambrosio has already fallen too far into his sinful ways and is fully under Satan's power.  Thus, when the time comes for Ambrosio to be led away, he gives in and summons Satan to him again, signing away his soul in order to gain freedom.  Once he has been delivered from his captors, he learns the truth of his situation.  Freedom can only come through God and His mercy.  If Ambrosio had sent Satan away instead of signing away his soul, he would have been pardoned and free to spend his life in repentance.  Instead, he gave into evil, even when it had no disguise, and suffered his death because of it. 

 

Satan's appearance changes throughout the novel, but his evil designs remain the same.  Evil is still evil, even when it is rendered ambiguous by the appearance of goodness.  Ambrosio learned this lesson from Satan himself.  Lewis, by portraying his downfall, instructs his readers not to fall into the same fate.  

Note: I read The Monk on my Kindle so instead of "page" numbers, citations are listed in "location" numbers.