# Chapter IX explained — The Monk

> Chapter companion for The Monk by M. G. Lewis.

## What happens

Ambrosio, driven by lust for Antonia, agrees to exorcise the ghost in Jacintha's house to gain access to her. He administers a soporific potion given by Matilda, which will make Antonia appear dead, so he can later retrieve her from the convent vaults and possess her.

## Themes in this chapter

### Lust and Seduction

Ambrosio's desire for Antonia drives him to abandon his monastic vows and conspire to drug and abduct her.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

The potion creates a false appearance of death; Ambrosio maintains a facade of piety while plotting Antonia's ruin.

### Superstition and the Supernatural

Jacintha's story of Elvira's ghost and Antonia's belief in the specter's prediction highlight the characters' superstitious fears.

## Character check-ins

### Ambrosio

The monk who, despite his reputation, violates his rule of not leaving the abbey to pursue Antonia. He administers the sleeping potion to Antonia.

### Antonia

The young woman whom Ambrosio desires. She is recovering from illness, is superstitious about her mother's ghost, and is given the soporific draught by Ambrosio.

### Matilda

Ambrosio's confidante and co-conspirator. She provides the soporific juice and devises the plan to fake Antonia's death.

### Dame Jacintha

The landlady who reports seeing Elvira's ghost and begs Ambrosio to exorcise it. She is grateful for his promise to spend the night in the haunted chamber.

### Madonna Flora

Antonia's vigilant attendant who distrusts Ambrosio and tries to protect her mistress from his advances.

### Elvira

The deceased mother of Antonia, whose ghost is reported by Jacintha to have appeared, predicting Antonia's death.

## Key lines

> There is a juice extracted from certain herbs, known but to few, which brings on the person who drinks it the exact image of death.

Matilda describes a rare herbal potion that induces a deathlike state.

_This sets up the plan to fake Antonia's death._

> Ambrosio seized the opportunity: he drew out the fatal phial, and let a few drops fall into the medicine.

Ambrosio secretly adds the soporific drops to Antonia's medicine.

_This is the critical moment of the plot's execution._

> She shall be yours, not for a single night, but forever.

Matilda promises Ambrosio that Antonia will be his permanently.

_Reveals Matilda's manipulative role and the scope of the scheme._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_monk_se/chapters/ix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_monk_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_monk_se/chapters