Synopsis of The Monk

Here's a detailed synopsis of the novel.

Here's the much more basic outline I'm working with (spoiler alert if you're ever going to read it yourself).

Characters:

• Ambrosio is an important monk/priest.
• Matilda is another monk who disguised herself as a man to get close to Ambrosio.
• Agnes is a nun.
• Lorenzo, Raymond, and Antonia are your basic novel protagonists from this time -- you know, hot rich people (srsly!).

Other important info:

• Agnes and Raymond were lovers before Agnes became a nun (misunderstanding, she thought he was dead, or something).
• Lorenzo and Agnes are siblings.
• Lorenzo is in love with Antonia.

Very basic synopsis:

1. Rosario reveals to Ambrosio that he is really a woman named Matilda, and that "he" is in love with Ambrosio. They sleep together.

2. Ambrosio discovers Agnes communicating with her lover. He tattles on Agnes, and she is locked away in a dungeon.

3. While visiting a sick old woman, Ambrosio falls in love with her niece, Antonia.

4. With help from Matilda and Satan, Ambrosio kills Antonia’s aunt and abducts Antonia to rape and murder her.

5. Lorenzo and a mob rescue Agnes (and her dead baby -- horrible) and find Antonia’s dead, ravished body.

6. Lorenzo reveals what Ambrosio has done.

7. Ambrosio is sentenced to death but is saved by Satan. It turns out that Matilda was actually the the devil in disguise, and Antonia was actually Ambrosio's sister, yuck. Then Satan casts Ambrosio's soul into Hell.