‘The Monk: A Romance’ is a Gothic novel written by the English novelist and dramatist Matthew Gregory Lewis, (9 July 1775 – 16 May 1818). Known as M.G. Lewis, and often referred to as "Monk" Lewis, due to the success of this novel. The scandal and controversy of the novels themes of perceived blasphemy, violence, immorality and supernaturalism; resulted in harsh critiques of Lewis being a ‘reckless defiler of the public mind’, and devoting the ‘fruits of his mind to the propagation of evil’. Despite these criticisms the novel was very highly successful, absorbed by a 18th century reading public eager to be terrified and scandalized by the new gothic fictional form.