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Raymond
Agnes is a young nun at the convent of St. Clare. She is the sister of Lorenzo. Agnes was sent to St. Clare by her jealous aunt, the baroness, who sought to thwart Agnes’s plans to elope with her beloved, Raymond. The baroness also lied about Raymond’s intentions for Agnes, claiming that Raymond had never loved her and only wanted to marry her for her wealth. The couple reconciles after Raymond tracks down Agnes at the convent and explains his side of the story. They makes new plans to elope, but after the convent’s prioress learns of Agnes’s affair—and the pregnancy that resulted from it—she takes Agnes prisoner in the convent’s crypt, leaving her to live out the rest of her days surrounded by the decaying corpses of the convent’s departed nuns and subsisting on a meager diet of water and bread. Meanwhile, the prioress convinces the public that Agnes has died. A malnourished and traumatized Agnes is eventually discovered in the crypt after an elderly nun, Mother St. Ursula, alerts the public to the prioress’s murderous schemes. Agnes gradually recovers, and she and Raymond eventually marry, living out the rest of their days in happiness.
Agnes Quotes in The Monk
The The Monk quotes below are all either spoken by Agnes or refer to Agnes. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
You cannot but be aware, that your parents were unfortunate slaves to the grossest superstition: when this foible was called into play, their every other sentiment, their every other passion, yielded to its irresistible strength.
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Explanation and Analysis:
‘Take care of yourself,’ she continued; ‘my love is become hatred, and my wounded pride shall not be unatoned. Go where you will, my vengeance shall follow you!’
Chapter 5
Quotes
‘I tremble for your sister,’ said she; ‘I have heard many traits of the domina of St Clare’s character from a friend who was educated in the same convent with her: she reported her to be haughty, inflexible, superstitious, and revengeful. […] Though naturally violent and severe, when her interests require it, she well knows how to assume an appearance of benignity. […]’
Chapter 10
Quotes
His good sense had pointed out to him the artifices of the monks, the gross absurdity of their miracles, wonders, and suppositious reliques. He blushed to see his countrymen the dupes of deceptions so ridiculous, and only wished for an opportunity to free them from their monkish fetters. That opportunity, so long desired in vain, was at length presented to him. He resolved not to let it slip, but to set before the people, in glaring colours, how enormous were the abuses but too frequently practiced in monasteries, and how unjustly public esteem was bestowed indiscriminately upon all who wore a religious habit. He longed for the moment destined to unmask the hypocrites, and convince his countrymen, that a sanctified exterior does not always hide a virtuous heart.
Virginia requested that the unknown might be given to her in charge, and promised to let Lorenzo know, whenever she was sufficiently recovered to accept his visits. In truth, she made this promise more from consideration for herself, than for either Lorenzo or the captive. She had witnessed his politeness, gentleness, and intrepidity with sensible emotion. She wished earnestly to preserve his acquaintance; and in addition to the sentiments of pity which the prisoner excited, she hoped that her attention to this unfortunate would raise her a degree in the esteem of Lorenzo.
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Agnes Quotes in The Monk
The The Monk quotes below are all either spoken by Agnes or refer to Agnes. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
You cannot but be aware, that your parents were unfortunate slaves to the grossest superstition: when this foible was called into play, their every other sentiment, their every other passion, yielded to its irresistible strength.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
‘Take care of yourself,’ she continued; ‘my love is become hatred, and my wounded pride shall not be unatoned. Go where you will, my vengeance shall follow you!’
Chapter 5
Quotes
‘I tremble for your sister,’ said she; ‘I have heard many traits of the domina of St Clare’s character from a friend who was educated in the same convent with her: she reported her to be haughty, inflexible, superstitious, and revengeful. […] Though naturally violent and severe, when her interests require it, she well knows how to assume an appearance of benignity. […]’
Chapter 10
Quotes
His good sense had pointed out to him the artifices of the monks, the gross absurdity of their miracles, wonders, and suppositious reliques. He blushed to see his countrymen the dupes of deceptions so ridiculous, and only wished for an opportunity to free them from their monkish fetters. That opportunity, so long desired in vain, was at length presented to him. He resolved not to let it slip, but to set before the people, in glaring colours, how enormous were the abuses but too frequently practiced in monasteries, and how unjustly public esteem was bestowed indiscriminately upon all who wore a religious habit. He longed for the moment destined to unmask the hypocrites, and convince his countrymen, that a sanctified exterior does not always hide a virtuous heart.
Virginia requested that the unknown might be given to her in charge, and promised to let Lorenzo know, whenever she was sufficiently recovered to accept his visits. In truth, she made this promise more from consideration for herself, than for either Lorenzo or the captive. She had witnessed his politeness, gentleness, and intrepidity with sensible emotion. She wished earnestly to preserve his acquaintance; and in addition to the sentiments of pity which the prisoner excited, she hoped that her attention to this unfortunate would raise her a degree in the esteem of Lorenzo.
