The Monk

by

Matthew Lewis

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Mother St. Ursula Character Analysis

Mother St. Ursula is an elderly nun at St. Clare who helps Lorenzo learn the truth about what happened to Agnes. She exposes the prioress’s murderous schemes to the public on the night of the procession for St. Clare. In reaction to Mother St. Ursula’s accusations, an angry mob unleashes its fury on the prioress and then burns the convent to the ground.

Mother St. Ursula Quotes in The Monk

The The Monk quotes below are all either spoken by Mother St. Ursula or refer to Mother St. Ursula. 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:
Catholicism and Hypocrisy  Theme Icon
).
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.

Related Characters: Ambrosio, Agnes, Lorenzo, The Prioress, Theodore, Mother St. Ursula
Page Number: 297-298
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mother St. Ursula Quotes in The Monk

The The Monk quotes below are all either spoken by Mother St. Ursula or refer to Mother St. Ursula. 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:
Catholicism and Hypocrisy  Theme Icon
).
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.

Related Characters: Ambrosio, Agnes, Lorenzo, The Prioress, Theodore, Mother St. Ursula
Page Number: 297-298
Explanation and Analysis: