Who Ambrosio is
Ambrosio is thirty years old when crowds gather in a Madrid church to hear him preach. Left at the abbey as a baby, he grows up among monks and knows no life outside its walls. His learning and passionate sermons move his listeners, who regard him as a man without fault.
What Ambrosio wants
Ambrosio takes pride in his purity and welcomes the praise that has surrounded him since childhood. He cannot imagine himself doing wrong, so he treats those who confess their sins with stern contempt. His confidence rests on virtue that has never yet had to withstand temptation.
Ambrosio and the others in the story
Ambrosio becomes fond of Rosario, a gentle novice whose company seems to awaken fatherly affection. Rosario reveals herself as Matilda, a woman who enters the monastery in disguise because she loves him. Ambrosio orders her to leave, but her appeals to his pity and pride make him hesitate.
Questions
Who is Ambrosio in The Monk?
Ambrosio is a Capuchin abbot whose celebrated holiness conceals pride and untested convictions.
Is Ambrosio really a saint?
Madrid treats him as a saint, but the story reveals his contempt for others and blindness to his own weaknesses.
How does Matilda influence Ambrosio?
Matilda challenges his strict rules by persuading him to let her remain in the monastery. His willingness to make an exception begins to expose the fragility of his self-confidence.