The Monastery by Sir Walter Scott

                                            


The Monastery by Walter Scott was first published in 1820 by Archibald Constable & Co, Edinburgh.

The story is something of a whimsical one, with Scott showing a wry sense of humour. The tale begins shortly after the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547, with the victorious English then invading parts of southern Scotland and ransacking the monasteries. The monastery in the novel is the fictional one of St Mary's, based on Melrose Abbey. The hero, Halbert Glendinning, is still a young lad, whose father had been killed in the battle, but he shows his mettle by standing up to an English knight. The story moves on to the years after the peace of 1550. The monks have returned to their monastery and continue life as before, however those in favour of the Reformation are gaining ground. The humour is added with the arrival of Sir Percie Shafton, a Catholic, who is seeking refuge in Scotland after a failed attempt to overthrow Protestantism in England. He is placed with the Glendinning family in Glendearg. Halbert, now eighteen, takes a dislike to the foppish knight, who speaks in euphuisms, a style of conversation popular in the English court at the time that used similes, alliteration and references to mythological tales. Halbert insults Sir Percie, who responds by challenging Halbert to a duel. Halbert chooses a spot known to be frequented by the White Lay, a Spirit he has previously been in communication with. Despite Sir Percie being the better swordsman, Halbert is victorious, but fearing he has killed Sir Percie, who was under the protection of the monastery, he flees, hoping to save his family from the Abbot's wrath. 
The White Lady, however, heals Sir Percie's wound. When he returns to Glendearg Sir Percie is accused of killing Halbert, who has disappeared.
While Father Eustace, the sub-prior, is trying to sort matters out, he is presented with a prisoner, a Protestant preacher, Henry Warden (who is akin to John Knox). The church requires the heretic to be burned, but it turns out he was a friend of Brother Eustace when they were both students and the sub-prior's loyalties are tested.
Scott gently mocks the failings of the church at the time. The Abbot likes his creature comforts. When visiting Glendearg, Halbert shoots a deer and the Abbot is looking forward to tasty venison until the sub-prior reminds him it is a Friday, therefore they should abstain from meat. The Abbot grants a dispensation as they are travellers. 
The author uses the isolation of the glen, the fact that it remains Catholic while many of the Lowland lords had become Protestant and the supernatural beings haunting the glen to set the tale apart. He is, in a way, sympathetic to both sides of the religious divide, but is keen that Scottish 'manliness' should conquer over the contemptuous English guest.
In addition, no Gothic tale would be complete without a doomed love story. In this case both brothers, Halbert and Edward Glendinning, are in love with the same girl, Mary Avenel.


Gothic Rating:

isolated setting:                                     🕱

brooding atmosphere:                           🕱

mental illness:

religious reference:                                🕱

supernatural elements:                           🕱

murder:                                                  🕱

family secret:                                          🕱

genius/madness:

doomed love:                                          🕱


The Monastery has a Gothic rating of:    🕱🕱🕱🕱🕱🕱🕱




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