What Does 'Forgive My Unholy Desire, Father' Mean?

Question

Saw this phrase in a dark romance or fanfic scene with a priest character, and now I’m obsessed with the tension. What’s the deeper confession vibe about?

Sebrina White · Answer

A common line found in a confessional scene in a romance or dark fantasy novel. Such a scene typically involves a religious character confessing forbidden feelings for someone else, typically of superior status, often in a position of authority over said feeling character. This contrast between a character’s sacred duties and their profane desires is a wonderful dynamic to read. This line is specifically from ‘Unholy Cravings-a Sinful Obsession’ by Jeanne Barr, a short priest obsessed story in which the Priest, after losing his faith, becomes dangerously obsessed with saving a woman and in doing so must grapple with a host of powerful and obsessive feelings towards her as well as the corrupting power of said desires.

Gavin · Answer

The line "forgive my unholy desire, father" sounds extremely unique. However, it sounds very familiar to something that would be written in a gothic novel or a dark fantasy anime. It would be something that the protagonist admits to having a strong inner conflict to. The line sounds very heavy and theatrical. I've seen similar lines in Castlevania or The Shadow of the Wind, both a novel and an anime, where the characters admit to forbidden love or to giving in to supernatural temptation. "Father" could refer to a priest in a confessional, but it could also refer to a father figure, an authority figure, or even a symbol of tradition.

It tells a whole story behind that line and you can kind of imagine a fanfiction going on for weeks based on it. This line must be from a dramatic scene where the protagonist is kneeling on the ground and there’s raining down. It’s all cinematic and dramatic and it makes me want to see this scene come to life with the character on their knees, fists clenched, in the rain.

Isaac · Answer

For another example of this, consider the lyrics “Unholy desire confessed to Father” which could be taken in a very literal sense. There are also many cases where children repudiate their true fathers in favor of a more paternal figure and in this sense the word “father” could be taken metaphorically. The word “unholy” in this sense reminds me of many stories where a main character must battle against his true nature, in a similar sense to Tokyo Ghoul or The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The song ‘Take Me to Church’ by Hozier carries a similar variation of this theme in which desire battles with divinity. The singer sings ‘unholy desires’ to his ‘father’, and confesses in raw vulnerability his “sins” to be granted forgiveness for them. There’s a huge sense of tension in this song, and it is another beautiful example of this theme. Chef’s kiss.

Daniel · Answer

This line is clearly part of some villain’s arc. It reads like a tragic antihero in a JRPG confessing to their mentor before they betray them. The ‘father’ could refer to a physical, religious or familial one, or perhaps a societal concept. Naming the object of this character’s desire as ‘unholy’ is a powerful move in and of itself. It brands them a sinner before they’ve even acted, and speaks to the whole ‘forbidden love’ or ‘wrong’ desire that characters in works like ‘Berserk’ and ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ agonize over. It’s a short but packed line that would read amazingly as a dramatic monologue or song lyric. In fact, I’m itching to write a whole story around this.

Lim · Answer

This line of the song forms the core of understanding Frollo’s spiritual/moral makeup. From a writing standpoint, this line reveals a complete character sketch to the audience: He believes in sin (unholy); He believes in a higher power (father); Currently, he’s committing a sin in his heart (desire); He has a conscience enough to admit he’s done wrong and is seeking forgiveness; And he’s so arrogant that he expects forgiveness when he’s asked for it. The rest of the song and movie fills out the details of this complex character, but this one line means everything to understanding the twisted spiritual psychology of Claude Frollo.

Alice Wallang · Answer

This simple line suggests that a man of God is struggling with an unnatural attraction to a woman that he should not be wanting. This line stands alone from the rest of the song in that it is a simple plea for forgiveness from the father (God) for the character’s transgression. But that simple line gets convoluted with the rest of the song’s arguments of blame, rage, and threat. That simple line of supplication to the Father is twisted into a warped manifesto of murder; the man’s struggle with the forbidden is to be used as an excuse for his heinous crime.

Patty Ryan · Answer

From a songwriter’s perspective, the line is a masterful work of lyrics. Simple in structure but full of alliteration and assonance (‘forgive’ and ‘father’; ‘unholy’ and ‘desire’), it has a strong singularity. When heard out of context, it conveys a strong impression of a religious man confessing an enormous sin. Within the story of the song, that line conveys the whole character of Frollo. It is his thesis statement. His subsequent actions and feelings of cruelty and hypocrisy and obsession and even fear are all contained in this one request. He is asking to be forgiven for something that he has no intention of giving up. Therefore he is a tragic villain in the classical sense: a man who has a fatal flaw that he acknowledges but is unable to change.

Cristina Ridzna SK · Answer

Also, it recognizes the burden of leadership. He’s not just any believer. He’s an archdeacon. The line ‘unholy desire’ recognizes the betrayal of his followers that this ‘unholy desire’ represents. The address to ‘father’ acknowledges his position in the hierarchy. As a spiritual father to many, he is now appealing to his own Father. This recognition of position adds immense weight to the words. It recognizes that his sin has public ramifications. It has the potential to cause great scandal in the Church. This adds to his panic. He’s not just worried for his soul. He’s also worried for his reputation, for his position of authority, for his legacy. It might explain his extreme reaction to his ‘unholy desire’. He has so much more to lose than just his peace of mind.

HeyMikki Makeover · Answer

I must have missed this part from the Disney movie. This song looks somewhat scary and has a scene with fire in it. Perhaps I should watch this again someday.

Staice Forbes · Answer

Unholy = against his purpose as a priest. Frollo asks for forgiveness for the one sin that would undermine his identity as a priest more than anything else. And he asks for forgiveness from the father of his order (his boss, also his spiritual parent). The line is very dramatic and actually makes Frollo more of a tragic villain than your typical bad guy. Frollo is not evil for no reason. He is a man torn by the one sin he cannot bring under his control. His plea for forgiveness is a testament to the awareness of his evil that makes him even more feared.

What Does 'Forgive My Unholy Desire, Father' Mean?

10 Answers

Related Books

Forgive Me: Marked By The Priest

PLEASE DADDY: A Sinner's Diary

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My Forbidden Sin

Forgive Me Father

FORBIDDEN DESIRES

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