William Beckford

The History of Caliph Vathek By William Beckford

Il romanzo orientaleggiante Vathek (titolo originale Vathek, o in alcuni testi Vathek, an arabian tale) rese il suo autore, il viaggiatore e scrittore inglese William Beckford, molto pi famoso dei suoi libri di viaggio. Beckford compose Vathek in francese nel 1785, di getto, in tre soli giorni e due notti e lo pubblic in inglese a Losanna nel 1787.

Full text. An enthralling work of Gothic fiction, modelled on the Arabian Nights. William Beckford's Vathekis a story with elaborate imagery, sardonic humour and an unforgettable gallery of grotesques - which describes a journey to the halls of Eblis, or Hell, in the pursuit of knowledge.

The novel chronicles the fall from power of the Caliph Vathek (a fictionalized version of the historical Al-Wathiq), who renounces Islam and engages with his mother, Carathis, in a series of licentious and deplorable activities designed to gain him supernatural powers. At the end of the novel, instead of attaining these powers, Vathek descends into a hell ruled by the demon Eblis where he is doomed to wander endlessly and speechlessly.

Fonthill Abbey, which had been destroyed by fire, and re-built during the life-time of the elder Beckford, was on account of its bad site demolished, and again re-built under the superintendence of our author himself, assisted by James Wyatt, Esq., the architect, with a magnificence that excited the greatest attention and wonder at the time. The total outlay of building Fonthill, including furniture, articles of virtu, etc., must have been enormous, not much within the million, as estimated by the "Times." A writer in the "Athen um" mentions 400,000 as the sum. Beckford informed Mr. Cyrus Redding, that the exact cost of building Fonthill was 273,000. The distinguishing architectural peculiarity of Fonthill Abbey, was a lofty tower, 280 feet in height.

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"Vathek" is a Gothic novel written by William Beckford. "Vathek" capitalized on the eighteenth century obsession with all things Oriental. William Beckford was also influenced by similar works from the French writer Voltaire. His originality lay in combining the popular Oriental elements with the Gothic stylings. Long out of print in this edition, the classic "Vathek" is here reprinted with the magnificent Mahlon Blaine illustrations.

'Woe to the rash mortal who seeks to know that of which he should remain ignorant; and to undertake that which surpasseth his power!' The Caliph Vathek is dissolute and debauched, and hungry for knowledge. When the mysterious Giaour offers him boundless treasure and unrivalled power he is willing to sacrifice his god, the lives of innocent children, and his own soul to satisfy his obsession. Vathek's extraordinary journey to the subterranean palace of Eblis, and the terrifying fate that there awaits him, is a captivating tale of magic and oriental fantasy, sudden violence and corrupted love, whose mix of moral fable, grotesque comedy, and evocative beauty defies classification. Originally written by Beckford in French at the age of only 21, its dreamlike qualities have influenced writers from Byron to H. P. Lovecraft. This new edition reprints Beckford's authorized English text of 1816 with its elaborate and entertaining notes. In his new introduction Thomas Keymer examines the novel's relations to a range of literary genres and cultural contexts. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.