Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares vatheks irreverent and decadent style, and an edition that unites the two has long been overdue. Buy a cheap copy of vathek book by william beckford. Vathek is a gothic novel written by william beckford. It is the story of caliph vathek, whose eye can kill at a. Considered a masterpiece of bizarre invention and sustained fantasy, vathek was written in french. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. But this never happened for a number of reasons and while scholars knew these episodes were. William beckfords vathek is a touchstone of eighteenthcentury orientalism and of the gothic novel. William beckfords vathek, an arabian tale 1786 is perhaps the most bizarre response to europes love affair with all things oriental in the eighteenthcentury. Vathek, 3rd edition, annotated, 1816 transcription project vathek, with introduction, 1887 external scan retrieved from. It explores vatheks different identities religious, artistic, and colonial and proves the presence of the.
However, there are a great many supernatural elements taken from arab mythology, at least as. William beckford, the author of the following celebrated eastern tale, was born in 1760, and died in the spring of 1844, at the advanced age of eightyfour years. Vathek article about vathek by the free dictionary. Vathek combines exotic descriptions of the orient with passages of grotesque comedy and a dollop of supernatu william beckford wrote the history of caliph vathek in french in 1784, but it was first published in an english translation by samuel henley in 1786.
One of the strangest and most unforgettable eighteenthcentury novels, vathek s tale of the caliphs obsessive quest for knowledge, and his eternal damnation, is a wild gothic fantasy whose sensuous imagination and grotesque comedy have inspired writers from byron to lovecraft. Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares vatheks. The broadview edition includes a newly discovered early version of the first episode, never before in print, that centres. Vathek is the 9th caliph of abassides and is addicted to the pursuit of pleasures for all his senses. Vathek by william beckford william thomas beckford was born in 1760. Although william beckford was english, vathek was originally written in french and translated into english by reverend samuel henley in 1786. The history of the caliph vathek by william beckford audiobook. See all books authored by william beckford, including vathek, and three gothic novels. An arabian tale by william beckford, written when he was just 21 in 1782. The novel chronicles the fall from power of the caliph vathek a fictionalized version of the historical alwathiq, who renounces islam and engages with his mother, carathis, in a series of licentious and deplorable activities designed to gain him supernatural powers.
Beckfords gothic novel, vathek, an arabian tale, was originally written in french when the author was 21. Samuel henley, who published it anonymously, claiming in the preface. Perverse and grotesque comedy alternates with scenes of oriental magnificence and evocative beauty in the story of the ruthless caliph vatheks journey to superb damnation among the subterranean treasures of eblis. He excelled in painting, composing music, languages, and writing. It is to be regretted, that a man of so remarkable a character, did not leave the world some record of a life offering points of interest different from that of any of his contemporaries, from. Global grey free pdf, epub, kindle ebook pages pdf. Beckfords genius was in marrying orientalism with the gothic, both sources of fascination and delight to reading audiences of the time. William beckford books list of books by author william. Product title the history of the caliph vathek by william beckfo. The castle of otranto, vathek, the vampyre, and a fragment of a novel you can even tell at which point, late in the novel, it would have been inserted. William thomas beckford 17601844 was a novelist, an art collector, a critic, a composer, a travel writer, and a politician. William thomas beckford 1 october 1760 2 may 1844 was an english novelist, a profligate and consummately knowledgeable art collector and patron of works of decorative art, a critic, travel writer and sometime politician, reputed at one stage in his life to be the richest commoner in england.
Vathek alternatively titled vathek, an arabian tale or the history of the caliph vathek is a gothic horror novel written by william beckford. Author of vathek, dreams, waking thoughts, and incidents, life at fonthill, 18071822, the traveldiaries of william beckford of fonthill, biographical memoirs of extraordinary painters, the history of caliph vathek, the episodes of vathek, italy. Vathek alternatively titled vathek, an arabian tale or the history of the caliph vathek is a gothic novel written by william beckford. It is a combination of a gothic novel and orientalism. William beckford edited by thomas keymer oxford worlds classics. Frankenstein by mary shelley,william beckford,horace walpole and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It is to be regretted, that a man of so remarkable a character, did not leave the world some record of a life offering points of interest different from that of any of his contemporaries, from the. Vathek is one of the earliest books in english originally written in french though which is commonly classified as a novel, and it is also usually termed a gothic. His parents were william beckford and maria hamilton, daughter of the hon.
William beckford was the richest man in england at the time, and built fonthill abbey, a huge gothic cathedrallike castle with the highest tower in england, which housed his huge collection of art and other esoteric treasures and included a retinue of lavishly attired foreign servants, including a dwarf who opened the door. Donate to support old library audiobooks comoldlibraryaudiobooksdonation. Vathek is an arabian caliph whose reign is marked by turbulence and unrest. Vathek by william beckford, 9780199576951, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares. Vathek ebook by william beckford 9781504010726 rakuten. William beckfords wealthy caliph vathek, to give one example, can kill those who anger him with a single glance, but he refrains mostly for fear of depopulating his dominions and making his palace desolate. Considered a masterpiece of bizarre invention and sustained fantasy, vathek was written in french in 1782 and was translated into english by the authors friend the rev. Beckford mixes eastern mythology and islamic culture with elements of the gothic. William beckford, eccentric english dilettante, author of the gothic novel vathek 1786. Vathek, by william beckford 17601844, is the type of story i find nearly irresistible.
I welcome questions, comments, or concerns about the material contained in this video. It was composed in french beginning in 1782, and then published in 1786 without beckfords name as an arabian tale, from an unpublished manuscript, claiming to be translated directly from arabic. The history of the caliph vathek william beckford format. William beckford 17601844, was an english novelist, a profligate and consummately knowledgeable art collector and patron of works of decorative art, a critic, travel writer and sometime politician, reputed at one stage in his life to be the richest commoner in england. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. William beckfords vathek is usually classified as a gothic novel, and it does indeed contain many of the same elements as the gothic novels more typically set in europe, including a defiant and. There are no churches or castles, and the maiden does not run from the caliph for long. He seeks also forbidden knowledge, and doesnt care who he has to hurt to get it. Vathek by william beckford, free pdf, ebook global grey. Vathek, ninth caliph 7a of the race of the abassides, was the son of motassem, and the grandson of haroun al raschid.
Born the son of a lord mayor of london, beckford was extremely wealthy from a young age, and was once the wealthiest commoner in england. These books can take me from 2 to 10 hours to create. Vathek, gothic novel by william beckford, published in 1786. Wikipedia article, commons category, wikidata item. Vathek 1786, originally written in french, remains one of the strangest eighteenthcentury novels and one of the most difficult to classify. Its hero is the caliph vathek who renounces islam in a hedonistic quest for supernatural powers, which leads to his downfall. His father was a member of parliament, a former lord mayor of london, and a very wealthy man. Such writers as george gordon, lord byron, and stephane mallarme acknowledged his genius. William was instructed by tutors at home, and was later a pupil of mozart.
Vathek, william beckford, edited with an introduction by roger lonsdale, london. He also is renowned for having built fonthill abbey, the most sensational building of the english gothic revival. William beckford s vathek is usually classified as a gothic novel, and it does indeed contain many of the same elements as the gothic novels more typically set in europe, including a defiant and. The castle of otranto, vathek, the vampyre, and a fragment of a novel, and more on. Vathek with the episodes of vathek broadview press.
The history of caliph vathek by william beckford free ebook. William beckford nabu press william beckford william beckford. The caliph vathek is one of the wealthiest and most powerful men who ever lived. Beckford wrote vathek, his most wellknown work, in 1786. One of the strangest and most unforgettable eighteenthcentury novels, vatheks tale of the caliphs obsessive quest for knowledge, and his eternal damnation, is a wild gothic fantasy whose sensuous imagination and grotesque comedy have inspired writers from byron to lovecraft. It was composed in french beginning in 1782, and then translated into english by reverend samuel. The 1819century was noted for an obsession of all things oriental. Oxford university press, 197049, 187 pages vathek alternatively titled vathek, an arabian tale or the history of the caliph vathek is a gothic novel written by william beckford. It was composed in french beginning in 1782, and then translated into english by reverend samuel henley in which form it was first published in 1786 without beckford s name as an arabian tale, from an unpublished manuscript, claiming to be translated directly.
This paper examines different layers of identity in william beckfords vathek. At the end of the novel, instead of attaining these powers, vathek descends into a hell ruled by the. Ive been working my way through a number of weird fiction tales that weird fiction writer and enthusiast h. The best way i can describe vathek is that its a sort of dark, twisted fairy tale reminiscent of the arabian nights. Vathek is one of the earliest and most influential gothic novels. Pdf multilayers of identity in william beckfords vathek.