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Product Description
Product Description
Vathek (1786), originally written in French, remains one of the strangest eighteenth-century novels and one of the most difficult to classify. Perverse and grotesque comedy alternates with scenes of 'oriental' magnificence and evocative beauty in the story of the ruthless Caliph Vathek's journey to superb damnation among the subterranean treasures of Eblis. Underlying the elegant prose is a strong element of self-indulgent personal fantasy on the part of Beckford, youthful millionaire, dreamer, and eventually social outcast. Byron, Poe, Mallarmé, and Swinburne are some of the literary figures who have admired Vathek's imaginative power. The text follows that of the 'Third Edition' of 1816, in which Beckford extensively revised and corrected Samuel Henley's original English translations from the French. The elaborate notes retained by Beckford in 1816 are also included.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
William Thomas Beckford wrote this when we were in the grips of Orientalism, anything from China or the East was all the rage. 'The Arabian Nights' had only recently been translated into English and was causing quite a stir. This tale was originally written in French before eventually being translated into English.
Taking the gothic and combining it with the elements of 'The Arabian Nights' makes this tale unique, indeed you could well imagine Scheherazade herself telling this tale. The main character, Vathek is intent on becoming all powerful, and after challenging the Heavens you just know that trouble is going to come his way. Supposedly a moral tale, Beckford got more enjoyment out of writing the horrors etc of this, and indeed the story does have a light, fun feeling to it. One of the earlier gothic novels this is a must have for all those fans of the gothic. Although camp and OTT this is still a fun read.
Taking the gothic and combining it with the elements of 'The Arabian Nights' makes this tale unique, indeed you could well imagine Scheherazade herself telling this tale. The main character, Vathek is intent on becoming all powerful, and after challenging the Heavens you just know that trouble is going to come his way. Supposedly a moral tale, Beckford got more enjoyment out of writing the horrors etc of this, and indeed the story does have a light, fun feeling to it. One of the earlier gothic novels this is a must have for all those fans of the gothic. Although camp and OTT this is still a fun read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of the strangest novels I have ever read! It's the story of Vathek, ninth Caliph of the race of the Abassides, and his temptation by a supernatural being (known as 'the Giaour'), who promises to bestow on him the treasures and talismans of the 'palace of subterranean fire'.
The best way I can describe Vathek is that it's a sort of dark, twisted fairy tale reminiscent of The Arabian Nights. Beckford mixes eastern mythology and Islamic culture with elements of the gothic novel (ghouls, spirits, graveyards, an atmosphere of evil) and throws in some magic, fantasy and romance for good measure. There are some long and poetic descriptive passages which become quite surreal and dreamlike in places.
The book is short in length but it's not a quick, easy read. The entire story is told in one big chunk, rather than being broken into chapters, which made it seem quite daunting. If it had been any longer I probably wouldn't have finished it because although the beginning and the ending were great, I started to lose interest during the middle section.
Vathek is completely bizarre and probably a book that you'll either love or hate. It's worth reading if you're interested in the origins of gothic literature, fantasy or horror - and it apparently influenced both Byron and H.P. Lovecraft, among others. If you don't take this book too seriously, it's quite entertaining.
The best way I can describe Vathek is that it's a sort of dark, twisted fairy tale reminiscent of The Arabian Nights. Beckford mixes eastern mythology and Islamic culture with elements of the gothic novel (ghouls, spirits, graveyards, an atmosphere of evil) and throws in some magic, fantasy and romance for good measure. There are some long and poetic descriptive passages which become quite surreal and dreamlike in places.
The book is short in length but it's not a quick, easy read. The entire story is told in one big chunk, rather than being broken into chapters, which made it seem quite daunting. If it had been any longer I probably wouldn't have finished it because although the beginning and the ending were great, I started to lose interest during the middle section.
Vathek is completely bizarre and probably a book that you'll either love or hate. It's worth reading if you're interested in the origins of gothic literature, fantasy or horror - and it apparently influenced both Byron and H.P. Lovecraft, among others. If you don't take this book too seriously, it's quite entertaining.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
First of all I should make it crystal clear that I am not a scholar, nor a student of literature, so understandably substantial critical aspects of this novel will have been completely lost on me. Thankfully, though, Amazon reviews enable the ordinary hum-drum reader, such as myself, to voice their own personal opinions. So here goes. I found the overall tone stifling, farcical, and utterly devoid of inspiration. Whilst it is written in an agreeable manner, I found the subject of the story contemptibly boring, and a far-cry from other gothic novels which I have enjoyed immensely, for example Bram Stoker's Dracula. For low-brow readers such as myself who are reading purely and solely for pleasure, I personally caution you to give this one a miss. It doesn't conform to the expectations of what you could call "popular gothic" - no sprawling derelict castles on barren moors, no sinister Counts of demonic machinations, in short, nothing that is "spooky". Others of a more informed nature will inevitably disagree with me and lampoon my statements, but that is their right and freedom. I'm just giving a supremely uninformed review.
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