Vathek by william beckford

The history of caliph vathek by william beckford free ebook. 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. 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was composed in french beginning in 1782, and then published in 1786 without beckfords name as an arabian tale, from an unpublished manuscript, claiming to be translated directly from arabic. 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. William beckford books list of books by author william. At the end of the novel, instead of attaining these powers, vathek descends into a hell ruled by the. An arabian tale by william beckford, written when he was just 21 in 1782. Vathek by william beckford, free pdf, ebook global grey. Vathek, william beckford, edited with an introduction by roger lonsdale, london. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. 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.

I welcome questions, comments, or concerns about the material contained in this video. Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares vatheks. Beckfords genius was in marrying orientalism with the gothic, both sources of fascination and delight to reading audiences of the time. Buy a cheap copy of vathek book by william beckford. William beckfords vathek is a touchstone of eighteenthcentury orientalism and of the gothic novel. A sensuous person, he builds five palaces, each devoted to the enjoyment of. 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. William was instructed by tutors at home, and was later a pupil of mozart. This paper examines different layers of identity in william beckfords vathek.

It is a combination of a gothic novel and orientalism. It is the story of caliph vathek, whose eye can kill at a. William beckford edited by thomas keymer oxford worlds classics. The broadview edition includes a newly discovered early version of the first episode, never before in print, that centres. He seeks also forbidden knowledge, and doesnt care who he has to hurt to get it.

Vathek, ninth caliph 7a of the race of the abassides, was the son of motassem, and the grandson of haroun al raschid. Vathek alternatively titled vathek, an arabian tale or the history of the caliph vathek is a gothic novel written by william beckford. Product title the history of the caliph vathek by william beckfo. 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. Ive been working my way through a number of weird fiction tales that weird fiction writer and enthusiast h. The castle of otranto, vathek, the vampyre, and a fragment of a novel, and more on. 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. 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. Pdf multilayers of identity in william beckfords vathek. 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. Samuel henley, who published it anonymously, claiming in the preface.

Vathek ebook by william beckford 9781504010726 rakuten. 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. Vathek is a gothic novel written by william beckford. The history of the caliph vathek william beckford format.

However, there are a great many supernatural elements taken from arab mythology, at least as. Vathek by william beckford, 9780199576951, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Global grey free pdf, epub, kindle ebook pages pdf. 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. William beckford, eccentric english dilettante, author of the gothic novel vathek 1786. The 1819century was noted for an obsession of all things oriental. 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. 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. Considered a masterpiece of bizarre invention and sustained fantasy, vathek was written in french. A sensuous person, he builds five palaces, each devoted to the enjoyment of one of the five senses, and his fondness for. Vathek, 3rd edition, annotated, 1816 transcription project vathek, with introduction, 1887 external scan retrieved from. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.

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. It explores vatheks different identities religious, artistic, and colonial and proves the presence of the. Vathek article about vathek by the free dictionary. See all books authored by william beckford, including vathek, and three gothic novels. 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. 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. The caliph vathek is one of the wealthiest and most powerful men who ever lived. Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares. Vathek alternatively titled vathek, an arabian tale or the history of the caliph vathek is a gothic horror novel written by william beckford. Beckford wrote vathek, his most wellknown work, in 1786. Although william beckford was english, vathek was originally written in french and translated into english by reverend samuel henley in 1786. 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.

But this never happened for a number of reasons and while scholars knew these episodes were. 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. Vathek is the 9th caliph of abassides and is addicted to the pursuit of pleasures for all his senses. 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. 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.

Beckfords later work, the episodes of vathek, shares vatheks irreverent and decadent style, and an edition that unites the two has long been overdue. The best way i can describe vathek is that its a sort of dark, twisted fairy tale reminiscent of the arabian nights. He excelled in painting, composing music, languages, and writing. Vathek is an arabian caliph whose reign is marked by turbulence and unrest. Beckford mixes eastern mythology and islamic culture with elements of the gothic. The history of the caliph vathek by william beckford audiobook. Vathek is considered a gothic novel, but there it little gothic about it. Vathek 1786, originally written in french, remains one of the strangest eighteenthcentury novels and one of the most difficult to classify. Beckfords gothic novel, vathek, an arabian tale, was originally written in french when the author was 21.

Donate to support old library audiobooks comoldlibraryaudiobooksdonation. William beckford nabu press william beckford william beckford. Frankenstein by mary shelley,william beckford,horace walpole and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Such writers as george gordon, lord byron, and stephane mallarme acknowledged his genius. Vathek with the episodes of vathek broadview press. These books can take me from 2 to 10 hours to create. Vathek, gothic novel by william beckford, published in 1786. 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. Vathek by william beckford william thomas beckford was born in 1760. William thomas beckford 17601844 was a novelist, an art collector, a critic, a composer, a travel writer, and a politician. Its hero is the caliph vathek who renounces islam in a hedonistic quest for supernatural powers, which leads to his downfall. It was composed in french beginning in 1782, and then translated into english by reverend samuel. There are no churches or castles, and the maiden does not run from the caliph for long. His father was a member of parliament, a former lord mayor of london, and a very wealthy man.