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Bezig met laden... Vathek (origineel 1786; editie 1953)door William Beckford, Herbert B. Grimsditch
Informatie over het werkVathek door William Beckford (1786)
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Greedy and lascivious Caliph Vathek abandons his duties and religion to follow a quest for forbidden knowledge. Written in a style similar to Clark Ashton Smith, a sort of faux Arabian Nights tale. ( ) 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. Widely regarded as one of the seminal works of Gothic literature, this strange, unclassifiable novel recounts its eponymous protagonist's quest for esoteric knowledge and carnal pleasure, a quest which ultimately leads to his damnation. "Vathek" combines exotic descriptions of the Orient with passages of grotesque comedy and a dollop of supernatural derring-do. Indeed, one of the challenges for modern sensibilities (and possibly its original readers as well) is to determine which passages should be taken at face value and which ones are to be read as self-parody. Even allowing for the genre's excesses, episodes such as that of a wizard being turned into a ball and kicked around Vathek's kingdom are clearly intended as black comedy. But what about Vathek's damnation, described in language of poetic intensity? Is the moralistic ending to be taken at face value or is Beckford being ironic? The author's letters suggest the former to be the case - which is rather surprising considering the atmosphere of decadence which permeates the novel. If read purely for narrative pleasure, Vathek might disappoint. The plot is episodic, there are too many changes of gear, and the novel's ultimate message - if it does have one - is elusive and unclear. Yet, for anybody interested in early Romanticism, Orientalism, supernatural fiction or, for that matter, unusual literary fare, this is a must-read. The Oxford World Classics text follows the 1816 English language version, prepared by Beckford himself. It includes an informative introduction by Roger Lonsdale which, interestingly, makes the case for *not* considering Vathek a Gothic novel. Also included are the erudite endnotes which Beckford included in the 1816 edition of Vathek (although first-time readers might prefer just reading through it and then consulting the notes on subsequent readings). https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/03/William-Beckford-Vathek.html Vathek by William Beckford was first published in 1786. The author was only 21 and the story apparently was inspired by his own coming-of-age celebrations. The story is both a comic farce and a tragic parable. This dark and twisted fairly tale shows that the author was obviously influenced by the popularity of Arabian Nights which had recently been translated. The tale is about Caliph Vathek and his temptation by a supernatural being known as the Giaour, who promises to reward him with treasures and talismans from the Gods. Thus he embarks on a journey to damnation. Vathek is both greedy and cruel. In order to be admitted to the subterranean palace he must renounce Islam and perform a series of atrocious crimes which he does without a sign of remorse. This strange and dark story definitely gives me Gothic vibes and it is known to have influenced other literary figures such as Byron, Hawthorne, Poe and Lovecraft. It provides an insight into early orientalist fantasies of the east and is crammed with lavish excesses, both sensory and sexual. I can’t say that I enjoyed this story finding it rather overdone, but it did have it’s moments and thankfully wasn’t too long. Completely preposterous and not in a good way. I can see why this orgy of Oriental tropes would have been exciting to an 18th century European reader high on the Arabian Nights and hungry for more genies, giaours, dives, and dwarfs. It's a nauseating banquet of sherbets and cordials, served by massed ranks of eunuchs, mystics, and sacrificial first-borns, a horrible literary carbuncle melting down into a bilious slurry where plot decoheres and characters implode under the weight of their own absurdity. Here's Vathek's mom preparing a magic potion: By secret stairs, known only to herself and her son, she first repaired to the mysterious recesses in which were deposited the mummies that had been brought from the catacombs of the ancient Pharaohs. Of these she ordered several to be taken. From thence she resorted to a gallery, where, under the guard of fifty female negroes, mute, and blind of the right eye, were preserved the oil of the most venomous serpents, rhinoceros’ horns, and woods of a subtle and penetrating odour, procured from the interior of the Indies, together with a thousand other horrible rarieties. This collection had been formed for a purpose like the present, by Carathis herself, from a presentiment that she might one day enjoy some intercourse with the infernal powers, to whom she had ever been passionately attached, and to whose taste she was no stranger. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
Onderdeel van de uitgeversreeks(en)Is opgenomen inThree Gothic Novels: The Castle of Otranto; Vathek; The Vampyre; and a Fragment of a Novel door Horace Walpole Het kasteel van Otranto / Horace Walpole. Vathek / William Beckford. Frankenstein door Peter Fairclough Three eighteenth century romances: The castle of Otranto; Vathek; The romance of the forest door Harrison R. Steeves Three Oriental Tales: Complete Texts with Introduction, Historical Contexts, Critical Essays door Alan Richardson The Oxford Library of Short Novels {complete} door John Wain (indirect) InspireerdePrijzenErelijsten
Classic Literature.
Fiction.
HTML: Vathek is one of the earliest and most influential Gothic novels. Its hero is the Caliph Vathek who renounces Islam in a hedonistic quest for supernatural powers, which leads to his downfall. Beckford's genius was in marrying Orientalism with the Gothic, both sources of fascination and delight to reading audiences of the time. .Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
Actuele discussiesFolio Archives 333: Vathek by William Beckford 1958 in Folio Society Devotees Populaire omslagen
Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)843.5Literature French French fiction 18th century 1715–89LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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