Vathek 2 e

A captivating blend of Gothic, oriental, and satiric fiction, Vathek traces the fall of Caliph Vathek, whose obsessive craving for knowledge, pleasure and power leads toward his damnation. The tale follows his perilous bargain with the enigmatic Giaour, the descent into the subterranean palace of Eblis, and the brutal consequences that await him. A distinctive fantasy that intertwines moral fable, grotesque humor, and lyrical beauty, the novel has influenced writers from Byron to H. P. Lovecraft. This new edition presents Beckford’s authorized English text of 1816, complemented by a substantial introduction and scholarly notes by a respected editor. The volume situates Vathek within a wide range of literary genres and cultural contexts, and is presented as part of a long-running, scholarly series dedicated to accessible, well-edited classics.

This edition presents a concise paperback edition of 141 pages in a second edition by Oxford University Press, offering a reliable recent printing paired with expert editorial materials.

• Hybrid of Gothic, oriental, and satiric fiction
• Protagonist Vathek pursues forbidden knowledge and power
• Descent into Eblis’s subterranean palace and its doom
• Influenced Byron and H. P. Lovecraft and others
• New edition with Beckford’s authorized 1816 English text
• Introduction by Thomas Keymer and scholarly notes