First published in 1786, William Beckford's Vathek was apparently written in the span of 3 days, which while it is not an extremely long book, is stilFirst published in 1786, William Beckford's Vathek was apparently written in the span of 3 days, which while it is not an extremely long book, is still incredible given its sheer imagination. It makes me wonder what else Beckford could have accomplished, if his greatest novel was put down on paper in a mere 3 days. He was very talented, as evidenced by his writing, yet apparently was never truly able to harness his talents. One may only wonder if he could have even surpassed the fame of writers like Poe had he written more.
Vathek is a wild, voluptuous, sensual, and decidedly dark and Gothic tale about a Middle Eastern Caliph who can have anything he wants - any woman or object he desires, yet slowly loses everything in his quest for constant sensual appetite. The last twenty pages alone put most contemporary Gothic stories to shame, and can easily stand with the best of Poe and others in the genre.
It's interesting that I read this directly following G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday, a book that focuses on the central idea that the true proponents and supporters of anarchy are not the poor and downtrodden, but in fact the rich and privileged who sit at the top. Vathek certainly follows this line of thinking, and shows what can happen when one truly has risen to the top and has unchecked power and privilege. Beckford's tale reminded me of similar, real life stories I've heard in the news of the rich and elite who rose so high and were given so much, that they caved to their baser desires and the fall was prodigious as a result....more
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