Publisher's Synopsis
The History of Caliph Vathek is a Gothic novel written by William Beckford in 1786. The story is set in the 9th century and follows the tyrannical Caliph Vathek, who is obsessed with obtaining knowledge and power. Vathek makes a pact with the devil to gain access to the secrets of the universe, but his greed and ambition ultimately lead to his downfall.The novel is known for its vivid descriptions of exotic locations, supernatural occurrences, and grotesque characters. It is also notable for its use of Arabic and Islamic themes, which were uncommon in European literature at the time. The History of Caliph Vathek has been praised for its imaginative storytelling and its influence on the Gothic genre.Beckford was a wealthy Englishman who wrote the novel while traveling through Europe. He originally wrote it in French and later translated it into English. The novel was controversial at the time of its publication due to its themes of blasphemy and the supernatural. However, it has since become a classic of Gothic literature and has been adapted into various forms of media, including operas and films.No words can describe the amazement of the courtiers when they beheld this rude merchant withstand the encounter unshocked. They all fell prostrate with their faces on the ground to avoid the risk of their lives, and continued in the same abject posture till the Caliph exclaimed in a furious tone, ""Up, cowards! seize the miscreant! see that he be committed to prison and guarded by the best of my soldiers!This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
