William Beckford's Vathek

Unleashed academics, tutors, and ornamental hermits Alice and Rowan do a deep dive into dark hero archetypes on a semi-weekly basis. On this episode we consider William Beckford's infamous Vathek (1786). We discuss the relevant context surrounding the novel, with a particular focus on Beckford's eclectic and eccentric life. We consider Beckford's engagement with a contribution to "orientalism" and the gothic tradition more broadly. Rowan tries to make sense of the fever dream-like plot and Alice considers the various hero types Beckford draws on to represent his Caliph. We also discuss the most interesting character in the novel—Carathis—as another sublime gothic woman. Find us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofthedevilsparty/ Email us at: [email protected] Academia: https://monash.academia.edu/AliceCapstick Relevant Sources: Alwan, Muna al. "The Orient “Made Oriential”: A Study of William Beckford’s Vathek." Arab studies quarterly 30, no. 4 (2008): 43–52. Châtel, Laurent. William Beckford: The Elusive Orientalist. Oxford: Foltaire Foundation, 2016. Faxneld, Per. "Woman Liberated by the Devil in Four Gothic Novels: William Beckford’s Vathek (1786), Matthew Lewis’ the Monk (1796), Charlotte Dacre’s Zofloya or the Moor (1806) and Charles Maturin’s Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)." In Grotesque Femininities: Evil, Women and the Feminine, edited by Maria Barrett. Oxford: Interdisciplinary Press, 2010. Graham, Kenneth. "Beckford's "Vathek": A Study in Ironic Dissonance." Criticism 14, no. 3 (1972): 243–52. Nussbaum, Saree Makdisi; Felicity. The Arabian Nights in Historical Context: Between East and West. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Said, Edward W. Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient. London: Penguin Modern Classics, 2021. Thorslev, Peter L. The Byronic Hero. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1965. Thorslev, Peter L. The Byronic Hero. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1965.