History Literature / Vathek

''Vathek'' (alternatively titled ''Vathek, an Arabian Tale or The History of the Caliph Vathek'') is a GothicHorror novel written by William Beckford. It was composed in French beginning in 1782, and then published in 1786 without Beckford's name as An Arabian Tale, From an Unpublished Manuscript, claiming to be translated directly from Arabic. (this was in fact an English translation by Reverend Samuel Henley). The novel chronicles the fall from power of the Caliph Vathek (a fictionalized version of the historical Al-Wathiq), who renounces Islam and engages with his mother, Carathis, in a series of licentious and deplorable activities designed to gain him supernatural powers.

* DespairEventHorizon: The ultimate punishment of Hell, along with having [[FireAndBrimstoneHell eternal fire]] burning in one's chest cavity.

** NonActionGuy:

%%* ArabianNightsDays
%%* ArrangedMarriage: Noureddin and Gulchenrouz.

%%* EvilMatriarch: '''''Carathis.'''''
%%* EvilSorceror: Carathis.

%%* {{Pride}}: The defining sin of Vathek and Carathis.

%%* RoyalBrat: Noureddin.
* SacredHospitality: Vathek rips this idea down and dances on it, particularly by stealing away his host's daughter in defiance of her arranged marriage.

%%* VillainProtagonist

%%* DespairEventHorizon: The ultimate punishment of Hell.

-->''... his dancing was light as the gossamer waved by the zephyrs of spring, but his arms, which twined so gracefully with those of the young girls in the dance, could neither dart the lance in the chase, nor curb the steeds that pastured his uncle’s domains.''

%%* VillainousGlutton: Vathek, and how!

-->''... his dancing was light as the gossamer waved by the zephyrs of spring, but his arms, which twined so gracefully with those of the young girls in the dance, could neither dart the lance in the chase, nor curb the steeds that pastured his uncle’s domains.'' That said, he's [[GuysSmashGirlsShoot pretty good with a bow.]]

%%* DudeLooksLikeALady: Gulchenrouz.

* DumbIsGood: Or maybe AmbitionIsEvil:

%%* AmbitionIsEvil

* SenseFreak: Vathek built five sub-palaces (annexes) to his own hereditary palace, each devoted to one of the senses.

* DumbIsGood: Or maybe Overreaching Intelligence is Evil:

* AmbitionIsEvil
* ArabianNightsDays
* ArrangedMarriage: Noureddin and Gulchenrouz.

* DespairEventHorizon: The ultimate punishment of Hell.
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Gulchenrouz.

* EvilMatriarch: '''''Carathis.'''''
* [[EvilSorceror Evil Sorceress]]: Carathis.

* {{Pride}}: The defining sin of Vathek and Carathis.

* RoyalBrat: Noureddin.

* VillainousGlutton: Vathek, and how!
* VillainProtagonist

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Vathek and Noureddin meet a group of people in an antechamber of Hell, who tell them their stories. These stories were never incorporated into the original work, and in fact were not published until after Beckford's death. Some modern editions of the story include them.

* ShownTheirWork: ''Vathek'' is capped off by an extensive series of endnotes. Some of which have footnotes.[[note]]And one of those footnotes has a footnote. Eat your heart out, DavidFosterWallace![[/note]]

* EvilEye: Vathek has one.
-->''... when he was angry one of his eyes became so terrible that no person could bear to behold it, and the wretch upon whom it was fixed instantly fell backward, and sometimes expired.''

----

* ShownTheirWork: ''Vathek'' is capped off by an extensive series of endnotes. Some of which have footnotes.[[hottip:*:And one of those footnotes has a footnote.[[note]]Eat your heart out, DavidFosterWallace![[/note]]]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Vathek and Noureddin meet a group of people in an antechamber of Hell, who tell them their stories. These stories were never incorporated into the original work, and in fact were not published until after Beckford's death. Some editions of the story include them.

* VillainousProtagonist

* ShownTheirWork: ''Vathek'' is capped off by an extensive series of endnotes. Some of which have footnotes..[[hottip:*:And one of those footnotes has a footnote.[[note]]Eat your heart out, DavidFosterWallace![[/note]]]]

''Vathek'' (alternatively titled ''Vathek, an Arabian Tale or The History of the Caliph Vathek'') is a Gothic novel written by William Beckford. It was composed in French beginning in 1782, and then published in 1786 without Beckford's name as An Arabian Tale, From an Unpublished Manuscript, claiming to be translated directly from Arabic. (this was in fact an English translation by Reverend Samuel Henley). The novel chronicles the fall from power of the Caliph Vathek (a fictionalized version of the historical Al-Wathiq), who renounces Islam and engages with his mother, Carathis, in a series of licentious and deplorable activities designed to gain him supernatural powers.

* FakingTheDead:

* {{Satan}}: Going by the name of Iblis here.