Vathek (Oxford World's Classics)

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Vathek wants to decipher the messages on his new sabers, offers a reward to anyone who can help him, and punishes those who fail. After several scholars fail, one elderly man succeeds: the swords say "We were made where everything is well made; we are the least of the wonders of a place where all is wonderful and deserving, the sight of the first potentate on earth." But the next morning, the message has changed: the sword now says “Woe to the rash mortal who seeks to know that of which he should remain ignorant, and to undertake that which surpasses his power”. The old man flees before Vathek can punish him. However, Vathek realizes that the writing on the swords really did change. H. P. Lovecraft also cited Vathek as the inspiration for his unfinished novel Azathoth. [12] Vathek is also believed to have been a model for Lovecraft's completed novel The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. [13] Vathek, a symphonic poem written in 1913, composed by Luís de Freitas Branco, was inspired by this novel. [19]

Spoiled Brat: Nouronihar, whose first appearance in the story involves playing a mean prank on Bababalouk, just because she can. A hideous stranger arrives in town, claiming to be a merchant from India selling precious goods. Vathek buys glowing swords with letters on them from the merchant, and invites the merchant to dinner. When the merchant does not respond to Vathek's questions, Vathek looks at him with his "evil eye," but this has no effect, so Vathek imprisons him. The next day, he discovers that the merchant has escaped and his prison guards are dead. The people begin to call Vathek crazy. His mother, Carathis, tells him that the merchant was “the one talked about in the prophecy”, and Vathek admits that he should have treated the stranger kindly. When we first meet him, the Caliph is an affable despot, much admired by his subjects for his generosity and much sought by visitors for the splendor of his parties. It all takes a turn for the Dark Side when a stranger comes to Samarah bearing gifts of a magical nature.

INTRODUCTION

This collection had been formed for a purpose like the present, by Carathis herself; from a persentiment, that she might one day, enjoy some intercourse with the infernal powers: to whom she had ever been passionately attached, and to whose taste she was no stranger. Carathis, herself an adept in the magical dark arts, warns Vathek against visits to cities or palaces during the journey, but the Caliph and his extensive caravan soon take shelter from storms and fires in the palace of a benevolent Emir. Faking the Dead: Fakreddin, Nouronihar’s father, does this with her and Gulchenrouz in an attempt to keep Vathek away from her. It doesn't work. On the other hand though, maybe because there are strange points where ineptitude and intelligence seem to cross (not always clear whether for the benefit of one or for the decline of the other), Eugene Ionesco was convinced that literature of the past is already unreadable, because time dusts it irremediably.

A hideous stranger arrives in town, claiming to be a merchant from India selling precious goods. Vathek buys glowing swords with letters on them from the merchant, and invites the merchant to dinner. When the merchant does not respond to Vathek's questions, Vathek looks at him with his " evil eye", but this has no effect, so Vathek imprisons him. The next day, he discovers that the merchant has escaped and his prison guards are dead. The people begin to call Vathek crazy. His Greek mother, Carathis, tells him that the merchant was "the one talked about in the prophecy", and Vathek admits that he should have treated the stranger kindly. La suerte de Vathek está echada y todo esto se condensa en menos de ciento cuarenta páginas, lo cual pocos escritores pueden lograr a la hora de contarnos una poderosa historia. Kitabın belki de en çok övgü alan kısmı olan cehennem bölümü anlatım itibariyle de kitabın genelinden farklıdır. Vathek giderek hedefine yaklaşırken biz de kitaba bolca yedirilmiş olan kara mizah ögelerinin kademeli olarak azaldığını fark ederiz. Kaçınılmaz sona yaklaştıkça masalsılık yavaşça kaybolur ve yerini Batılı anlamda yazılmış bir romanın kapanış sahnesine bırakır. Bu sayede okuyucu artık işlerin ciddileşmekte olduğunun ayırtına varabilir. Artık Vathek için cezalandırılma, okuyucular için de ders alma vakti gelmiştir.Franz Rottensteiner, The Fantasy Book: An Illustrated History from Dracula to Tolkien. Collier Books, 1978, (p. 21). ISBN 0-02-053560-0