Super Short Summary

William Beckford wrote Vathek in French in 1782. It was first published under the title Vathek: An Arabian Tale in 1786, having been translated to English by Reverend Samuel Henley under Beckford’s oversight. The story follows the Abbasid Caliph Vathek as he engages increasingly with dark arts and demonic forces, leading eventually to his ruin. The text in this edition comes from the 1816 edition, translated by Samuel Henley and edited by William Beckford. Beckford made many changes to his original French text prior to its publication in English; he also changed and corrected many of Samuel Henley’s translations when he published his own edition. The story includes depictions of child abuse and murder, outdated terms for racial and religious groups, and misogynistic discussions of women.