45 pages • 1 hour read
William BeckfordVathek
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1786A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Some key elements of Gothic literature include supernatural events, anti-heroes, intense emotions, wild landscapes, a dark and mysterious atmosphere, and extraordinary visions. Choose three of these elements and examine how Vathek uses them to further the themes of the story.
Vathek’s mother Carathis encourages his descent into evil. Pick a scene between the two of them and analyze how their relationship is portrayed, focusing on the literary and rhetorical devices that Beckford uses.
What role does curiosity play within the narrative? How does curiosity affect Nouronihar and Vathek?
Women in Vathek are typically connected to the idea of sin or evil. What is the overall role of women in Vathek? How do different characters exemplify or subvert the archetype of the “sinful” woman?
Vathek makes use of both Gothic and Orientalist conventions. How do these genres interact within the novella?
Compare and contrast Vathek and Nouronihar’s falls from grace. What do the similarities and differences reveal about morality in Vathek?
Loyalty is a major theme of the narrative. How do different characters interact with the idea of loyalty? What does Vathek ultimately say about the role of loyalty in society?
Supernatural events occur throughout Vathek. Pick two and examine the literary devices used to establish their tone. Is the supernatural clearly good or evil in the story?
Compare the fates of Gulchenrouz and Nouronihar. Where do the characters diverge? What do their respective fates reveal about the moral message of Vathek?
Gulchenrouz and the 50 other boys live in “in the pure happiness of childhood” (120). Compare their heaven to the infernal palace. What does this comparison reveal about the narrative’s conception of pleasure?
