Vathek

Content Warning: This section references inappropriate relationships between teenagers and adults as well as outdated and racist stereotypes.

William Beckford was born in London in 1760 to an extremely wealthy family. At the age of 10, upon his father’s death, he inherited one million pounds and multiple estates and sugar plantations, as well as thousands of enslaved people. He married Lady Margaret Gordon in 1783 but left England for France in self-exile in 1784 upon public exposure of his possible relationship with the 16-year-old William Courtenay.

Beckford used his fortune to collect massive amounts of art and literature. Though he positioned himself as an “eccentric,” he shared many similarities with other English authors of his time. His wealthy background allowed him to travel extensively and inspired his writing. Along with Vathek, he published a travel journal, Letters from Italy with Sketches of Spain and Portugal. His taste in art was similarly expansive, with his collection containing works from all over the world.

Beckford’s interest in art, travel, and literature all influenced his writing of Vathek. The use of the Gothic genre and Orientalist setting, both trends of 18th-century Western literature, clearly indicate his interest in the contemporary literary scene and the influence his cultured upbringing and lifestyle had on his writing.