| Caleb Williams Contributor(s): Godwin, William (Author), Pamela, Clemit (Editor) |
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ISBN: 0199232067 ISBN-13: 9780199232062 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA OUR PRICE: $14.36 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 2009 Annotation: He appears to be persecutor and I the persecuted: is not this difference the mere creature of the imagination?' Young Caleb is a guileless servant who enters the employment of the charismatic Ferdinando Falkland. Falkland, an apparently cosmopolitan and benevolent country squire, is subject to unexplained melancholy, and Caleb becomes convinced that he harbours a dark secret. His discovery of the truth leads to false accusations against him, and an unremitting and vengeful persecution as suspenseful as any thriller. The novel is also a powerful political allegory, inspired by Godwin's passionately held beliefs concerning social justice in the decade following the French Revolution. This new edition reproduces the original novel of 1794, which captures the raw indignation and injustice felt by victims of British law. It also includes the startlingly different manuscript ending, and selected variants from later editions reflecting changes in Godwin's philosophical thinking. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Literary - Fiction | Classics |
| Dewey: FIC |
| LCCN: 2008039118 |
| Series: Oxford World's Classics (Paperback) |
| Physical Information: 0.9" H x 5" W x 7.6" (0.65 lbs) 416 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - British Isles |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In William Godwin's dark psychological novel of paranoia and persecution, the eponymous hero is a guileless young servant who enters the employment of Ferdinando Falkland, a cosmopolitan and benevolent country gentleman. Falkland is subject to fits of unexplained melancholy, and Caleb becomes convinced that he harbors a dark secret. His discovery of the truth leads to false accusations against him, and a vengeful pursuit as suspenseful as any thriller. The novel is also a powerful political allegory, inspired by the events of the decade following the French Revolution. This is the first paperback edition to reproduce the first edition (1794), restoring the original, highly topical novel written during the political crisis of 1793-4 when the British government clamped down on the burgeoning reform movement. The edition is further enhanced by Pamela Clemit's comprehensive introduction outlining the novel's contemporary reception, its historical and literary contexts, and its alternate endings; three appendices highlighting selected variants between the second and third editions; Godwin's prefatory materials; and new up-to-date bibliography and explanatory notes. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |