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'he Appears To Be Persecutor And I The Persecuted: Is Not This Difference The Mere Creature Of The Imagination?' Caleb 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 Harbours 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 New Edition Reproduces The Original Novel Of 1794, Which Captures The Raw Indignation And Sense Of Injustice Felt By Victims Of British Law. It Includes The Startlingly Different Manuscript Ending, And Selected Variants In The Second And Third Editions Reflecting Changes In Godwin's Political And Philosophical Thinking. About The Series: For Over 100 Years Oxford World's Classics Has Made Available The Widest Range 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, Helpful Notes To Clarify The Text, Up-to-date Bibliographies For Further Study, And Much More.
A young servant discovers a dark secret held by his employer, triggering a relentless cycle of persecution and flight. Caleb Williams, an inquisitive and guileless youth, enters the service of the aristocratic Ferdinando Falkland, only to find his master burdened by an inexplicable melancholy. Driven by an obsessive need to uncover the truth, Caleb unearths a hidden crime, which transforms his employer into a vengeful antagonist. The narrative unfolds through a first-person perspective, documenting Caleb's desperate attempts to escape the reach of Falkland’s influence and the oppressive mechanisms of the British legal system.
Readers and critics frequently identify this work as a foundational text in the development of the psychological thriller genre. Discussion often centers on the intense, claustrophobic atmosphere created by the relentless pursuit of the protagonist by his former master. Scholars highlight the novel's effectiveness as a political allegory, noting how it reflects the anxieties of the post-French Revolution era. The balance between character-driven psychological tension and the external pressures of societal law remains a primary focus for those analyzing Godwin's philosophical arguments. Many readers appreciate the inclusion of the alternative manuscript endings, which provide insight into the author's evolving political perspective.
Page Count:
416
Publication Date:
2009-01-01
Publisher:
Ebsco Publishing
ISBN-10:
019156740X
ISBN-13:
9780191567407
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