In Th√©ophile Gautier's 'King Candaules,' the author deftly crafts a narrative steeped in themes of voyeurism, power, and doomed love, interwoven with a historical backdrop of ancient Lydia. Employing richly descriptive language and a vivid, poetic style characteristic of the Romantic period, Gautier draws readers into a world where desire and betrayal collide. The novella'Äôs exploration of the p...