"Fair of Vanity": analysis and summary. "Vanity Fair" by William Thackeray

In this article, we will describe the novel of W. M. Thackeray, published in 1848, and present its brief content. "Vanity Fair" - a work whose action takes place in England, in the early 19 th century. There is a war with Napoleon, which does not prevent, however, a lot of people obsessed with ambition, to continue the struggle for worldly goods - ranks, titles, fortune. Day and night, the Bazaar of everyday life vanishes - Vanity Fair ... It is here that the fate of the heroes is decided.

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Rebecca and Emilia

The next event begins with a brief summary. "Fair of vanity" - a novel that opens with a description of how the boarding house Miss Pinkerton are leaving two young girls. Emilia Sedley, the daughter of a wealthy Esq., Is a sample of English virtue and pretty, somewhat fresh. She has a "good", "generous" and "tender" heart, but the girl does not shine with the mind. Rebecca Sharp is a different matter. It is the daughter of a Frenchwoman (dancer) and a dissolute artist. Rebecca is fragile, short and pale. However, the mere sight of her green eyes can strike any man. Becky, who grew up in "cheerful" poverty, is sharp at the tongue, she sees right through the people, wants at any cost to win a place under the sun, going even to deception and hypocrisy. There is no other way, because the girl has no title, no state, no loving parents - what the virtues of her happy contemporaries teach.

Becky is staying with Emilia

Emilia, tied sincerely to Becky, invites her to her house, and she is best served by hospitality. Rebecca likes everybody. But most importantly - she tries her charms on the brother of Emilia, Joseph Sedley. Pretense, flattery - and this "Bonvian", "grumpy" and "lazy" is ready to take a decisive step ... Unfortunately, the case interferes, and also the fiancé of Emilia, Mr. George Osborne. Hopes of intriguers as a result of this collapse, and Joseph runs.

A new page opens in the life of Rebecca - she serves in the Royal Crowley as a governess. This is the hereditary estate of Pitt Crowley, an old man, incredibly "dirty" and "vulgar", sutsy, scrawled and drunkards. The ability to hypocrite and pretend, ingenuity, allows Miss Sharp to win over the inhabitants of the estate, from pupils to Pitt Crowley, the eldest son of this baronet, who is a "well-bred gentleman." He is afraid of everything, even a violent dad. Becky finds all sorts of ways to be useful to his father. Not a year goes by, as the girl becomes irreplaceable, almost a mistress in this house.

Miss Crawley's visit

The events of the novel continue, the main ones of which we have included in its brief content. "Fair of Vanity" is a three-dimensional work, therefore it is impossible to tell about everything in detail in the format of one article. It describes only the main events.

Annually Royal Crowley visits the half-sister of Sir Pitt, an unmarried woman, on account of which there is a hefty amount. She is familiar with the French and atheists, loves to have fun. This old lady tyrannizes godlessly her servant, companion, and numerous relatives who are hoping to receive her inheritance. This woman can not stand either Sir Pitt or his eldest son, but adores Rodon Crowley, the youngest-a shaggy, duelist and player, a close officer of the Guards. Miss Crowley also believes that Rebecca is witty and charming.

Rebecca marries Rodon Crowley

A woman, having fallen ill, takes her to her home in London, which is why the romance between the governess and Rodon Crowley ends. He ends up in a secret marriage, because, despite Miss Crawley's predilection for equality and freedom, she can get very angry, as William Thackeray (Vanity Fair) notes. After Sir Pitt's wife dies, everything opens. Sir Pitt, not very saddened by her passing, is trying to get Rebecca back to King Crowley. He falls to his knees, offering the girl to marry him. At this moment, for the first time in her life, the unconcerned Becky loses her spirit and cries. What chance is lost! Why did she hurry?

A hard time for the newlyweds

Everyone curses the young couple. William Thackeray (Vanity Fair) narrates that, no matter how much Rodon, directed by the clever Rebecca, is trying to regain the aunt's position, does not succeed. A lover of romantic marriages and a champion of democracy will never forgive the nephew of the misalliance for the rest of her life. It is not necessary to speak of Sir Pitt. William Thackeray describes his condition in this way: the hero of lost desires and hate literally loses his mind, drops more and more. The ancestral nest of abuse and ultimate devastation is saved only by his death. This event is continued by his work William Thackeray ("Fair of Vanity"). The summary of the novel after the death of this hero is as follows.

Now the spouses are forced to settle for only the modest salary of Rodon, which he receives as captain of the Guard. However, Becky has perfected the art, which is useful to her more than once - to live in a clover, while not having cash. The girl hopes to take a more brilliant place in society and agrees to be patient. And blindly and passionately in love with his wife, Rodon turns into a humble and happy husband.

The ruin of Emilia's father

Over the head of Emilia, clouds are gathering in the meantime. Surprisingly, Napoleon turns out to be the cause. Flight from the Elbe, landing at Cannes of his army change the situation on the stock exchange, which leads to the complete ruin of the girl's father, John Sedley. The most stubborn and intractable of the creditors is his neighbor and friend John Osborne, whom he helped to get out into people. With the hammer goes the property of Sedley. The squalid family moved to a wretched apartment. However, Emilia does not suffer because of this. The trouble is that this simple-minded girl of her fiance loves with all her heart, and not as prescribed by the unspoken laws dictated by the Vanity Fair. Thackeray's book is a novel in which the author thus describes the feelings of this girl. She sincerely believes that George Osborne, fretful, narcissistic and empty, is the most intelligent and beautiful man in the world. Unlike Becky, whose actions are always dictated by need, selfishness and self-interest, Emilia lives only with love. And George Osborne allows graciously this girl to love herself, while not giving up bachelor's amusements, and does not spoil her bride with special attention.

Emilia is married to George Osborne

William Thackeray tells us that his father, after the collapse of John Sedley, forbids marrying Emilia George. Her own father, moreover, also does not want to think about marriage with the "son of a scoundrel". Desperation is poor Emilia. However, George's loyal friend, Captain Dobbin, a generous and honest man who fervently loves Emilia, even interferes with the matter, does not even dare to admit this. He persuades George, who is not stranger to noble impulses, against the will of his father to marry a girl. Of course, he deprives him of his inheritance and renounces his son.

Meeting in Brussels

In Brussels, both disgraced fellows meet, as Dobbin and George regiment enters the city, and also comes Tafto, the Guard General, with his adjutant Rodon Crowley. With enthusiasm, the regiment accepts Emilia, but her friend prefers to rotate in a "brilliant" society. Wherever this girl appears, she is surrounded everywhere by many noble admirers. George Osborne falls into their number. Becky's own vanity and coquetry make him so far away that he hands her a bouquet with a letter at the ball, in which she asks the girl to flee with him. Of course, she is not going to do anything like that because she knows the price to George. The troops of Napoleon pass Sambro on the same day. Full unspoken remorse George says goodbye to his wife. In a few days he will die at Waterloo.

Life of Rebecca and Rodon in Paris

And Rodon and Becky spend three years in Paris after Waterloo. Here the wife of Rodona enjoys great success. She is admitted to the highest society in Paris. The French are not so choosy as the English. However, the girl is not going to stay here for life. The family (after Rodon and Becky in Paris a son is born) after a while returns to London. Here, the couple Crowley, as always, lives on credit, not paying anyone and all giving out promises. Finally, Aunt Rodon dies, leaving almost the whole condition with his elder nephew, who is married to a worthy and honest woman, Lady Jane, the daughter of Lord Southdown. A new baronet, feeling before his brother a sense of guilt (because Auntie's money would have gotten to him, if he had not married a governess), his duty is to unite the family. And again Rebecca appears in the Royal Crowley and fascinates everyone. To do this, she even has to portray love for her son, although in fact she does not have the slightest affection for this boy.

Rebecca and Lord Stine

So captivating the new baronet is the delicate flattery of Rebecca, that it happens almost every day in her house. There is just as often the noble patron of the girl, the all-powerful Lord Stein, the old cynic of the novel that Thackeray created (The Vanity Fair). With his help, Rebecca is moving forward in high society. What ways a girl achieves this, no one knows, but the lord gives her diamonds, and also provides her cellars at her disposal. Finally, there is an event that puts Rebecca on a par with other respectable ladies. The girl is presented to the court. This important event continues his novel Thackeray ("Fair of Vanity"). The summary only briefly mentions that Rebecca is in the highest circles of London and is convinced that these people from others are no different. Becky becomes bored among them. And her husband feels every day more and more lonely in all these aristocratic meetings. He gets attached more and more to his son.

Rodon leaves England

A catastrophe ends with the procession of Rebecca at the Vanity Fair. Rodon convicts her of treachery and tries to summon Lord Stein to a duel. In the end, he decides to leave England in order to occupy the post of governor of the island of Coventry, procured for him by his own enemy. Disappears Rebecca, and her son Rodon remains in the care of his uncle, as well as his wife, who replaced his mother.

Emilia brings up her son

The death of her husband almost cost Emilia a life, as the writer Thackeray tells us (The Fair of Vanity). The brief content of further developments in this girl's life is as follows. She was saved only by the birth of her son, whom Emilie worships in the same way as her husband used to do. She lives with her parents for a long time, courageously endures deprivation and poverty, finding joy in a small George. However, John Osborn, amazed at how much his grandson looks like his late son, offers the mother to give the boy in order to raise him as a gentleman. For the sake of his good, Emilia parted with her son. She finds solace after the death of her mother in brightening up the last days of her father.

The return of Major Dobbin

When Rebecca suffers a blow to fate, fortune turns to Emilia. Major Dobbin returns from India with Joseph, her brother. Dobbin swears that now the native girls will not know the needs. He wants to marry a girl. However, there is still nothing to hope for. Emilia does not notice the devoted, disinterested love of this man, his outstanding virtues. She is faithful to the memory of her husband, giving with kindness the virtues of Dobbin only "to look and languish." Soon John Sedley dies, and then John Osborne, who leaves George half of his fortune, and also restores in custody the widow of "beloved son." Emilia finds out what she owes to Dobbin, and also that he was an unknown benefactor who, during the years of need, supported her. However, as before, she can only pay gratitude for his devotion.

A new meeting between Emilia and Becky

In the small duchy, on the banks of the Rhine, Emily and Becky meet again. Emilie is making a trip abroad with her brother, her son and Dobbin, and Rebecca has been fluttering about Europe for a long time already, in a card game and adventures of a dubious quality, squandering her content, which was assigned to her by her husband. From her everywhere shied away in a decent society, as from the plague. But now she notices Joseph Sedley, and in the soul of the girl, hope revives. Slandered sufferer, who took away her beloved child and an honest name, easily, as in former times, traces this fat dandy around her finger, as well as Emilia, who has learned nothing and is not clever at all. Dobbin, always disgusted with Rebecca, because of her quarrels with Emilia and reproaches her for the first time in her life that the girl does not appreciate his affection. He decides to part for ever with Emilia. However Becky, having turned to the girl "contemptuous pity", and to Dobbin - admiration, makes the first in his life unselfish act. Rebecca shows his girlfriend George's letter , which proves his infidelity. The idol is lost. Emilia is now free and therefore can respond to the feelings of a devoted Dobbin.

Final Events

Here we are nearing the end of the work "Fair of Vanity." The brief contents of the book are the following final events. Dobbin and Emilia lead a quiet life in their own house. They are friends with the inhabitants of the Royal Crowley. Until the end of the days, Joseph drags the wretched life of Rebecca's slave. He dies under "unclear circumstances". And from the yellow fever died and Crowley senior Rawdon. After the death of his uncle, his son inherits the estate and title. He does not want to see his mother, but he appoints that generous content, although it is sufficiently secured without it. Rebecca has a lot of friends who think she's unfairly offended. She is dedicated to charity, she lives on a broad footing.

This concludes the summary. "Fair of vanity" - a novel that is very popular today. And this is not accidental. The problems that are mentioned in it are still relevant.

Analysis of the work

"Vanity Fair" is the pinnacle of Thackeray's work. In the novel, realistic generalizations, social criticism and satirical mastery achieve their greatest strength. Thackeray managed to catch the connection between the people of society, modern to him. It is based on the power of money, on "heartless clean-up." In the work the society appears as a huge fair, where everything can be bought and sold. In depicting the truly repugnant face of the bourgeois, the author had no illusions about the possibility of his becoming a sympathetic and kind person. He only wanted to unveil without illusion and embellishment the harsh truth of life.

The full title of the novel is: "Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero". It was borrowed from the work of John Benyang "The Pilgrim's Way". Thackeray called the Vanity Fair the bourgeois-aristocratic society of England of his time.

Landlords and bourgeois businessmen, diplomats and members of parliament, officials and notable lords pass a long string before the readers. They live under the laws of the Vanity Fair. In the novel Thackeray original is the form of submission of material. The writer compares his characters with puppets, and himself - with the driving puppeteer. Thackeray ("Fair of Vanity") gives them estimates, expresses his judgments in a series of digressions.

"A novel without a hero" means that the writer did not find in the environment of Crowley and Osborne a positive hero. However, he does not oppose the common man from the people to a self-serving bourgeois, as, for example, Dickens. In the novel "Fair of Vanity" heroes from the people's environment are absent. Captain Dobbin is the bearer of positive principles. This can be seen by reading in the original work "Fair of vanity." The summary of the chapters only reveals the inner world of the characters superficially. Dobbin is the only one who remains responsive and kind, modest and selfless.

"Vanity Fair" is a book that will always be relevant, until human egoism is eradicated, in which the roots of many human misfortunes are hidden.