Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

First published: serial, 1847–1848; book, 1848

Type of work: Novel

Type of plot: Social satire

Time of plot: Early nineteenth century

Locale: England and Europe

Principal Characters

• Becky Sharp, an adventuress
• Amelia Sedley, her friend
• Joseph Sedley (Jos), Amelia’s brother
• Rawdon Crawley, Becky’s husband
• Miss Crawley, Rawdon’s wealthy aunt
• Old Sir Pitt Crawley, Rawdon’s father
• Young Sir Pitt Crawley, Rawdon’s brother
• George Osborne, Amelia’s husband
• Captain William Dobbin, Amelia’s friend

The Story

Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley become good friends while they are students at Miss Pinkerton’s school for girls. It is proof of Amelia’s good, gentle nature that she takes as kindly as she does to her friend, who is generally disliked by all the other girls. Amelia overlooks the indications of Becky’s selfishness as much as she can. After the two girls finish their education at the school, Becky accompanies her friend to her home for a short visit. There she first meets Joseph Sedley, Amelia’s older brother, called Jos, who is home on leave from military service in India. Jos is shy, unused to women, and certainly to women as designing and flirtatious as Becky. His blundering and awkward manners do not appeal to many women, but Becky is happy to overlook these faults when she compares them with his wealth and his social position. Amelia innocently believes that her friend has fallen in love with her brother, and she discreetly tries to further the romance.

To this end, she arranges a party at Vauxhall. Becky and Jos, along with Amelia and her admirer, George Osborne, are present. There is a fifth member of the group, Captain Dobbin, a tall, lumbering fellow, also in service in India. He was in love with Amelia for a long time, but he recognizes that dashing George is much more suitable for her. All the maneuvering of the flirtatious Becky and the amiable Amelia, however, is not sufficient to corner Jos, who drinks too much punch and believes that he made a silly figure of himself at the party. A day or so later, a letter delivered to the Sedley household announces that Jos is ill and plans to return to India as soon as possible.

Since there is no longer any reason for Becky to remain with the Sedleys, she leaves Amelia, after many tears and kisses, to take a position as governess to two young girls at Queen’s Crawley. The head of the household is Sir Pitt Crawley, a cantankerous old man renowned for his miserliness. Lady Crawley is an apathetic soul who lives in fear of her husband’s unreasonable outbursts. Becky decides that she has nothing to fear from her timid mistress and spends most of her time ingratiating herself with Sir Pitt and ignoring her pupils. Becky also shows great interest in Miss Crawley, a spinster aunt of the family, who is exceedingly wealthy. Miss Crawley pays little attention to Sir Pitt and his children, but she is fond of Rawdon Crawley, a captain in the army and a son of Sir Pitt by a previous marriage. She is so fond of her dashing young nephew that she supports him through school and pays all of his gambling debts with only a murmur.

During Becky’s stay, Miss Crawley visits Sir Pitt only once, at a time when Rawdon is also present. The handsome young dragoon soon falls prey to Becky’s wiles and follows her about devotedly. Becky also takes care to ingratiate herself with the holder of the purse strings. Miss Crawley finds Becky witty and charming and does not attempt to disguise her opinion that the little governess is worth all the rest of the Crawley household put together. Becky, therefore, finds herself in a very enviable position. Both Sir Pitt and his handsome son are obviously interested in her. Miss Crawley insists that Becky accompany her back to London.

Becky is expected to return to her pupils after only a short stay with Miss Crawley; but Miss Crawley takes ill and refuses to allow anyone but her dear Becky to nurse her. Afterward, there are numerous other excuses to prevent the governess from returning to her duties. Certainly, Becky is not unhappy. Rawdon is a constant caller and a devoted suitor for Becky’s hand. When the news arrives that Lady Crawley has died, no great concern is felt by anyone. A few days later, however, Sir Pitt himself appears, asking to see Miss Sharp. Much to Becky’s surprise, the baronet throws himself at her feet and asks her to marry him. Regretfully, she refuses his offer. She is already secretly married to Rawdon.

Following this disclosure, Rawdon and his bride leave for a honeymoon at Brighton. Chagrined and angry, old Miss Crawley takes to her bed, changes her will, and cuts off her nephew without a shilling. Sir Pitt raves with anger. Amelia’s marriage also precipitates a family crisis. Her romance with George proceeds with good wishes on both sides until Mr. Sedley loses most of his money through some unfortunate business deals. Then George’s snobbish father orders his son to break his engagement to a penniless woman. George, whose affection for Amelia was never stable, is inclined to accept this parental command; but Captain Dobbin, who sees with distress that Amelia is breaking her heart over George, finally prevails upon the young man to go through with the marriage, regardless of his father’s wishes. When the couple arrive in Brighton for their honeymoon, they find Rawdon and Becky living there happily in penniless extravagance.

Captain Dobbin also arrives in Brighton. He agrees to act as intercessor with Mr. Osborne. Nevertheless, his hopes of reconciling father and son are shattered when Mr. Osborne furiously dismisses Captain Dobbin and takes immediate steps to disown George. Captain Dobbin also brings the news that the army is ordered to Belgium. Napoleon has landed from Elba. The Hundred Days begins.

In Brussels, the two couples meet again. George is infatuated with Becky. Jos, now returned from India, and Captain Dobbin are also stationed in that city; Captain Dobbin is in faithful attendance upon neglected Amelia. Everyone is waiting for the next move that Napoleon will make, but in the meantime, the gaiety of the duke of Wellington’s forces is widespread. The Osbornes and Crawleys attend numerous balls. Becky, especially, makes an impression upon military society, and her coquetry extends with equal effect from general to private. June 15, 1815, is a famous night in Brussels, for on that evening the duchess of Richmond gives a tremendous ball. Amelia leaves the party early, brokenhearted at the attentions her husband shows Becky. Shortly after she leaves, the men are given orders to march to meet the enemy. Napoleon has entered Belgium, and a great battle is impending.

As Napoleon’s forces approach, fear and confusion spread throughout Brussels, and many of the civilians flee the city, but Amelia and Becky do not. Becky is not alarmed, and Amelia refuses to leave while George is in danger. She remains in the city some days before she hears that her husband was killed. Rawdon returns safely from the Battle of Waterloo. He and Becky spend a merry and triumphant season in Paris, where Becky’s beauty and wit gain her a host of admirers. Rawdon is very proud of their son.

Amelia also has a child. She returns to London almost out of her mind with grief, and only after her son is born does she show any signs of rallying. When Becky grows bored with the pleasures of Paris, the Crawleys return to London. There they rent a large home and proceed to live well with little money. By this time, Becky is a master at this art, and so they live on a grander scale than Rawdon’s small winnings at cards would warrant. Becky becomes acquainted with the nobility of England and makes a particular impression on rich old Lord Steyne. At last, all society begins to talk about young Mrs. Crawley and her elderly admirer. Fortunately, Rawdon hears nothing of this ballroom and coffeehouse gossip.

Through the efforts of Lord Steyne, Becky eventually achieves her dearest wish, presentation at Court. Presented along with her is the wife of the new Sir Pitt Crawley. The old man has died, and young Sir Pitt, his oldest son and Rawdon’s brother, has inherited the title. Since then, friendly relations are established between the two brothers. If Rawdon realizes that his brother is also in love with Becky, he gives no sign, and he accepts the money his brother gives him with good grace; but more and more, he feels himself shut out from the happy life that Becky enjoys. He spends much of his time with his son, for he realizes that the child is neglected. Once or twice he sees young George Osborne, Amelia’s son.

Amelia struggles to keep her son with her, but her pitiful financial status makes it difficult to support him. Her parents grow garrulous and morose with disappointment over their reduced circumstances. At length, Amelia sorrowfully agrees to let Mr. Osborne take the child and rear him as his own. Mr. Osborne still refuses to recognize the woman his son married against his wishes, however, and Amelia rarely sees the boy.

Rawdon is now deeply in debt. When he appeals to Becky for money, she tells him that she has none to spare. She makes no attempt to explain the jewelry and other trinkets she buys. When Rawdon is imprisoned for a debt, he writes and asks Becky to take care of the matter. She answers that she cannot get the money until the following day. An appeal to Sir Pitt, however, brings about Rawdon’s release, and he returns to his home to find Becky entertaining Lord Steyne. Not long afterward, Rawdon accepts a post abroad, and he never returns to his unfaithful, scheming wife.

Amelia’s fortunes now improve. When Jos returns home, he establishes his sister and father in a more pleasant home. Mrs. Sedley dies, and Jos resolves to do as much as he can to make his father’s last days happy. Captain Dobbin returns from India and confesses his love for Amelia. Although she acknowledges him as a friend, she is not yet ready to accept his love. It is Captain Dobbin who goes to Mr. Osborne and gradually succeeds in reconciling him to his son’s wife. When Mr. Osborne dies, he leaves a good part of his fortune to his grandson and appoints Amelia as the boy’s guardian.

Amelia, her son, Captain Dobbin, and Jos take a short trip to the Continent. This visit is perhaps the happiest time in Amelia’s life. Her son is with her constantly, and Captain Dobbin is a devoted attendant. Eventually, his devotion overcomes her hesitation and they are to be married. At a small German resort, they encounter Becky once more. After Rawdon left her, Becky was unable to live down the scandal of their separation. Leaving her child with Sir Pitt and his wife, she crossed to the Continent. Since then, she has been living with first one considerate gentleman and then another. When she sees the prosperous Jos, she vows not to let him escape as he did before. Amelia and Jos greet her in a friendly manner, and only Captain Dobbin seems to regard her with distrust. He tries to warn Jos about Becky, but Jos is a willing victim of her charms.

Becky travels with Jos wherever he goes. Although she cannot get a divorce from Rawdon, Jos treats her as his wife, and despite Captain Dobbin’s protests, he takes out a large insurance policy in her name. A few months later, his family learns that he died while staying with Becky at Aix-la-Chapelle. The full circumstances of his death are never established, but Becky comes into a large sum of money from his insurance. She spends the rest of her life on the Continent, where she assumes the role of the virtuous widow and wins a reputation for benevolence and generosity.

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