VanityFair ANovelwithoutaHerobyWilliamMakepeaceThackeray Contents Abouttheauthor BriefintroductionofVanityFair Charactersandplots Theme WilliamMakepeaceThackeray aBritishnovelistVanityFaironparwithDickenstheVitoriatimesrepresentativenovelist BriefintroductionofVanityFair VanityFair 1847 1848 AnovelWilliamMakepeaceThackeray TheleadingcharacterisBeckySharp anunscrupulous 寡廉鲜耻的 womanwhogainswealthandinfluencebyhercleverness Setting Timeandplace Inearly19thcenturyofEngland Circumstance Thestoryhappensinthemiddle upperclass Atthattime theindustryandbusinessareboomingandthewarbetweenBritainandFrancebreaks Thesub titleofthebook ANovelWithoutaHero suggeststhefactthatwriter sintentionwasnottoportrayindividuals butthebourgeois 资产阶级的 andaristocratic 贵族的 societyasawhole Style satiricalnovelofsocialreality Realistic Ihavenobrainsabovemyeyes andIdescribewhatIsee Satiric Mrs Crawley whomayhavebeendisposedduringthisperiodofelationtoslightthepeople honestyoungmilitarymenmostly whoformedherhusband schiefsociety BeckySharp Rebecca anorphanwhoisastrong willedandcleveryoungwomandeterminedtomakeherwayinsocietyandclimbupintotheupperclass AmeliaSedley thedaughterofawealthymerchant Agoodnatured loveablethoughsimple mindedyounggirlwhowholeheartedlylovedherhusband GeorgeOsborne AmeliaSedley WilliamDobbin BeckySharp RawdonCrawley JosephSedley Plots BeckyandAmelialeaveschoolBeckytriestoentrapJosephBeckybecomingSirPittCrawley sgoverness secretlymarriedtoRawdonCrawleyAmelia sfathergotbankrupt captainDobbinhelpedAmeliaandGeorgeOsbornetogetmarriedwholaterdiedinthebattlefieldRawdonCrawleyimprisonedfordebt findsBeckyentertainingLordSteyne LeavesforIndiaanddiesoffeverBeckymetAmeliaagainandtoldhertheinfidelityofGeorge AmeliamarriedDobbinBeckyliveswithJosephandgetsallhispropertywhenhedies Beckyliveslikeagrandlady Theme Thetreasuresofvanityfair whichismoneyandposition aredesirablebuttransient Althoughonemayliveinvanityfair oneneednotbeaslavetoitsvalues whicheventuallyturnintoemptiness Ofcoursetruelove Ameliaalwayslovedherhusbandeventhoughhebetrayedher andshewaslovedbyWilliamDobbin IfIhave5000pounds Iwillbeagoodwomantoo BeckySharp Ah VanitasVanitatum Whichofusishappyinthisworld Whichofushashisdesire orhavingit issatisfied ThackerayItisitstragicironythatmakesVanityFairalastingandinsightfulevaluationofhumanambitionandexperience Thankyou