The “Vanity Fair” by Thackeray in brief summary
England, the beginning of the XIX century. Europe is at war with Napoleon, but this does not prevent a lot of people, possessed by ambition, to pursue the pursuit of worldly goods – status, titles, ranks. Vanity Fair, the Bazaar of everyday life Fusses day and night…
Two young girls leave the boarding house Miss Pinkerton. Emilia Sedley, the daughter of a wealthy Esq., Is a sample of pure English, somewhat sweet and virtuous. She “has a kind, gentle and generous heart,” and, in truth, does not shine with the mind. Another thing Rebecca Sharp. The daughter of a dissolute artist and ballet dancer, Frenchwoman, “is small, frail and pale,” but one look of her green eyes is already capable of dashing any man on the spot. Becky, who grew up in gay poverty, is intelligent, sharp at the tongue, sees people through and through, determined to win at any price a place under the sun, even by hypocrisy and deception. What to do, because the poor man has
Emilia, sincerely attached to Becky, invites her to stay, and she enjoys hospitality in the best possible way. The little cheat knows how to please everyone, but most importantly, she tries her charm with great success on Joseph Sedley, Emilia’s brother. Flattery, pretense, and this “lazy, grouchy and bonvivan” is ready for the last decisive step. Unfortunately, Mr. George Osborne, the bridegroom of Emilia, interferes with the case, as a result of which the hopes of the young intriguer are crumbling, and Joseph is fleeing. In Miss Sharp’s life a new page opens: she takes up the duties of a governess in King’s Crawley, the hereditary estate of Sir Pitt Crowley, “an incredibly vulgar and incredibly dirty old man”, a drunkard, a screech and a bitch. Ingenuity, the ability to pretend and hypocrite help Becky win the favor of all the inhabitants of the estate, beginning with her students and ending with Mr. Pitt Crowley, the eldest son of a baronet, a true “well-bred gentleman,”
Royal Crowley makes an annual visit to the unmarried sister of Sir Pitt, whose bank account contains a considerable amount. This old lady “knows with atheists and Frenchmen,” likes to live happily and godlessly tyrannizes a companion, a servant, and along with numerous relatives who are hoping to receive an inheritance. She hates neither Sir Pitt nor his eldest son, but adores the younger – Rodon Crowley – a close officer of the Guard, a wag, a player and a duelist. Miss Crowley finds Rebecca so charming and witty that, ill, she takes her to her London home, where the romance between a poor governess and the youngest son of a baronet ends. Ends with a secret marriage, for, despite her aunt’s attachment to Freedom and Equality, she can get very angry. Everything opens after the death of Sir Pitt’s wife, when he, not too saddened by this untimely death, tries to bring Rebecca back to the Royal Crowley. Sir Pitt falls to his knees, inviting her to become Lady Crowley, and at this moment, the unconquerable Becky for the first time in her life loses the presence of the spirit and bursts out with “the most genuine tears.” Why did she hurry? What chance is lost!
The young couple are cursed by everyone. No matter how Rodon, led by umnenkoy Rebekka, tries to restore the location of his aunt, he does not succeed. The champion of democracy and a lover of romantic marriages for the rest of her days will never forgive the nephew of the misalliance. About Sir Pitt and say nothing: the old man literally “loses his mind from hatred and unfulfilled desires,” more and more descends, and only his death saves the family nest from the final devastation and outrage. The spouses have to count only on the modest salary of the captain of the Guards. However, the resilient Becky perfectly understands the art, which is more than once useful to her in life, the art of living more or less cliquish, without having a penny of cash. She does not lose hope of taking a more brilliant place in society and agrees to suffer, and Rodon,
Meanwhile, over the head of Emilia clouds are gathering, and Napoleon turns out to be the wine, surprisingly, or Boni, as it is called by the English. The flight of Bonaparte from the Elbe and the landing of his army in Cannes change the state of affairs on the stock exchange and entail the complete devastation of John Sedley, the father of Emilia. And who is “the most intractable and stubborn of creditors”? His friend and neighbor John Osborne, whom he helped to get out into people. Sedley’s property goes under the hammer, the family relocates to a wretched rented apartment, but not because of this Amelia suffers. The trouble is that this simple-minded girl loves the groom not as it should be in the Vanity Fair, but with all her heart and for the rest of her life. She sincerely believes that the empty, narcissistic and fictitious George Osborne is the most beautiful and intelligent man in the world. In contrast to Rebecca, all of whose actions are dictated by “
After the collapse of John Sedley, his father forbids George to marry Emilia. Moreover, her own father also does not want to hear about marriage with the “son of a scoundrel”. Poor Emilie in despair. But here Captain Dobbin, a loyal friend of George, an honest and generous man, who has long been fond of Emilia, does not dare to admit even to himself, interferes in this matter. He persuades George, not of alien noble impulses, to marry Emilia against the will of his father. Needless to say, the father refuses George and deprives him of his inheritance.
Both disgraced fours meet in Brussels, where the regiment of George and Dobbin is speaking and the General of the Guard of Tufto arrives with the adjutant Rodon Crowley. The regiment admires Emilia with rapture, but her friend revolves in a much more brilliant society. Wherever Rebecca appeared, she is always surrounded by a crowd of notable admirers. In their number falls and George Osborne. Becky’s coquetry and his own vanity lead him so far that at the ball he hands her a bouquet with a letter in which she begs to run with him. But on the same day Napoleon’s troops cross Sambre, and George, full of unspoken remorse, bids farewell to his wife. He says goodbye to die in a few days at the Battle of Waterloo.
And Becky and Rodon after Waterloo spend three years in Paris. Rebecca enjoys tremendous success, she is admitted to the highest society, the French are not as picky as the English. However, she is not going to stay in France for life. The whole family returns to London, where the couple Crowley lives, as always, on credit, giving out promises to everyone and not paying anyone. Aunt Rodon finally retires to a different world, leaving almost all of the estate to the elder nephew, married to Lord Southdown’s daughter Lady Jane, an honest and dignified woman. Soon, Sir Pitt dies, and the new Baronet, feeling guilty before his brother, considers it his duty to unite the family. And then Rebecca again appears in the Royal Crawley and again manages to charm everyone. What she does not have to do for this! Even to depict love for his son,
The delicate flattery of Rebecca captivates the newly-made baronet so much that he almost every day is in her house. Equally often there is the almighty Lord Stein, the great patron of Becky, the old cynic, with the help of which the former governess “scrambles and pushes forward.” In what ways she achieves this, no one can say anything definite, but Lord Steyn gives her diamonds and places her cellars at her disposal. Finally, there is an event that puts Becky on a par with respectable ladies, she is presented to the court. She enters the highest circles of London’s light and is convinced that the strengths of this world are no different from the “Smiths and Joneses.” When the first ecstasy passes, Becky becomes bored. And her husband every day feels more and more alone among “intrigues,
The brilliant procession of Becky at the Vanity Fair ends in a catastrophe. Rodon convicts her, if not treason, then in treachery, trying to challenge Lord Stein to a duel and eventually leaves England to take over as Governor of Coventry Island. Rebecca disappears, and Rodon Crowley, Jr. remains in the care of his uncle and his wife, who replaces his mother. And what about Emilia? The death of her husband almost cost her life, she was saved only by the birth of her son, whom she worships, how she idolized her husband. For a long time she lives with her parents, endures poverty and deprivation and finds joy in little Georgie. But the old John Osborne, struck by the resemblance of his grandson with the late son, suggests taking the boy and raising him as a gentleman. Poor Emilia parted with her son for his own good, and after the death of his mother, To brighten up the last days of the old man’s father. But just at the time when Rebecca suffers a crushing collapse, fortune turns to face Emilia. From India, Major Dobbin returns with her brother Joseph, who swears that from now on his family will not know the need. How the major’s faithful heart freezes as he approaches the house where Mrs. Osborne lives, what happiness embraces him when he finds out that she has not married. True, there is not much to hope for either. Emilia still does not seem to notice the disinterested, faithful love Dobbin, still does not see his outstanding virtues. She remains faithful to her husband’s memory, with all the hardness of virtue giving Dobbin “to look and languish.” Soon John Sedley dies, and after him John Osborne. He leaves little Georgie half the fortune and restores the widow of his “beloved son” in tutelary rights. Emilia finds out that she owes Dobbin to this, learns that he was an unknown benefactor who supported her in years of need. But “for this incomparable devotion, she can only pay with gratitude” …
On the banks of the Rhine, in a small duchy, again meets two “girlfriends.” Emilie makes a trip abroad with her son, her brother and Dobbin, and Rebecca has long fluttered around Europe, squandering in the card game and questionable adventures the content assigned to her husband, and everywhere compatriots from a decent society shy away from her as from plague. But now she sees Joseph Sedley, and in her soul, hope awakens. The poor slandered sufferer, who had been robbed of her honest name and her beloved child, as in former times, easily traces around her finger the fat dandy and Emilia, who, apparently, did not grow wiser at all and did not learn anything. Dobbin, always disgusted with Becky, quarrels over her with Emilia and for the first time in her life rebukes her for not appreciating “affection, which pride would be shared by a more sublime soul. “He decides to part with Emilia forever.” Becky, after admiring Dobbin and “scornful pity” for Emilia, performs the only unselfish act she does. “She shows Emily George’s letter proving his infidelity. Emilia is free and can answer the feeling of Dobbin. The story comes to an end. Dobbin connects with Emilia, they lead a quiet life in their cozy home and are friends with the inhabitants of the Royal Crowley. Joseph until the end of his days owl He is dying under “unclear circumstances.” He dies of yellow fever and Rodon Crowley Sr. His son, after the death of his uncle, inherits the title and estate, he does not want to see his mother, but appoints her generous content, although she does not have that is enough provided. Rebecca has many friends who consider her unjustly offended. She lives on a broad scale and is diligently engaged in charity. That’s all. Is Rebecca happy? Are Amelia and Dobbin happy? And who of us is happy in this world?
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)