Vanity Fairis a masterpiece ofWilliam MakepeaceThackeray; William MakepeaceThackeray is a representative critical realism in 19thcentury. Thackeraywas born atCalcuttain 1811. His father died when he was only 4 years old, then his motherremarried to a wealth businessman and he was sent back toUKto go toschool at the age 6. In 1829, he went to theCambridge, where he made great achievement insocial activities while in academics just the reverse, and then since 1833, hestarted publishing articles on newspapers and magazines. He also published somebooks, but it was not until the publication ofVanity Fairthat made himknown as a talented novelist and as famous as Charles Dickens.
Vanity Fairdepicts vividly the uglyof the declining aristocrat of the then upper-class and the intrigues of thebourgeois upstarts in a sarcastic way. The novel is of broad framework, magnificentscene, complicated plot and deep psycho-drawing. What makes Thackeray’s famespread far and wide is his wonderful ironic style.
Thecharacters in this novel are forged through contrast and the main characterscome in pairs as Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp. The story opens at MissPinkerton’s Academy for Young Ladies, where the principal protagonists BeckySharp and Amelia Sedley have just completed their studies and preparing fordepart for Amelia’s house inRussell
Square.
Thestory was developed on two clues. One is about the deceased poor painter’sdaughter Becky. After leavingPinkertonBoarding School, shestays temporarily at a rich family Miss Amelia’s home, but she dissatisfieswith her life there. She tries to seduce Amelia’s elder fat brother JosephSedley in order to enter the rank and fashion society. Eventually, because ofthe warnings from Captain Osborne, she fails. Becky goes to Pitt Grawley’s homeas a tutor. She plays some means such as being unctuous. Her behavior at Mr.Pitt’s house gains her the favor from Mr. Pitt who proposes to her after theearly death of his second wife. However, it soon transpires that Becky isalready secretly married to his second son, Rawdon Crawley, a gallant butignorant and dissolute man. Later, Becky has a son. But she is a cold, distantmother. Finally, Becky is abandoned. After many vicissitudes, though herambitious are defeated, she ends up as a “respected” member of society.
Theother clue writes the pure girl Amelia who is deeply in love with the officerGeorge Osborne. George ultimately decides to marry Amelia against his father’swill. But George is deprives his inheritance consequently by his father. Theyovercome many obstacles and finally get married. Before lone, the newly weddedGeorge grows tired of Amelia and he becomes increasingly attached to Becky. Althoughher husband abandons her very quickly, Amelia is loyal to George. Even afterher husband died, she is unwilling to remarry soon. Finally, stung byconscience, Becky tells the fact that George made an appointment with herselfto run away with him before his death. This breaks George’s perfect image inAmelia’s mind. After knowing the fact, Amelia agrees to get married to Dobbin.
Inthe novel, Thackeray adopts a great number of rhetorical devices to describethe two main figures’ words, expression and behavior. That makes the sentencesvivid and arouses the reader’ interest in reading. The images, plot andlanguage show the hidden paradox of sensuality and redemption. The book givesus a whole view of the nobility’s life which is perfectly extravagant.Readingbetween thelines, we can find that Becky is a beautiful and strong-willed and cunningyoung woman who is determined to make her way to the upper society. To get ridof poverty, Becky makes every possible effort, by hook or crook. She is a greatbeliever of Be yourself and on your own way! Given in the modern society, Beckyis an ambitious woman. She is not afraid of failure. However, because of thelack of a perfect plan, she failed in the end. Becky is tragedy in character.by contrast, Amelia Aedley is a good-natures, loveable through simple-mindedyoung girl. She does not understand what life is. She portrayed as a coward. Sheis pitiful but happy. She does not run counter to her fate, but yield herselfto it quite contently. Yet God blesses her. She comes across a perfect manDobbin and gets married to him at last.
Nowadays,people are going after fame and fortune. Once you have owned one of them,others will pay social attention to you, which makes you arrogant and proundand forget who you are.
That’swhat Becky does. On the one hand, she is full of ideas and intelligence. On theother hand, she is dangerous and cunning. It is true that every one should tryhis best to achieve what he is pursuing. But we should do it in a proper way. Andwhatever we do, we shouldn’t forget that love and humanity should remain themost cherishable elements in our life.
We,as women of the new era, should make our voice heard to the world: “we are notweak; we are the masters of this world!” we should bravely seek after ourhappiness, but in a proper way. Meanwhile, we should be independent. We cannotalways rely on others. We should have our own dreams, our own aspiration. Indoing so, happiness will be there waiting for us.
Today we are living in a harmonious society; se should keep our purity and humanity. Fame and fortune are important, but they are not everything. Love and humanity are of more importance for a peaceful life. We should trust each other, help each other,and take care of each other. Respect the reality and that’s the best way to remain beauty of human’s deepest “beauty”.
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