Vanity Fair

William Makepeace Thackeray’s satirical novel of Becky Sharp, a penniless, clever governess set on rising in English society, and her schoolfriend Amelia Sedley, from the years before Waterloo onward.

Start reading68 chapters, about 306,000 words

Famous quotes

• “Revenge may be wicked, but it’s natural,” answered Miss Rebecca. “I’m no angel.”

  Chapter IIIn context

  • Good & Evil

• The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice.

  Chapter IIIn context

  • Happiness
  • Laughter

• I am tempted to think that to be despised by her sex is a very great compliment to a woman.

  Chapter XIIIn context

  • Women

• Some cynical Frenchman has said that there are two parties to a love-transaction: the one who loves and the other who condescends to be so treated.

  Chapter XIIIIn context

  • Love

• If people only made prudent marriages, what a stop to population there would be!

  Chapter XVIIn context

  • Comedy
  • Marriage

• Yes, if a man’s character is to be abused, say what you will, there’s nobody like a relation to do the business.

  Chapter XIXIn context

  • Clever Jabs
  • Family

• Always to be right, always to trample forward, and never to doubt, are not these the great qualities with which dullness takes the lead in the world?

  Chapter XXXVIn context

  • Character
  • Leadership

• Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children

  Chapter XXXVIIIn context

  • Children
  • Family
  • God

• I think I could be a good woman if I had five thousand a year.

  Chapter XLIIn context

  • Comedy
  • Money
  • Virtue

Contents

1. Before the Curtain
2. Chapter IChiswick Mall
3. Chapter IIIn Which Miss Sharp and Miss Sedley Prepare to Open the Campaign
4. Chapter IIIRebecca Is in Presence of the Enemy
5. Chapter IVThe Green Silk Purse
6. Chapter VDobbin of Ours
7. Chapter VIVauxhall
8. Chapter VIICrawley of Queen’s Crawley
9. Chapter VIIIPrivate and Confidential
10. Chapter IXFamily Portraits
11. Chapter XMiss Sharp Begins to Make Friends
12. Chapter XIArcadian Simplicity
13. Chapter XIIQuite a Sentimental Chapter
14. Chapter XIIISentimental and Otherwise
15. Chapter XIVMiss Crawley at Home
16. Chapter XVIn Which Rebecca’s Husband Appears for a Short Time
17. Chapter XVIThe Letter on the Pincushion
18. Chapter XVIIHow Captain Dobbin Bought a Piano
19. Chapter XVIIIWho Played on the Piano Captain Dobbin Bought
20. Chapter XIXMiss Crawley at Nurse
21. Chapter XXIn Which Captain Dobbin Acts as the Messenger of Hymen
22. Chapter XXIA Quarrel About an Heiress
23. Chapter XXIIA Marriage and Part of a Honeymoon
24. Chapter XXIIICaptain Dobbin Proceeds on His Canvass
25. Chapter XXIVIn Which Mr. Osborne Takes Down the Family Bible
26. Chapter XXVIn Which All the Principal Personages Think Fit to Leave Brighton
27. Chapter XXVIBetween London and Chatham
28. Chapter XXVIIIn Which Amelia Joins Her Regiment
29. Chapter XXVIIIIn Which Amelia Invades the Low Countries
30. Chapter XXIXBrussels
31. Chapter XXX“The Girl I Left Behind Me”
32. Chapter XXXIIn Which Jos Sedley Takes Care of His Sister
33. Chapter XXXIIIn Which Jos Takes Flight, and the War Is Brought to a Close
34. Chapter XXXIIIIn Which Miss Crawley’s Relations Are Very Anxious About Her
35. Chapter XXXIVJames Crawley’s Pipe Is Put Out
36. Chapter XXXVWidow and Mother
37. Chapter XXXVIHow to Live Well on Nothing a Year
38. Chapter XXXVIIThe Subject Continued
39. Chapter XXXVIIIA Family in a Very Small Way
40. Chapter XXXIXA Cynical Chapter
41. Chapter XLIn Which Becky Is Recognized by the Family
42. Chapter XLIIn Which Becky Revisits the Halls of Her Ancestors
43. Chapter XLIIWhich Treats of the Osborne Family
44. Chapter XLIIIIn Which the Reader Has to Double the Cape
45. Chapter XLIVA Round-about Chapter between London and Hampshire
46. Chapter XLVBetween Hampshire and London
47. Chapter XLVIStruggles and Trials
48. Chapter XLVIIGaunt House
49. Chapter XLVIIIIn Which the Reader Is Introduced to the Very Best of Company
50. Chapter XLIXIn Which We Enjoy Three Courses and a Dessert
51. Chapter LContains a Vulgar Incident
52. Chapter LIIn Which a Charade Is Acted Which May or May Not Puzzle the Reader
53. Chapter LIIIn Which Lord Steyne Shows Himself in a Most Amiable Light
54. Chapter LIIIA Rescue and a Catastrophe
55. Chapter LIVSunday After the Battle
56. Chapter LVIn Which the Same Subject is Pursued
57. Chapter LVIGeorgy is Made a Gentleman
58. Chapter LVIIEothen
59. Chapter LVIIIOur Friend the Major
60. Chapter LIXThe Old Piano
61. Chapter LXReturns to the Genteel World
62. Chapter LXIIn Which Two Lights are Put Out
63. Chapter LXIIAm Rhein
64. Chapter LXIIIIn Which We Meet an Old Acquaintance
65. Chapter LXIVA Vagabond Chapter
66. Chapter LXVFull of Business and Pleasure
67. Chapter LXVIAmantium Irae
68. Chapter LXVIIWhich Contains Births, Marriages, and Deaths