The Vicar of Wakefield
The Vicar of Wakefield: A Tale, Supposed to Be Written by Himself is a 1766 sentimental novel by Anglo-Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith. It was written from 1761 to 1762 and published in London in 1766. It was one of the most popular and widely read 18th-century novels among the British citizenry, and remains a classic of English literature. The work also saw over 200 editions being printed during the same period and was considered a staple of English reading novels.
The novel follows the Primrose family's journey from wealth, joy and prosperity to hardship, ruin and social disgrace, ultimately culminating in their return to happiness and good social standing. Through a series of unexpected events and incidents, as well as the arrival of Sir William Thornhill, the family slowly overcomes their difficulties one by one and regains their former status. Goldsmith uses a variety of methods, including satire and comedy, to expose the moral failings, indifference and hypocrisy of the upper classes, contrasting them with the Primroses family's plain but virtuous life.
The book consists of 32 chapters divided into three parts, and Samuel Johnson played a major role in its publication. Critics generally regarded the work as a fictitious memoir, narrated from the perspective of the Vicar. While it is categorised as a sentimental novel, it also has features of a satire, and has been used by scholars to explain the problem of evil. The work was noted for addressing the prevailing social and rural aspects of the time. It also idealised the portrayal of village life and the inherent goodness of its characters, particularly Charles Primrose and his family, while emphasising themes of faith, virtue, and resilience. Primrose, in particular, embodies Christian values and steadfastly maintains his integrity despite facing financial ruin, imprisonment, and the moral failings of his children.
The novel is Goldsmith’s best-known work, and has been adapted for drama and opera. It influenced scores of later English writers during the Victorian era, and is also studied in literary circles for its language and idyllic setting of British citizenry life during the 18th century. The characters in the work find mention in some of the best-known novels of the 19th century, including A Tale of Two Cities, Emma, Little Women, Middlemarch, and Frankenstein. Critics have often made comparisons between the themes of the novel and the Book of Job, particularly in philosophical terms. The work served as a notable predecessor to Gothic and Romantic literature as well, due to it challenging the ideals of rationalism.
Publication
, one of Goldsmith's closest friends, told how The Vicar of Wakefield came to be sold for publication:The novel was The Vicar of Wakefield, and Johnson had sold it to Francis Newbery, nephew of publisher John Newbery. Newbery "kept it by him for nearly two years unpublished".
The 1929 edition was illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
Plot summary
The Vicar – Dr. Charles Primrose – lives an idyllic life in a country parish with his wife Deborah, sons George, Moses, Bill, and Dick, and daughters Olivia and Sophia. He is wealthy due to investing an inheritance he received from a deceased relative, and he donates the £35 that his job pays annually to the widows and orphans of local clergy. On the evening of George's wedding to wealthy Arabella Wilmot, the Vicar loses all his money through the bankruptcy of his merchant investor who has left town abruptly. In the novel, Primrose embodies Christian values and steadfastly maintains his integrity despite facing financial ruin, imprisonment, and the moral failings of his children.The wedding is called off by Arabella's father, who is known for his prudence with money. George, who was educated at Oxford and is old enough to be considered an adult, is sent away to town. The rest of the family move to a new and more humble parish on the land of Squire Thornhill, who is known to be a womanizer. On the way, they hear about the dubious reputation of their new landlord. Also, references are made to the squire's uncle Sir William Thornhill, who is known throughout the country for his worthiness and generosity.
A poor and eccentric friend, Mr. Burchell, whom they meet at an inn, rescues Sophia from drowning. She is instantly attracted to him, but her ambitious mother does not encourage her feelings.
Then follows a period of happy family life, interrupted only by regular visits of the dashing Squire Thornhill and Mr. Burchell. Olivia is captivated by Thornhill's hollow charm; but he also encourages the social ambitions of Mrs. Primrose and her daughters to a ludicrous degree.
Finally, Olivia is reported to have fled. First Burchell is suspected, but after a long pursuit Dr. Primrose finds his daughter, who was in fact deceived by Squire Thornhill. He planned to marry her in a mock ceremony and leave her shortly after, as he had done with several women before.
When Olivia and her father return home, they find their house in flames. Although the family has lost almost all their belongings, the evil Squire Thornhill insists on the payment of the rent. As the vicar cannot pay, he is brought to prison.
A series of dreadful developments follows. The vicar's daughter, Olivia, is reported dead, Sophia is abducted, and George too is sent to prison in chains and covered with blood, as he had challenged Thornhill to a duel when he had heard about his wickedness.
Then Mr. Burchell arrives and solves all problems. He rescues Sophia, Olivia is not dead, and it emerges that Mr. Burchell is in reality the worthy Sir William Thornhill, who travels through the country in disguise. In the end, there is a double wedding: George marries Arabella, as he originally intended, and Sir William Thornhill marries Sophia. Squire Thornhill's servant turns out to have tricked him, and what the Squire thought to be a sham marriage of himself and Olivia is in fact valid. Finally, even the wealth of the vicar is restored, as the bankrupt merchant is reported found.
Structure and narrative technique
The book consists of 32 chapters which fall into three parts:- Chapters 1–3: beginning
- Chapters 4–29: main part
- Chapters 30–32: ending
There are quite a few interpolations of different literary genres, such as poems, histories or sermons, which widen the restricted view of the first person narrator and serve as didactic fables.
The novel can be regarded as a fictitious memoir, as it is told by the vicar himself by retrospection.
Main characters
Charles Primrose
He is the vicar in the title, and the narrator of the story. He presents one of the most harmlessly simple and unsophisticated yet also ironically complex figures ever to appear in English fiction. He has a mild, forgiving temper, as seen when he forgives his daughter Olivia with open arms. He is a loving husband and a father of six healthy, blooming children. However, though he usually has a sweet, benevolent temper, he can sometimes be a bit silly, stubborn, or vain. For instance, he is obsessed with a particularly obscure, and not very important, matter of church doctrine. One of his "favourite topics", he declares, is matrimony, and explains that he is proud of being "a strict monogamist". He tactlessly adheres to his "principles" in the face of a violent disagreement with the neighbour who was soon to become his son's father-in-law. He "...was called out by one of my relations, who, with a face of concern, advised me to give up the dispute, at least till my son's wedding was over." However, he angrily cries that he will not "relinquish the cause of truth", and hotly says, "You might as well advise me to give up my fortune as my argument." This is ironic, as he immediately finds out that his fortune has been unexpectedly reduced to almost nothing. This makes Mr. Wilmot break off the intended marriage with Mr. Primrose's son George and Miss Arabella Wilmot, and thus his son's happiness is almost shattered. He is sometimes proud of what he fancies is his ability at arguing, and often misjudges his family's supposed friends and neighbours. However, despite all his faults, he is affectionate, faithful, loving, patient and essentially good-natured.Deborah Primrose
Dr. Charles Primrose's wife. She is faithful, if still rather independent-minded. She has some vanity of her own, however: she has a "passion" for clothes, and is seen making a "wash" for her girls. She is also eager to see her daughters splendidly married, and this ambition sometimes blinds her. Dr. Charles Primrose refers to her as "a good-natured notable woman; and as for breeding, there were few country ladies who could shew more. She could read any English book without much spelling, but for pickling, preserving, and cookery, none could excel her." She is even prouder of her children than her husband, especially her beautiful girls.Olivia and Sophia Primrose
Their father originally wished to name each after their aunt Grissel, but other considerations prevented him. They are affectionate, generally dutiful daughters. Of his daughters, the vicar claims, "Olivia...had that luxuriancy of beauty with which painters generally draw Hebe; open, sprightly, and commanding...Sophia's features were not so striking at first; but often did more certain execution; for they were soft, modest, and alluring. The one vanquished by a single blow, the other by efforts successfully repeated...Olivia wished for many lovers, Sophia to secure one. Olivia was often affected from too great a desire to please. Sophia even represt excellence from her fears to offend."
They both alike reflect their father's nature of being good-hearted, though prone to occasional fault; Olivia runs away with Mr. Thornhill in a rush of impetuous passion, and even the more sensible Sophia joins in with making "a wash" for herself and dressing up in fancy clothes.