The Vicar of Wakefield n/e (Oxford World's Classics)

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Though his family and Jenkinson try to convince Dr. Primrose to submit to the Squire and give the marriage his blessing in the hope that he will be released, he refuses to do so. They also attempt to petition Sir William but receive no reply. Olivia, weak and depressed after her ordeal, dies. After Olivia’s death, Dr. Primrose finally relents and asks the Squire to be released, but the Squire refuses. The Primroses then learn that unknown assailants have kidnapped Sophia. The family then receive word from George, who is happy and well, and Mrs. Primrose reveals she asked George to duel the Squire; thankfully, however, the happy tone of George’s letter suggests that he never got Mrs. Primrose’s message. Just then. However, George is brought to the prison, charged with wounding the men the Squire sent to fight him, confirming that he did receive his mother’s letter after all. In their new neighborhood, the vicar works as a curate and farmer. The family sends George, who had been educated at Oxford, to London in hopes that he can earn a living there to supplement the family's income. The new area is comfortable and pastoral, but the women in particular find it difficult to acclimate to a lower level of fashion than they are accustomed to. As it seems like the girls will indeed soon leave for town, the vicar decides to sell the family’s other horse to obtain a better one. This time, he travels to the fair himself. In prison, the vicar befriends Ephraim Jenkinson, who had duped him of his horses. The vicar resolves to forgive Ephraim and goes ahead to turn around other prisoners with sermons. With the help of Ephraim, they write to William about Thornhill.

Foreshadowing: The use of foreshadowing in the novel creates suspense and tension, hinting at the events that will unfold later in the story. In many ways, social class is one of the most pernicious forces in the novel. Despite the vicar’s outward support of poverty, the Primrose family cannot accept having lost its upper-middle-class status. Because they continue to see the world in terms of social class, they prove blind to Squire Thornhill’s machinations and question good people like Mr Burchell and the Flamborough girls. Even as their attempts to act above their station embarrass them, the Primrose family continues to push for a certain level of appearance. Though both Olivia's health and the vicar's own health are fading, he refuses to make peace with Squire Thornhill until Jenkinson brings word that Olivia has died. Anguished, the vicar sends a letter of peace to Squire Thornhill, who refuses to compromise because of the letter the vicar sent to Sir William. One day, they are alarmed to see that man approaching. When he joins them, acting as though nothing has changed, the vicar angrily calls him a “poor pitiful wretch”(120). After attempting to feign ignorance, the squire angrily concedes that he will keep Olivia as wife and allow her to keep a lover. When the vicar more violently insults the squire , in turn, the latter threatens that the vicar will soon regret such animosity, and then leaves.

George, the eldest son, becomes engaged to Miss Arabella Wilmot. Both families are overjoyed and spend months celebrating, even though the couple has not yet set a date. Together, the families dine, the ladies dance and study, the men hunt, and everyone has a delightful time. A few of the incidents in these chapters bear some explanation. For instance, after Olivia and Sophia hear their fortunes read, they begin to misinterpret their dreams to support their hopes. The particulars they use to refer to rural superstitions that were characteristic of the time – a 1755 edition of The Connoisseur said a purse was a “round cinder, as opposed to a hollow oblong one, which betokens a coffin,” and the 1756 Universal Spectator said, “she never has any Thing befalls her, without some fore-notice or other; she…is forewarn’d of Deaths by bursting of Coffins out of the Fire; Purses too from the same Element promise Money; and her Candle brings her Letters constantly before the Post.” It is worth realizing how Goldsmith seeks to skewer not just universal human qualities like the delusions of pride, but also some specific instances of foolishness that he observed in his day.

As for George, he marries Arabella. Thornhill lives in desolation far away with a relative. The vicar recovers his fortune from the swindler merchant when he is caught. George joins the Arnolds, his father, and former fiancée. The vicar is surprised to discover that George lives in poverty since he was supposed to earn money for the family. Eventually, George tells the story of his adventures. He first went to London and met up with his cousin, as planned. He intended to work as an usher at the academy, but the cousin discouraged him from this plan, instead suggesting he become a writer. George liked the idea but found little success in writing about topics that actually interested him. Several hours pass and the vicar can hardly interest anyone in the horse since it seems the beast has several medical conditions. Eventually, the vicar agrees to have a drink with a fellow clergyman. In the ale-house, the vicar is impressed by a respectable older gentleman, who both seems intelligent and exhibits charity when he gives a poor boy some money. The Vicar of Wakefield, Oliver Goldsmith’s most famous work, is often classified as a sentimental novel, and many of that genre’s elements are already apparent in these early chapters. These elements include main characters who are paragons of virtue; an idyllic pastoral setting; and most importantly, a change in fortune that challenges their morality and delicacy. (See the Additional Content section of the study guide for more information on sentimental fiction). Misfortunes will continue to beset the family as the novel proceeds, and it is already clear that the primary conflict will lie in how they adapt their virtue in the fact of these troubles. The Squire’s threat proves to be true. The next morning, a steward arrives to demand rent that the vicar obviously cannot pay. The family begs him to apologize to and negotiate with the squire, but he refuses to “tamely sit down and flatter our infamous betrayer” (122).Happiness and misery rather the result of prudence than of virtue in this life. Temporal evils or felicities being regarded by heaven as things merely in themselves trifling and unworthy its care in the distribution One day, Deborah decides to probe into the squire’s intentions, and slyly asks him whether he knows of an appropriate suitor for Olivia. When she suggests that they are considering Father Williams, the squire vehemently refuses to support such a match, citing his private sentiments as his reason. The family naturally takes this as further evidence of his desire to propose. The novel alludes to historical events and figures of the time, grounding the story in a specific historical context. The family asks around to determine who has slandered their name, to no avail. One day, one of the young boys discovers a letter case that belongs to Mr Burchell. In the case is a letter that seems to denounce the reputations of Olivia and Sophia. Naturally, they are incensed. Soon afterwards, Mr Burchell visits their house, and the vicar assails him with violent criticism. The family is so angry that they do not allow him to speak. Eventually, Mr Burchell grows equally angry and threatens that he could have the vicar arrested for opening mail that does not belong to him. With a promise never to return, he leaves. acquired that status of household word as The Great Lexicographer. Had Goldsmith not given his only novel to Johnson to review, it might never have been

Eventually, the squire asked George to fight a duel on his behalf, in a matter concerning a lady’s honour. Though he felt terribly about, he performed well. Main characters [ edit ] Choosing the Wedding Gown by William Mulready, an illustration of Ch. 1 Charles Primrose [ edit ] The squire introduces the vicar's daughters to two fashionable ladies, who suggest they might find positions for the girls in the city. The family is pleased, but incensed when they discover that Mr. Burchell has written a letter ambiguously threatening the girls' reputations. Because of this letter, the plan to move the girls to town is foiled. Mr. Burchell is banished from the house. what I suspect him, no free-thinker shall ever have a child of mine.’‘Sure, father,’ cried Moses, ‘you are too severe in this; for The family works to recover from their calamity. Their neighbours continue to prove helpful, especially Farmer Williams, who cares for Olivia despite her recent shame. Nevertheless, she is not interested in him, and instead stews in her grief. The vicar tries to amuse his daughter with stories, but she only broods on her misfortune. Soon enough, her grief turns to jealousy and resentment of Sophia.The vicar makes friends with a cute, scholarly, and down and out young man, Mr. Burchell after he rescues Sophia from drowning. Sophia is attracted to Mr.Burchell. At the same time, the family also gets wind of their new landlord, Squire Thornhill, known to be a rascal who lives on the generosity of his uncle, Sir William Thornhill. The initial idyllic life of the family is ironic, given the various difficulties they will face later on. Appearance and Reality: The theme of appearance and reality is central to the novel, as characters grapple with the contrast between their outward appearances and their inner lives and motivations. Oliver Goldsmith's hugely successful novel of 1766 remained for generations one of the most highly regarded and beloved works of eighteenth-century fiction. It depicts the fall and rise of the Primrose family, presided over by the benevolent vicar, the narrator of a fairy-tale plot of impersonation and deception, the abduction of a beautiful heroine and the machinations of an aristocratic villain. By turns comic and sentimental, the novel's popularity owes much to its recognizable depiction of domestic life and loving family relationships. A proof that even the humblest fortune may grant happiness, which depends not on circumstance, but constitution