First published serially from 1847 to 1848, “Vanity Fair” is William Makepeace Thackeray’s most famous work in which the author reflects his interest in deconstructing the notions of literary heroism of his era. It is the story of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley, who have just completed their studies at Miss Pinkerton’s Academy for Young Ladies and are beginning to embark upon the world. The simple-minded nature of Amelia, who comes from a wealthy family, is contrasted with the strong-willed nature of Becky, who will stop at nothing to climb the social ranks of English society. The novel takes its name from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, one of the most famous work of Thackeray’s day, in which a town called Vanity is depicted to represent man’s sinful attachment to worldly things. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, “Vanity Fair” is Thackeray’s classic satire of the societal trappings of Victorian England, self described as a novel without a hero. This edition includes an introduction by John Edwin Wells, illustrations by Charles Crombie, and a biographical afterword.
