Mr. Sedley Character Analysis in Vanity Fair

Mr. Sedley is the husband of Mrs. Sedley and the father of Jos and Amelia. He begins as a successful stockbroker and a friend of Mr. Osborne’s, but the Napoleonic Wars wipe out his fortune, which complicates George Osborne and Amelia’s plans to marry. Mr. Sedley continues to make bad financial decisions and hold his children back, selling off the annuity that Jos sends him from India.

Mr. Sedley Quotes in Vanity Fair

The Vanity Fair quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Sedley or refer to Mr. Sedley. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

‘Only I wish you had sown those wild oats of yours, George. If you could have seen poor little Miss Emmy’s face when she asked me about you the other day, you would have pitched those billiard-balls to the deuce. Go and comfort her, you rascal. Go and write her a long letter. Do something to make her happy; a very little will.’

Related Characters: Dobbin (speaker), Mr. Sedley, Mr. Osborne, George, Amelia

Related Symbols: Billiards

Page Number and Citation: 135

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Dobbin is talking to George about the state of George’s engagement with Amelia. George’s father, Mr. Osborne, wants George to call off the engagement because of the recent financial hardships that Mr. Sedley, Amelia’s father, has suffered, which have caused the Sedley family to fall into poverty. George seems willing to obey his father and just go off and play billiards, but Dobbin is so worried about the happiness of “poor little Miss Emmy” that he feels the need to intervene. This scene establishes the depth of Dobbin’s love for Amelia—he cares about her so much that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. D

‘I ain’t going to have any of this dam sentimental nonsense and humbug here, sir,’ the father cried out. ‘There shall be no beggar-marriages in my family. If you choose to fling away eight thousand a year, which you may have for the asking, you may do it: but by Jove you take your pack and walk out of this house, sir. Will you do as I tell you, once for all, sir, or will you not?’

Related Characters: Mr. Osborne (speaker), Miss Swartz, George, Amelia, Mr. Sedley, Jos, Becky Sharp

Page Number and Citation: 240

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote is Mr. Osborne’s last-ditch attempt to try to stop George from marrying Amelia. In order to convince George not to marry the newly bankrupt Amelia, Mr. Osborne instead tries to offer him Miss Swartz, who is mixed race and the heiress to an enormous fortune. Miss Swartz is an unusual character in the story. On the one hand, she suffers from racism (as George’s disgusted reaction to the thought of marrying her later shows). But on the other hand, her family has also benefited from it (since her father was a slave trader). This scene demonstrates how Mr. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate

Out of the hundred pounds a year, which was about the amount of her income, the Widow Osborne had been in the habit of giving up nearly three-fourths to her father and mother, for the expenses of herself and her little boy.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), George, Becky Sharp , Mrs. Sedley, Mr. Sedley, Georgy, Amelia

Page Number and Citation: 534

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes one of the darker periods in the novel, when Amelia is living in poverty with her family after Mr. Sedley’s bankruptcy and George’s death in the Napoleonic Wars. And yet, despite everything that she endures, she continues to be selfless, dedicating what little money she receives to her parents and her son. As other parts of the novel establish, 100 pounds is not much at all to live on—barely a fraction of the 5,000 that Becky estimates she’d need to be happy, and that’s not including the fact that Amelia is splitting her money with her whole Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas

Great as her sufferings would be at parting with him she would, by God’s help, endure them for the boy’s sake.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Amelia, Georgy, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Sedley, Mrs. Sedley

Page Number and Citation: 580

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes perhaps Amelia’s lowest point in the book: when, after living in poverty after the death of George, she decides that her only option is to give up her beloved son, Georgy, in order to let Mr. Osborne raise him. This decision shows how desperate Amelia is at this point in the story, since it’s been established that she loves Georgy above all else. This quote highlights how, for those without Becky’s amazing abilities to outrun debt, living in poverty could lead to some truly heartbreaking sacrifices. This passage also captures how capriciously upper-class people like Mr. Osborne Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque

So there came one morning and sunrise when all the world got up and set about its various works and pleasures, with the exception of old John Sedley, who was not to fight with fortune, or to hope or scheme any more, but to go and take up a quiet and utterly unknown residence in a churchyard at Brompton by the side of his old wife.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Mrs. Sedley, Amelia, Mr. Osborne, Sir Pitt, Miss Crawley , Mr. Sedley

Page Number and Citation: 710

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes the death of Mr. Sedley. Although Mr. Sedley has not been the most sympathetic character throughout the novel, with his poor financial decisions helping to keep Amelia and the rest of his family in poverty, his death is nevertheless a moving and dignified scene. The narrator’s description of Mr. Sedley’s death calls attention to the humble and “quiet” nature of his death, which contrasts with the greater fanfare around Mr. Osborne’s death later in the chapter (as well as the drama that the matter of inheritance that leads up to the deaths of Sir Pitt and Miss Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae ear

Mr. Sedley Character Timeline in Vanity Fair

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Sedley appears in Vanity Fair. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Jos suddenly gets up, saying he needs to be off to dine with a friend. Mr. Sedley comes in, however, and insists that Jos stay for dinner. Mr. Sedley greets Becky and... (full context)

After dinner, Mr. Sedley warns Jos that Becky is trying to marry him. Jos is flattered. After his father... (full context)

...and doesn’t come home. While he’s away, Becky doesn’t mention him but tries to charm Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley. By the time Jos gets back, everyone likes Becky so much that... (full context)

Later, Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley discuss Becky’s interest in Jos. Mr. Sedley feels that Jos is so... (full context)

George comes to dinner before the trip to Vauxhall. He is Mr. Sedley ’s godson, and the family has known him for all 23 years of his life.... (full context)

...have mixed feelings on this possibility; while Mrs. Sedley feels that Becky is beneath Jos, Mr. Sedley feels that Jos should do as he wants. When the party gets out of the... (full context)

...is leaving, Amelia collects some of her old things as gifts for Becky and asks Mr. Sedley and George to give Becky money. Becky accepts the gifts but secretly believes George is... (full context)

...with George that she neglects some of her female friends and doesn’t take confidantes. Meanwhile, Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley don’t pay much attention to what Amelia does, and Jos is away. (full context)

...to marry someone of higher status than Amelia. George says that Mr. Osborne himself and Mr. Sedley arranged the match, and George is just doing what he’s told. Mr. Osborne acknowledges that... (full context)

...tender and trying to make Amelia happy. The next day at the bank, George sees Mr. Sedley looking depressed. George takes out enough money to repay what he borrowed from Dobbin. That... (full context)

The estate sale is not due to a death but because Mr. Sedley is bankrupt, and his family has to move to a smaller home. Jos gives some... (full context)

...sent a shock through the world, with one unexpected consequence being that it swept away Mr. Sedley ’s fortune. When Mr. Sedley breaks the news to Mrs. Sedley, her main concern is... (full context)

Most of the Sedley’s servants, including Sambo, leave after the bankruptcy. Some of Mr. Sedley ’s old friends and his creditors all turn against him, believing they have to be... (full context)

Amelia promises Mr. Sedley she’ll try to forget about George. The narrator warns young ladies not to be too... (full context)

George himself doesn’t seem too distraught by Mr. Sedley ’s recent misfortune, and he’s busy himself with his regiment because of Napoleon’s recent movements.... (full context)

...as soon as possible. Mrs. Sedley approves of the idea, so Dobbin goes to see Mr. Sedley about it and finds him looking sad and gaunt, although Mr. Sedley tries to pretend... (full context)

When Dobbin brings up George, Mr. Sedley says Jos should’ve shot George as revenge for Amelia, but Jos doesn’t have the courage.... (full context)

...Dobbin gave her. Mrs. Sedley cries a lot in her pew at the church, and Mr. Sedley doesn’t attend. The church is mostly empty, so when it gets to the point in... (full context)

...George and Amelia’s wedding, Dobbin stays behind to try to make amends between George and Mr. Sedley as well as to build up the relationship between Jos and George (since Jos’s position... (full context)

...life. Dobbin, the child’s godfather, helps Amelia make it back to England to live with Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley again. Dobbin stops by to visit often, and the Sedleys suspect he... (full context)

...The subject of George comes up, and Rawdon learns that in fact the stranger is Mr. Sedley and the boy is Georgy. Rawdy invites Georgy to take a ride with him. (full context)

...horses he bought at such a high price from Becky. Jos pays money to support Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley in London. Despite their recent bad luck, the Sedleys continue to brag... (full context)

On weekends in London, Mr. Sedley takes Georgy out to walk around the park, looking at soldiers and feeding ducks. Another... (full context)

Amelia tells Georgy stories about George, although she hesitates to ever mention George around Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley. Amelia’s doctor is very moved by the sight of Amelia and George,... (full context)

...became a widow. She educates herself from books so that she can better teach Georgy. Mr. Sedley gets into the business of selling wine, but, aside from some initial success, he doesn’t... (full context)

One day, Dobbin, acting as the executor of George’s will, goes to Mr. Sedley and tells him that George paid off his debts and even left some money to... (full context)

...Even Jos in India stops paying his annuity to his family back in England, and Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley accuse Amelia of spending all her time and money on Georgy. And... (full context)

Meanwhile, while Lord Steyne’s fancy dinner is taking place, Mr. Sedley continues to live with his family in comparative squalor. Amelia tries to figure out ways... (full context)

...is still paying the annuity, but it just goes straight to a debt collector because Mr. Sedley sold it off. At last, Mr. Sedley reveals the truth to Amelia about how he... (full context)

...a room for Georgy. Then he sends over some money. Amelia gives the money to Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley, telling them that Georgy won’t be with them much longer. (full context)

Mr. Osborne turns Georgy against Mr. Sedley , always calling Mr. Sedley a broke pauper. Meanwhile, Amelia has been taking care of... (full context)

Mr. Sedley is in such bad shape that he has to ask Mr. Osborne for help, which... (full context)

After the burial of Mrs. Sedley, Amelia vows to try to make Mr. Sedley happy. It’s a sad time, but the narrator promises that things will get better for... (full context)

...and Georgy, which helps get rid of Jos’s annoyance with his family (due to how Mr. Sedley mishandled the annuity Jos sends back). (full context)

...walk, Dobbin feels nervous, fearing that perhaps Amelia has gotten remarried recently. When they see Mr. Sedley and Amelia in the distance, Dobbin tells Polly to run ahead and tell them about... (full context)

Polly goes ahead and tells Mr. Sedley and Amelia to look at Dobbin. Amelia looks and instantly blushes and begins to cry.... (full context)

Mr. Sedley invites Dobbin to tea, and Dobbin says he’ll gladly put aside his business in London... (full context)

After Mr. Sedley falls asleep in his chair, Amelia can talk about little else besides Georgy. She talks... (full context)

After Dobbin leaves, Mr. Sedley is agitated and anxious. He is afraid when Jos comes back, he’ll find some “irregularity”... (full context)

...from Jos, which explains that he doesn’t feel well but should be there to visit Mr. Sedley and Mrs. Sedley the next evening. Amelia realizes he doesn’t know about Mrs. Sedley’s death.... (full context)

When Jos finally reunites with his family, Mr. Sedley apologizes for the bad financial decisions he made. Jos is moved by the poor condition... (full context)

...tried to wake him up. Jos decides that he must find a new home for Mr. Sedley and Amelia, so he sends a carriage one day to pick them up. Jos is... (full context)

...butler in his new home, and Amelia gets a maid, who also helps care for Mr. Sedley . (full context)

It soon becomes clear that Mr. Sedley ’s health is fading, and so Jos announces that there will be no more large... (full context)

One morning, Mr. Sedley just doesn’t wake up. Soon after, his family buries him in the churchyard next to... (full context)

Before Mr. Sedley ’s death, sometimes Dobbin comes over to dine with Mr. Osborne, and they end up... (full context)

Mr. Sedley ’s death greatly affects Mr. Osborne, making him reconsider his own life. He gets shaky... (full context)

...to the Sedleys (and which Rawdon bought on a whim during the estate sale after Mr. Sedley ’s bankruptcy). Becky hangs the picture up in her room, then immediately shows it to... (full context)

Mr. Sedley Character Analysis

Mr. Sedley Quotes in Vanity Fair

Chapter 13 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 46 Quotes

Chapter 50 Quotes

Chapter 61 Quotes

Mr. Sedley Character Timeline in Vanity Fair