Although the narrator of Vanity Fair constantly praises members of the upper class, in fact, his tone is usually sarcastic, and the story generally criticizes upper-class society. One of the most important criticisms centers around the fact that most “wealthy” characters are in fact heavily in debt. This comical situation raises the question of what it means to be wealthy, as when a character like Becky, who drinks champagne and wears expensive dresses, for instance, ends up borrowing money from her servant Miss Briggs. On the one hand, it may seem at first like the wealthy characters face few consequences for the massive debts they rack up—for example, Becky and Rawdon seem to live contentedly for over a year on no official income. And even when Rawdon eventually gets thrown into debtor’s prison, he’s treated more like a houseguest than a prisoner, reinforcing the idea that his debts don’t have consequences for the wealthy. This helps create a society where the gentlemen with the most impressive social ranks often end up having the least upstanding characters. Sir Pitt, for example, doesn’t have much education and seemingly has an affair with a much younger servant that becomes a scandal in the local area.
Though it may seem that characters’ higher social statuses often protect them from facing consequences for their immoral behavior and financial irresponsibility, characters who take on extensive debts do end up facing the consequences of their actions before the end of the story. Mr. Sedley, for example, drives his whole family to bankruptcy with risky business practices, then he continues to mismanage their money up until his death. Rawdon, one of the most reckless spenders in the novel, tries to make a new start by taking a paid governorship on Coventry Island, but he ultimately catches yellow fever there and dies. Only Becky manages to outrun her constant debts, but she does so by forcing the consequences of these debts onto the people around her, alienating herself from those closest to her. In highlighting the many debts that wealthy characters take on, the novel reveals a much darker reality that lurks beneath the parties, glamor, and carefree attitude of noble society. Just as characters’ glamorous lives obscure the massive debts they take on to support their extravagant lifestyle, their high-ranking social positions obscure—and perhaps even enable—their moral dubiousness.
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Social Class and Character Quotes in Vanity Fair
‘Where is Sir Pitt Crawley’" said Miss Sharp majestically.
‘He, he! I’m Sir Pitt Crawley. Reklect you owe me a pint for bringing down your luggage. He, he! Ask Tinker if I aynt.’
‘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?’
On nothing per annum then, and during a course of some two or three years, of which we can afford to give but a very brief history, Crawley and his wife lived very happily and comfortably at Paris. It was in this period that he quitted the Guards and sold out of the army. When we find him again, his mustachios and the title of Colonel on his card are the only relics of his military profession.
Great as her sufferings would be at parting with him she would, by God’s help, endure them for the boy’s sake.
All her lies and her schemes, and her selfishness and her wiles, all her wit and genius had come to this bankruptcy.
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.
If we were to give a full account of her proceedings during a couple of years that followed after the Curzon Street catastrophe, there might be some reason for people to say this book was improper. The actions of very vain, heartless, pleasure-seeking people are very often improper (as are many of yours, my friend with the grave face and spotless reputation—but that is merely by the way); and what are those of a woman without faith—or love—or character? And I am inclined to think that there was a period in Mrs Becky's life when she was seized, not by remorse, but by a kind of despair, and absolutely neglected her person and did not even care for her reputation.
Ah! Vanitas Vanitatum! which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?—come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.
