Vanity Fair

Historical Context and Significance

"Vanity Fair" is a novel by English writer William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in serialized form from 1847 to 1848. This satirical work vividly illuminates the life of early 19th-century British society, critiquing its morals and vanity through the story of two contrasting heroines—Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. The book is considered one of the greatest novels in the history of English literature and marks a transition from traditional epic literature to a more realistic depiction of society, focusing on social critique. The novel had a significant impact on the development of English literature, solidifying Thackeray's reputation as an outstanding writer and satirist, and his methods and techniques continue to be studied and analyzed to this day.