Vanity Fair: Midpoint Check-In

 

It's March first (already!) and time for our Vanity Fair midpoint check-in. With Trish and Melissa leading the conversation on twitter (#YoureSoVain), the first two weeks of the read-along passed in a flash.

This started out as a read/listen combination for me, but the beginning proved to be slow-going and I switched to the audio format, hoping to pick up the 'rhythm' of narrative. Even that was not without challenges. Chapter 9 brought the introduction of more Crawleys than an entire season of Downton Abbey...and they just kept coming. Eventually the names fell into place, I figured out how they were all related, and began to enjoy the novel.

Vanity Fair seems to be very much a product of its time. Complete with humorous character names (Lady Jane Sheepshanks?!), direct addresses to the reader, and slightly heavy-handed lessons, it feels very Victorian.

"The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.  Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice." chapter 2

Thackery inserts his thoughts on the shallowness of society,

"..a title and a coach and four are toys more precious than happiness in Vanity Fair..." p. 93

and made me laugh out loud with multiple references to male facial hair.

"And his whiskers had begun to do their work, and to curl themselves round the affections of Miss Swartz." p. 235

And how about this gem:

"Be cautious, then, young ladies: be wary how you engage. Be shy of loving frankly; never tell all you feel, or (a better way still), feel very little. See the consequences of being prematurely honest and confiding, and mistrust yourself and everybody. Get yourselves married as they do in France, where the lawyers are the bridesmaids and confidantes. At any rate, never have any feelings which may make you uncomfortable, or make any promises which you cannot at any required moment command and withdraw. That is the way to get on, and be respected, and have a virtuous character in Vanity Fair." p. 201

As for the characters, I'm not particularly fond of any of them, but they certainly are entertaining. My opinion of Becky has flip-flopped several times, but the author frequently justifies her actions.

"Who can but admire this quality of gratitude in an unprotected orphan; and, if there entered some degree of selfishness into her calculations, who can but say that her prudence was perfectly justifiable?" p.100

[SPOILER ALERT]
Amelia is nothing but a doormat. Dobin may be honest, but seems slightly pathetic in his slavish devotion to Amelia. Jos Sedley provides plenty of comic relief, and George Osborne, while there was a moment or two when I almost liked him, is vain and self-centered (good riddance). And then there is Rawdon Crawley...

I know I'm missing quite a few cultural/historic/mythological references, but it doesn't seem to be hampering my understanding. Still, I can't help but wonder how much cleverer Thackery would seem if I understood them.

Overall,  midway through Vanity Fair, I am mostly surprised - not only because I'm keeping up with the reading schedule, but also by how much I'm enjoying it. The big question for the next two weeks... can I maintain this pace?