Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero

Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1847-1848, is a satirical and panoramic novel that provides a biting critique of 19th-century British society. The book is often regarded as Thackeray's masterpiece and one of the greatest novels in English literature. Its full title — A Novel Without a Hero — reflects Thackeray's intention to depict a world without a traditional, heroic protagonist, instead focusing on a wide array of characters, many of whom are deeply flawed.