Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1847-1848, is one of the most famous satirical novels of the 19th century. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, it offers a vivid portrayal of English society in the early 19th century, particularly focusing on the lives of the ambitious, morally flawed, and self-serving characters who populate the world of the novel. The title Vanity Fair is taken from John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim's Progress, a symbolic reference to the superficiality and materialism that pervades the world of Thackeray’s characters.