The Vicar of Wakefield Questions and Answers
The Vicar of Wakefield
In what way is the novel The Vicar of Wakefield a satire?
Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield is a satire in its treatment of social class and of people's desire to move upward in their social class. The novel reveals the corruption of people who...
The Vicar of Wakefield
What is the role of Sir William Thornhill in The Vicar of Wakefield?
We first learn of Sir William Thornhill when he is disguised as Mr. Burchell, a poor and somewhat odd man. He saves Sophy (Sophia) from drowning and spends a good deal of time with her. They seem...
The Vicar of Wakefield
"The novel The Vicar of Wakefield is the representation of Christian ethical virtues." Discuss this statement in...
As well as being a rollicking good story, Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield is also a didactic novel in that it aims to teach its readers a moral lesson. The lesson in question is the...
The Vicar of Wakefield
How does The Vicar of Wakefield explore the theme of deception?
Throughout The Vicar of Wakefield, numerous characters deceive each other and cause multiple problems by doing so. The vicar also seems to engage in self-deception, as he is unwilling to see...
The Vicar of Wakefield
What is the central message of The Vicar of Wakefield?
The Vicar of Wakefield is a novel of sentiment, and its main message is the importance of the Christian virtues, most notably love, faith, and hope, which we are taught will be rewarded. These are...
The Vicar of Wakefield
Compare and contrast the characters of Dr. Primrose and Deborah Primrose in The Vicar of Wakefield.
Both Dr. Primrose and his wife Deborah are good-hearted people who love their children dearly and want the best for them. They are happy because they have their children and each other and have...
The Vicar of Wakefield
Compare and contrast the characters of Sophia and Olivia.
To a large extent, both Olivia and Sophia reflect the characteristics of their father. They are fundamentally kind, decent, and respectable people, but they have their faults and are prone to...
The Vicar of Wakefield
Comment on The Vicar of Wakefield as a novel of sensibility.
The term "novel of sensibility" is synonymous with the term "sentimental novel." These are books which focus on emotions, moral development, and virtue. They were incredibly popular in the...
The Vicar of Wakefield
Who are the main characters in The Vicar of Wakefield?
The main characters in The Vicar of Wakefield are the members of the Primrose family. There is the father, Charles; the mother, Deborah; and their two daughters, Olivia and Sophia. Charles Primrose...
The Vicar of Wakefield
How does Dr. Primrose react to faith and misfortune in The Vicar of Wakefield?
Dr. Charles Primrose, the title character and protagonist of The Vicar of Wakefield, is a virtuous man whose goodness derives in large part from his strong faith in the Christian God. Throughout...
The Vicar of Wakefield
How does the novel The Vicar of Wakefield represent Christian ethical virtues?
If we wish to see a prime illustration of Christian virtue in The Vicar of Wakefield, we need look no further than the title character himself, Dr. Charles Primrose. Though perhaps a little too...
The Vicar of Wakefield
"The novel becomes a spiritual autobiography of a Christian hero." How far this statement is true for the novel The...
The Vicar of Wakefield opens with a well-known statement in favor of matrimony: I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and brought up a large family, did more service than he who...