La Foire Aux Vanités, Tome I
1861
La Foire Aux Vanités, published in 1861 by William Makepeace Thackeray, is a satirical novel set in early 19th-century England. It follows the lives of two young women, Amélia Sedley and Rebecca Sharp, as they navigate societal ambitions and relationships, highlighting the moral complexities of social climbing. The narrative critiques vanity and social aspirations, portraying the struggle for status in a chaotic social landscape, ultimately questioning the moral fabric of society that enables such ambition. Thackeray's work is notable for its humorous yet critical examination of social classes and female friendship.
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“Revenge may be wicked, but it’s natural.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“All is vanity, nothing is fair.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“If a man's character is to be abused, say what you will, there's nobody like a relative to do the business.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“Are not there little chapters in everybody's life, that seem to be nothing, and yet affect all the rest of the history?””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“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.””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
“A woman may possess the wisdom and chastity of Minerva, and we give no heed to her, if she has a plain face. What folly will not a pair of bright eyes make pardonable? What dullness may not red lips are sweet accents render pleasant? And so, with their usual sense of justice, ladies argue that because a woman is handsome, therefore she is a fool. O ladies, ladies! there are some of you who are neither handsome nor wise. ””
— William Makepeace Thackeray
