Classic Literary Portraits: Becky Sharp ("Vanity Fair," 1847-1848)

Classic Literary Portraits: A Very Clever Woman

"She was quite a different person from the haughty, shy, dis-satisfied little girl whom we have known previously, and this change of temper proved great prudence, a sincere desire of amendment, or at any rate great moral courage on her part. Whether it was the heart which dictated this new system of complaisance and humility adopted by our Rebecca, is to be proved by her after-history. A system of hypocrisy, which lasts through whole years, is one seldom satisfactorily practised by a person of one-and-twenty; however, our readers will recollect that, though young in years, our heroine was old in life and experience, and we have written to no purpose if they have not discovered that she was a very clever woman." William Makepeace Thackery, "Vanity Fair," 1847-48

(Reading concurrently with Beth from MAC's Cafe)