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Thackeray claims that Vanity Fair is a novel without a hero. If there is a hero in the novel, more than any other character, it must be Dobbin. Dobbin could be called the hero based on his solid moral attributes and his kind, considerate actions towards others. Even if he deserves the title of hero more than the other inhabitants of Vanity Fair do, Dobbin still lives there. He is no less immune to the trappings of Vanity Fair than anyone else is who lives there. Dobbin’s actions are often guided by selfishness and his own delusions.
The circumstances that lead Dobbin to promote the marriage of George and Amelia can be viewed as somewhat selfish. George admitted to Dobbin that he had become bored with pursuing Amelia. George expressed his apathy concerning Amelia by telling Dobbin that there was “… no fun in winning a thing unless you play for it. ... The idea of “the thrill of the chase” does not seem to be one that much concerns Dobbin. ... The thought of Amelia “broken-hearted and lonely, tore [Dobbin’s] good-natured soul with anguish” Seeing Amelia in her state of depression over George made Dobbin feel “as if he was a criminal”. The narrator describes Dobbin’s emotions as “inexpressible grief”, “pity”, and even “terror”. These are the emotions that lead Dobbin to confront George about avoiding Amelia. These emotions were also probably the guiding force that lead Dobbin to become
“the great promoter, the arranger, and manager of the match between George Osborne and Amelia.” The narrator states that Dobbin does not know why he took the role he did in encouraging the union of George and Amelia. He seems to imply that Dobbin is motivated by a sense of duty to keep Amelia alive (185). Most likely Dobbin desperately wishes to quiet his own intense emotions for Amelia.
The narrator remains rather ambiguous about Dobbin’s motives in encouraging the marriage. ... Dobbin later questions his own motives for the expedited marriage. ... It is very likely that both of these reasons motivated Dobbin. ... Dobbin is only lying to himself though; he becomes “a more consummate hypocrite every day of his life.
Approximate Word count = 1749
Approximate Pages = 7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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