The Vicar of Wakefield · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith.

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Chapter 1
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Oliver Goldsmith introduces his work, acknowledging its faults but defending its value. He describes the hero as a priest, husbandman, and father, who is simple in affluence and majestic in adversity, and questions whether such a character can please an age of opulence and refinement.
Chapter 2
The Vicar of Wakefield
The chapter introduces the Primrose family, their comfortable life, and the Vicar's philosophical views on virtue and marriage. It sets the stage for the family's eventual misfortunes.
Chapter 3
Chapter I
The narrator, Dr. Primrose, introduces his family and their philosophy of life. He describes his marriage to a good-natured, notable woman, their happy life in a fine country house, and their six children: George, Olivia, Sophia, Moses, and two younger sons. He reflects on the virtues of family, the simplicity of their lives, and the character of his daughters, noting their beauty and temperaments.
Chapter 4
Chapter II
The narrator, Dr. Primrose, describes his family's domestic life and his own philosophical principles, particularly his strict monogamist views. He recounts the courtship of his son George to Miss Arabella Wilmot, which proceeds harmoniously until a dispute over remarriage arises with Mr. Wilmot. The chapter culminates in the revelation that the family's fortune has been lost due to a merchant's bankruptcy, leading Mr. Wilmot to break off the engagement.
Chapter 5
A Migration
The Primrose family, having lost their fortune, prepares to move to a small cure. The narrator sends his eldest son George to London with little more than a blessing and a book. On the journey, they meet Mr. Burchell, who recounts the story of Sir William Thornhill's benevolent but excessive nature. The family crosses a dangerous stream, and Mr. Burchell rescues Sophia from drowning. They later encounter a stranger who has given away his last money to save a soldier from whipping, and the narrator offers him financial assistance.

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The Vicar of Wakefield

Chapter I

Chapter II

A Migration