The Vicar of Wakefield · Chapter
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Oliver Goldsmith introduces his work, acknowledging its faults but defending its value.
What happens
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.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it captures the emotional and psychological peak of the Vicar’s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Virtue in Adversity
The hero is described as 'majestic in adversity,' highlighting the theme of maintaining virtue despite hardship.
- Social Class and Wealth
The author contrasts the simplicity of the country fireside with the disdain of those fond of high life, reflecting tensions between social classes.
Characters to notice
- Dr. Primrose
The hero of the piece, described as a priest, husbandman, and father of a family.
Key passages
“There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties.”
The work has many flaws, but just as many could be argued to be strengths.
Goldsmith acknowledges potential criticisms while defending the book's merits.
“The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of a family.”
The protagonist embodies the three most noble roles: a clergyman, a farmer, and a family man.
Establishes the central character's virtuous and multifaceted identity.
“In this age of opulence and refinement whom can such a character please?”
In a time focused on wealth and sophistication, who would appreciate such a simple figure?
Highlights the contrast between the hero's simplicity and the era's values.
