# Love and Marriage in The Vicar of Wakefield

> Theme guide for The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith.

Marriage is portrayed both as a sacred duty and a practical arrangement, with the Vicar advocating for monogamy and moral unions, while his daughters navigate courtship, seduction, and the tension between love and financial security.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Vicar of Wakefield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/chapters/the-vicar-of-wakefield): The chapter discusses the Vicar's principles on marriage, including his opposition to marrying for wealth.
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/chapters/viii): Sophia's preference for the impoverished Mr. Burchell over the wealthier chaplain highlights the tension between romantic inclination and practical matrimonial prospects.
- [The Family Use Art, Which Is Opposed with Still Greater](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/chapters/xvi): Marriage is treated as a strategic arrangement, with Olivia's hand being bartered between suitors based on wealth and social advantage.
- [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/chapters/xvii): Olivia's romantic entanglement with Thornhill versus her father's insistence on a prudent match with Williams highlights the tension between passion and practical marriage.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/themes/love_and_marriage
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vicar_of_wakefield_se/themes