The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith

TOPIC OF THE BLOG:- 

This blog is a part of the BA syllabus of M. M. Ghodasara Mahila Arts and Commerce College, Junagadh. In this blog I am going to discuss 'The Vicar of Wakefield' by Oliver Goldsmith.

OLIVER GOLDSMITH:-

Oliver Goldsmith was a famous writer, poet, and playwright who lived in the 1700s. He was born in 1728 in a village called Pallas in County Longford, Ireland. Even though his family didn't have much money, they made sure Oliver got a good education.

As a young man, Oliver went to several different schools and colleges. He had a hard time settling on what he wanted to do with his life. First he studied to become a minister, but then he switched to studying law. After that, he tried his hand at tutoring. But Oliver's true passion was for writing. Oliver didn't have much success as a writer at first. To make ends meet, he had to take all sorts of odd jobs, like being a doctor's assistant and working as a clerk. He was always broke and constantly borrowing money from friends and relatives.

In 1757, Oliver's luck started to change when he published his first major work - a book of essays called "The Present State of Polite Learning in Europe." This brought him some fame and respect as a writer. He followed it up a few years later with "The Citizen of the World," a series of essays inspired by his travels and observations about life in England.

Oliver's first big hit as a writer came in 1764 with the publication of his poem "The Traveller." It was very popular and earned him enough money to finally pay off his many debts. He became part of the literary culture in London and started rubbing shoulders with other great writers and thinkers of his time like Samuel Johnson and Joshua Reynolds.

Two years after "The Traveller," Oliver published what is considered his masterpiece - the novel "The Vicar of Wakefield." It's a humorous and entertaining story about a kind-hearted minister whose family goes through many absurd misfortunes and adventures. "The Vicar of Wakefield" was an immediate bestseller and helped make Oliver one of the most famous writers in all of England. In addition to his novels and poems, Oliver Goldsmith is also remembered for his work as a playwright. His plays "The Good Natur'd Man" and especially "She Stoops to Conquer" were big hits on the London stage. They are funny comedies that make fun of the upper classes and their silly manners.

Goldsmith led a hardscrabble life full of struggles with poverty and debt right up until the end. He finally started to make a decent living as a writer in the last decade of his life. But he never got the chance to fully enjoy his success and fame. Oliver Goldsmith died in 1774 at the age of just 46 after suffering from a severe illness.

Even though his life was hard and cut short, Oliver Goldsmith left behind an amazing legacy of writing. His funny and insightful novels, plays, essays and poems capture so much about English life and society in the 1700s. Goldsmith's simple and direct writing style made his works very appealing and popular with readers of all backgrounds.

Many critics consider Goldsmith to be one of the most important and influential writers of his era, on par with greats like Samuel Johnson. His sharp wit, humorous storytelling, and warm humanity shine through in classics like "The Deserted Village," "The Vicar of Wakefield," and "She Stoops to Conquer." These works are still read and performed to this day.

Oliver Goldsmith overcame many obstacles and financial troubles by trusting in his talents as a writer. Even when he had to take odd jobs to get by, he never gave up on his dream of being an author. That perseverance paid off in the end when his poems, plays and novels brought him lasting fame and recognition.

Goldsmith used his keen powers of observation and his humble roots to depict everyday life in both the cities and countryside of 18th century England. His writings gave an honest, vivid portrait of that time period, exploring both the joys and hardships that people faced. His stories are full of humor, but also highlight important truths about human nature.

So while Oliver Goldsmith may not be as renowned today as some other literary giants, his significant contributions to English literature make him well worth studying and remembering. This self-taught son of an Irish village minister left a lasting artistic legacy through his plays, poems, essays and timeless comic novel "The Vicar of Wakefield." Oliver Goldsmith truly earned his place among the great writers and thinkers of the 1700s.

THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD:-

The Vicar of Wakefield is a classic novel by the Irish writer and playwright Oliver Goldsmith. It was published in 1766 and became an immediate bestseller. The novel is a humorous and entertaining story, but it also contains valuable life lessons about integrity, optimism, and family. The main character is Dr. Charles Primrose, the titular vicar or minister of the village of Wakefield. He starts the story by describing his idyllic life with his wife Deborah and their six children - sons George, Moses, and Dick, and daughters Olivia, Sophia, and Arabella. Though not wealthy, the Primrose family lives comfortably on the vicar's income from the church and a small estate.

Dr. Primrose considers himself blessed with his loving family, respected position in the community, and love of philosophy and religious studies. He feels they have everything they need to be truly happy. However, their pleasant existence is shattered when he loses all his money after a bad investment overseen by his wayward son George. To pay off the debt, the family is forced to move to one of the vicar's church properties - a tiny run-down cottage in another part of the country.

Arriving with little more than the clothes on their back, the once well-to-do Primrose family must now adjust to an impoverished life in humble surroundings. Dr. Primrose remains upbeat though, keeping a positive outlook and preserving the family's spirit and dignity despite their fall in circumstances.

Just when it seems things can't get any worse, a series of increasingly ridiculous calamities befalls the hapless Primrose family. First, the vicar loses his wig after Olivia tries to surprise him by having it repaired as a gift. Then the family's livestock is stolen by con men posing as merchants. Misfortunes keep piling on, including house fires, a chaplain trying to seduce Olivia, the vicar being wrongly imprisoned, and eldest son George failing to receive his expected inheritance from a wealthy uncle.

Yet no matter how absurd or unfortunate the situation, the ever-optimistic Dr. Primrose refuses to lose hope or his sense of humor. His steadfast patience and resilience serve as inspiration for his family to cling together and keep their chins up through it all. The vicar knows that as long as they have their health and their principles, material concerns are secondary. As impoverished as the Primroses become, they never lose their integrity or resort to improper acts to escape their reduced circumstances. They turn down shady business proposals and resist temptations like gambling, theft, or prostitution to try to earn money quickly. Their family virtue remains solidly intact.

Meanwhile, the vicar's eldest daughter Olivia experiences her own romantic travails and tribulations. A dashing suitor named Squire Thornhill takes a liking to her and pretends to develop sincere feelings. He even goes so far as participating in a mock marriage ceremony to convince Olivia they are man and wife. However, it's revealed that Thornhill's true intentions all along were simply to seduce Olivia and then abandon her.  Fortunately, Olivia's virtue survives this attempt at deception. She refuses to be Squire Thornhill's mistress when the truth about the marriage sham is exposed. While Olivia is heartbroken, she emerges with her honor and innocence intact, a testament to the Primrose family's strong moral foundation.

Just when all seems lost for the Primrose clan, their long string of misfortunes is finally broken in the novel's uplifting final act. Some benevolent friends return and reward the family for their good character by restoring their wealth and status. Even the villainous Squire Thornhill undergoes a redemption of sorts.

The Primroses are able to move back to the opulent Wakefield estate and resume their previously privileged lifestyle. But now they have a deeper appreciation for what's really important - family, integrity, optimism, and treating others with kindness no matter your lot in life. The vicar's virtuous example of resilience through hardship has yielded invaluable life lessons for his children and everyone around him.

At its heart, The Vicar of Wakefield presents a timeless message that material wealth and status are superficial compared to living a life of virtue. Dr. Primrose never complains about his family's harrowing descent into poverty because he knows money can't buy the things that truly make you rich - being surrounded by loved ones, maintaining moral principles, and approaching adversity with grace and optimism.

Goldsmith's classic novel is always engaging, balancing pointed satirical commentary with boisterous humor, gentle life lessons, and an overarching warmth and positivity. There's never a sense of gloominess or heavy-handedness, even when depicting the Primrose family suffering through one comic indignity after another. Their plight may seem absurdly cruel at times, but it's all in service of Goldsmith driving home his ultimate message.

The Vicar of Wakefield provides great insights into human nature and the universal truths that govern family, society, love and loss. Yet it accomplishes this with an uproariously funny collection of characters and situations that show the author's incredible gift for capturing life's humor and absurdities with his writing.

The book's narrator, Dr. Primrose, has an extremely likable voice - warm, philosophical, always striving to see the good in every person and circumstance. He's the eternal optimist, even as his loved ones endure an escalating series of misadventures and embarrassments that would shatter someone with less fortitude. Remaining the sturdy oak throughout the whirlwind around him, Primrose provides the moral compass for his family and by the novel's end, has earned their lasting respect and admiration.

While the vicar is the lead role, Goldsmith fills the character ranks with a highly entertaining ensemble of personalities. There are dastardly rogues like the drunken Mr. Jenkinson who leads the family astray, likable nitwits like the stammering Rev. Willoughby, romantic heroes and heroines like sweethearts Olivia and Mr. Burchell, and many other amusing types that cycle in and out of the spirited plot proceedings.  

The Vicar of Wakefield has inspired many adaptations over the years across different forms of media. It was extremely popular from the moment it was published in 1766, solidifying Goldsmith's reputation after previous successes like his poem The Traveller. The book immediately established itself as a classic of English literature, admired for its depiction of domestic life, commentary on social ethics, and authorial mastery of tone, structure and storytelling.

In many ways, the novel encapsulates the themes and strengths of Goldsmith's overall literary achievements. It showcases his ability to insightfully satirize the aristocratic upper classes and morally-fuzzy social climbers of the day. Yet it always does so through an entertaining comedy of manners and character-driven narrative. Goldsmith had a gift for illuminating life's truths and provoking thoughtfulness with wit and humorous storytelling, rather than becoming overly moralistic or cynical.

The Vicar of Wakefield is full of clever insights and life lessons, yet Goldsmith wraps them in such a delightfully hilarious package, the wisdom goes down easily. He had a keen eye for human behaviors and societal foibles, able to make affluent characters seem gaudy and superficial while elevating the virtues of more humble country folk. Though 250 years old, much of the novel feels strikingly relevant in how it satirizes materialism and the vanities of the rich.

Perhaps most remarkably, The Vicar of Wakefield was Goldsmith's first and only novel, yet it has endured as a defining work of the entire 18th century canon. Despite being forced to work as essentially a literary journeyman to survive for many years, Goldsmith cemented his immortal literary status with the blockbuster success of this one true novel masterpiece. It remains a beloved and widely-taught classic of the English language to this day.  

Oliver Goldsmith's enduring appeal as an author and playwright lies in his innate ability to celebrate the joys and absurdities of life through artful humor and insight. The Vicar of Wakefield stands as arguably his greatest achievement - a rollickingly entertaining yet poignant tale of human foibles, family resilience and unbreakable ethics. Wrapped in humor yet full of wisdom, it truly has something for every reader, which is why it continues to be a treasured classic over 250 years later.