Resumen
Resumen de El vicario de Wakefield
Para quién es
For readers who love eighteenth century comedy, warm family stories and a narrator with blind spots. It is also good for anyone curious about the roots of the English novel.
De qué trata este libro
It appeared in 1766, when Goldsmith was already known as a poet, essayist and playwright. The story is told by Dr. Charles Primrose, a country clergyman who believes in plain living, honest work and a trusting heart. He is a loving father, a proud scholar of church questions, and a man who sees the best in nearly everyone he meets.
The book follows the Primrose family from a comfortable country life into one blow after another. It gives you a gentle, humorous portrait of a good man whose faith is tested by money trouble, false friends and the schemes of the powerful. You also meet a family of lively, flawed and very human characters, each with their own vanity. Goldsmith writes with warmth and a light, teasing irony. Let us begin with the household as the vicar first describes it, in its happiest days.
En este resumen
- 1A happy home with a proud headFree
- 2Fortune fails and the family must move
- 3A stranger and a landlord arrive
- 4Small cheats and grand ambitions
- 5Virtue tested by misfortune
- 6A first-person tale with a smiling eye
Idea clave 1 de 6
A happy home with a proud head
The story opens in the vicar's own voice. Dr. Primrose lives in the countryside with his wife Deborah and their children. He is pleased with his family and says so. He describes his wife as a good housekeeper and a fine cook, and he sees his children as handsome and clever.
The family has six children in all. Olivia, the elder daughter, is admired for her beauty. Sophia, the younger, is admired for her good sense and sweetness. George, the eldest son, has been educated at Oxford, and Moses is being prepared for business. Two younger children complete the household.
The vicar has strong opinions, and Goldsmith makes gentle fun of them. Primrose has written in defence of the view that a clergyman should marry only once in his life. He is proud of this argument, and he holds to it with great seriousness. The reader soon sees that his pride in his ideas can be as strong as his pride in his children.
This opening matters because it sets the vicar's measure. He is kind, sincere and wise in many ways, yet he can be vain and slow to see danger. His wife, too, loves show and wants her daughters to rise in the world. Their comfort at the start is real, and it is the ground from which every later trouble will be measured.
That’s 1 of 6 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Who’s who
- Dr. Charles Primrose
- The kindly, learned, and somewhat vain country clergyman narrates the trials of his wife and children.
- Deborah Primrose
- The vicar's thrifty wife takes pride in her household and hopes her daughters will find distinguished husbands.
- Olivia
- The Primroses' beautiful elder daughter enjoys admiration and shares her mother's ambitions for a splendid match.
- Sophia
- The Primroses' younger daughter is gentle and sensible, placing greater value on character than on outward display.
- George
- The vicar's Oxford-educated eldest son hopes to marry Arabella Wilmot and establish an independent life.
- Moses
- The vicar's well-meaning younger son considers himself practical but proves vulnerable to the tricks of sharper traders.
- Mr. Burchell
- A shabby, outspoken traveller befriends the Primrose family and cautions them against flattering appearances.
- Squire Thornhill
- The family's wealthy young landlord uses his charm and social standing to attract the attention of the vicar's daughters.
About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 64,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 4 h 15 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary
- LanguagesEnglish and 12 other languages
Questions about El vicario de Wakefield
What is The Vicar of Wakefield about?
It is about Dr. Primrose, a kind country clergyman, and his family. They lose their fortune, move to a poorer parish and face deceit, vanity and hardship, while the vicar's faith and judgement are tested.
When was The Vicar of Wakefield written and is it a true story?
Oliver Goldsmith published it in 1766. It is a work of fiction, a moral and comic tale told in the first person, not a record of real events.
Who is the narrator of The Vicar of Wakefield?
The narrator is the vicar himself, Dr. Charles Primrose. He tells his own story with sincerity, and his pride and blind spots are a main source of the book's gentle humour.
Is The Vicar of Wakefield hard to read?
The sentences are clear and the chapters are short.
What is the main message of The Vicar of Wakefield?
The book shows that goodness, patience and forgiveness matter more than wealth or rank. It also warns that appearances mislead, and that pride can blind even a decent person.