NOTES ON THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD

 In the beginning there is an idyllic picture of provincial life:

 Primrose and his wife ‘loved each other tenderly’, ‘nothing could make [them] angry with
the world and each other’; whatever little ‘rubs’ they had consisted of their orchard being
robbed by schoolboys, his wife’s custards plundered by the children’s cats, etc.
 Everybody was ‘generous, credulous and innoffensive. [40]
 Argument with Wilmott over matrimony; he loses his fortune. [42-3]
 He meets Burchell (Sir William Burchell) and lends him some money [46]
 Primrose observes that though he was a money-borrower he defended his opinions with as
much obstinacy as if he had been his patron. [47]
 ‘ a most generous, yet whimsical’, ‘a man of consumate benevolence’. [47]
 the account of his life (Sir Thornhill’s). [47-8]
 ‘Burchell’ saves Sophia; Mrs Primrose thinks he could make a good husband for her daughter.
 At their new home and neighbourhood they continue their idyllic life. [49]
 The people had all the conveniencies they wanted
 Frugal by habit, they did not have to be taught temperance.
 They wrought cheerfully on days of labour; they observed festivals
 There is a cyclicity of time; their life is closely associated with nature. [51]
 The family, called republic, was regulated by Primrose (patriarch).
 The vanity of the female members; their desire to show off and Primrose’s speech. [51-2]
 Getting acquainted with Thornhill; Primrose’s apprehensions. [54-5]
 ‘Burchell’ lives on the neighbourr’s hospitality [56]; his attitude to Sophia. [57]
 olivia, used to value her own appearance, is impressed by Thornhill’s ‘façade’. [61]
 ‘Burchell’s’ attachment to Sophia annoys Primrose. [63]
 Thornhill’s indecent, indirect proposal and Primrose’s reply. [71]
 Pride and vanity reawaken [73]; the gypsy’s foretelling will come true. [73]
 Moses is cheated by Jenkinson. [83-4]
 Primrose’s comment that social classes should associate with their equals. [85]
 The fable of the Giant and the Dwarf.
 Mrs Primrose and Burchell’s argument over the girls’ going to town. (Burchell is in the right
although the family thinks that he is their enemy). [86-7]
 Primrose is also cheated by Jenkinson [92]; the daughters’ prospects are frustrated. [93]
 Burchell’s letter, which is misinterpreted by the family. [93-4]
 Their schemes of vengeance
 The argument with Burchell and his cool behaviour.
 Mrs Primrose’s hopes of Thornhill marrying Olivia; her praises of her at his presence. [98]
 Having their portrait painted; their moral confusion is displayed in the incogruity of their choice
of characters. [98-9]
 Their scheme to learn Thornhill’s intentions concerning Olivia. [100]; its application; Olivia acting
the coquet. [102-3]
 Olivia flees the house; Primrose’s impulsive, raging behaviour and Moses’ advice to him; Mrs
Primrose’s harsh comments for her daughter and Primrose’s reply. [108]
 Primrose meets the philanthropic bookseller; his metaphor concerning pleasure and misfortune.
[111]
 The company of actors [111]
 Negative comment on Johnson, Shakespeare (‘antiquated dialect’, ‘obsolete humour’).
 Being invited to Mr Arnold’s by the butler who pretends to be his master. [113]
 Primrose on politics:
 Stress on equality but some are born to command and others to obey.
 Leaders should be far from the community to some metropolis.
 Accumatlation of wealth by the rich.
 The difference between the rabble who are willing to get caught up in ‘a great man’s vortex’
and the middle order with its ‘arts, wisdom, and virtues of society’.
 It is up to the latter to ‘preserve the prerogative and privileges of the one principal governor
with the most sacred circumspection.
 He finds his son in the company of actors. [119]
 The son’s account of his life:
 Aspirations for writing but ends up a hack at Grub Street; staying unnoticed without friends
or enemies; difficult to compromise his ambition; envy of celebrated writers.
 Acquainted to Thornhill and working for him.
 Trying to get help from his uncle Sir William (Burchell)
 Thinking of going to the colonies; Mr Crispe.
 Going to Holland to teach English.
 Paris; he meets his cousin who poses as an art collector for the rich.
  Joins the army (Thornhill’s scheme to get rid of him).
 The landlord’s negative account of Thornhill. [135]
 Primrose finds Olivia; the misunderstanding concerning Burchell; he learns the truth about
Thornhill. [137-40]
 Their home is on fire; he gets injured in his efforts to save his children; Mrs Primrose’s ‘cool’
behaviour concerning her little children. [141]; her stern behaviour to Olivia.
 Olivia’s condition; her envy and jealousy. [144]
 Thornhill’s despicable behaviour; Primrose’s integrity leads him to prison. [19-51]
 The protesting parishioners seize the officers and Primrose intervenes.
 Meeting Jenkinson in the jail. [154]
 Preaching in the prison. [157]
 His plan of trying to reform the prisoners is disapproved by the family.
 Suffering the teasing behaviour of some prisoners.
 He succeeds; he get them to work.
 His views in favour of reformation. [162]
 Olivia ‘dies’. [166]
 Thornhill does not accept Primrose’s submission. [167]
 Sophia is kidnapped. [168]
 His son George is brought to prison in fetters. [171]
 Primrose curses Thornhill. [171]
 His speech at the prison. [173]
 Philosophy is weak; religion comforts the higher strain.
 Providence is kinder to the poor than the rich.
 ‘If our reward be in this life alone, we are then indeed of all men the most miserable’.
 Sophie is found and is brought back. [177]
 Burchell turns out to be Sir William Thornhill. [181]
 Primrose reflects on accidental happenings that characterise life. [188]
 Arabella learns the truth. [189]
 Olivia appears alive. [192]
 Jenkinson explains everything and Thornhill’s villainyis exposed. [194]

FROM BAKHTIN
 Bakhtin says the ‘internal man’ could be exposed only with the help of the clown and the fool.
The figure of the crank has played an important part in the history of the novel. In Goldsmith’s
novel this is ‘Burchell’.
 Idylls are limited to only a few of life’s basic realities: love, birth, death, marriage, labour, food
and drink.
 There are no sharp contrasts; they are presented in a sublimated form.
 Conjoining of human life with the life of nature.
 Children entered the novel from this setting.
 The destruction of the idyll.
 The main line of development (followed by Goldsmith) treats the theme with a considerable
degree of philosophical sublimation.
 There is the deep humanity of the idyllic man.
 The humanity of his relationships.
 The wholeness of idyllic life.
 The narrowness and isolation of the little idyllic world is emphasised.
 In view of the larger outer world there is the need for a new collective capable of embracing
all humanity.