Robert Hapgood (1966) has described Othello as excessively self-righteous and judgemental and argued

that the play should make viewers wary of their own tendencies to judge. Focusing his analysis on the
play’s structure, Larry S. Champion (1973) has written that Shakespeare’s “economy of design” centers
attention on the “destruction of character resulting from a lack of self-knowledge, … which is the
consequence of the vanity of one’s insistence on viewing everything through the distorting medium of
his [Othello’s] own self-importance. ” Othello’s egocentricity, Champion argued, rendered him
exceedingly susceptible to jealousy and fabrications concerning his wife.

He claims he had “never been a greater enemy to any passion than that silly one of vanity (181),” thus
exposing his own hypocritical tendency for vanity. Fielding also makes an intentional display of vanity by
inserting a story within the story: “The History of Leonora.” Leonora is a beautiful young lady, heir to a
fortune, with a “greedy appetite of vanity, with the preference which was given her by the men to
almost every other woman…”(84). Not long after Leonora has settled on a suitor to marry than her love
is tested by the appearance of a fine stranger arriving in a “dear coach and six.” She ultimately concedes
to his enticing riches, denying her former lover, but her father refuses to pass on his fortune while he
lives, and her new lover leaves.

Through these instances and many others, Fielding purposefully and humorously exemplifies the vices of
vanity and hypocrisy. His ridiculous, flawed characters, their actions and lifestyles, and even the stories
they tell are ripe with patterns of these traits, to the point of absurdity. But it is the painfully ridiculous
that Fielding uses to bring hypocrisy and vanity to the reader’s attention and show what vices they truly
are.

In another version of the tale, Narcissus kills himself with a sword, not realizing the beautiful boy in the
reflection is actually himself and believing himself spurned. The theme of vanity leading to one’s
downfall or incurring the wrath of the gods is a common one, not only in Hellenistic literature and
folklore, but in many traditions throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Even King Solomon
warns in the Book of Ecclesiastes, “…vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

However, the title speaks to something greater than the words themselves, and really speaks of the
flaws of most humans: “The meanings that ‘pride’ and ‘prejudice’ acquire are related to the central
theme of all of Jane Austen’s novels—the limitations of human vision” (Zimmerman 65). This limitation
of human vision, the inability to see moral and actual existence clearly, not only leads to pride,
prejudice, but also vanity. Through the less-than-clever Mary Bennet, Austen gives her delineation of
vanity and pride: “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.

While Jane and Bingley were immediately enamored with each other, Lizzy and Darcy begin the novel as
ultimately, Lizzy and Darcy’s love epitomizes ardor and devotion in spite of pride and vanity of each,
however prejudice may be a misnomer. Lizzy actually has ample reasons to dislike Darcy after she meets
him: “1) his snobbish and insulting remarks about her at the ball; 2) his attempt to break up the romance
between Jane and Bingley; and 3) his alleged injustice to Wickham” (Fox 186). However, her disposition
exemplifies her vanity, not prejudice, and her vanity is apparent throughout the novel.

A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we
would have others think of us” (Austen). The romance between Lizzy and Darcy is not unlike Jane
Bennet and Mr. Bingley’s in that the lovers share similar personalities and ultimately find great joy in
being together, although it does differ in the course it takes, hindered by the pride and vanity of each.
Thus the vanity of Leonora leaves her alone as the miserable subject of ridicule. One hypocritical
character who enters, perhaps solely for the purpose of his ironic behavior, is the Roman Catholic priest
encountered by Mr. Adams at an inn. The gentleman gives a lecture on the value of riches, saying, “Do
not riches bring us solicitude instead of rest, envy instead of affectation, and danger instead of safety?”
(214).

Throughout “Champion of the World” Maya Angelou uses language, rhythm, and actions of character to
create suspense, tension, and anticipation for the reader. First, Maya Angelou implies a strong rhythm
to the story. The reader can easily recognize when suspense is occurring because the sentences become
shorter.

Adams is frequently found making a vain display of his learning and evaluating the quality of others’
educations, often speaking in Latin and chastising others for not behaving according to the Scriptures.
He makes himself ridiculous with his high opinion of his accomplishments. When the character Wilson
relates his life’s tale, Adams searches for a sermon he wrote on the subject of vanity, declaring it so
admirable that he would walk five miles to fetch it. [Original source: https://essaytoolbox.com/essay-
maker]