(A Detailed Guide to Famous Works of)

Author: Thackeray
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-02-08
Features: Emily returns home after completing her studies at school. Her friend Becky Sharp accompanies her and is invited to stay at her house for a few days. There, she meets Emily's brother Joseph, who is working in India, and decides to marry him but fails. She has to bid farewell to Emily and proceed as planned to the Crawleys' barony to become a governess. Pitt is very greedy, and his aunt Miss Crawley, a spinster with a large fortune, so he tries to please her everywhere. Miss Crawley favored Pitt's second son, the officer Rawdon Crawley. After Becky Sharp arrives at the Crawleys', she tries every means to win people's favor and soon gains everyone's affection, especially Miss Crawley's favor. She also captures Rawdon's heart, and eventually they elope, making Miss Crawley so angry that she falls ill and forbids them from ever coming again. Meanwhile, Emily's father goes bankrupt, and her father-in-law, old Osborne, betrays his trust and orders George and Emily to break off contact. George's friend Osborne, seeing Emily heartbroken, convinces George to secretly marry her. Mr. Osborne is furious, kicks his son out of the house, and strips him of his inheritance. At this time, European countries are preparing to send troops to surround Napoleon, and George and Osborne's troops are ordered to Brussels. There, George and Emily meet Joseph and also see Rawdon and Becky Sharp. At this point, the newly married George is already bored with Emily and falls for Becky Sharp, and asks her to elope. Just then, he receives an order to go to the front and is unfortunately shot and killed, leaving his wife and an unborn child behind. After George's death, Osborne shows more love and attention to Emily. After the war, Becky Sharp and Rawdon go to Paris and later return to London. Becky Sharp has an affair with Lord Steyne, which Rawdon discovers, and as a result, he abandons his wife and leaves for abroad. Becky Sharp is at her wit's end and wanders everywhere. Emily's son Joseph grows up, and Mr. Osborne, seeing his grandson adorable, takes him back to raise. Joseph retires and returns to England, bringing Emily to live with him and making her the head of his household. When Joseph's grandfather dies, he forgives Emily and appoints her guardian of Joseph, leaving her a fortune. Osborne and Joseph return to England on the same ship. He declares his love to Emily and proposes to her, but Emily cannot forget George and refuses. Later, Emily takes her son and Osborne and Joseph abroad for a tour and meets the destitute Becky Sharp. Osborne fails to propose to Emily again and leaves her. At this time, Becky Sharp has a change of heart, produces the note George asked her to elope, and shatters Emily's idol. Emily and Osborne finally get married.