Vanity Fair characters

Also known as Becky Sharp

Appears from the start

The clever, penniless daughter of an English artist and a French opera singer. Leaving Miss Pinkerton's academy without family or fortune, she is determined to secure a place in society through wit, performance, and a close reading of other people's weaknesses.

Also known as Emmy

Appears from the start

Becky's gentle, prosperous school friend, returning to her affectionate London family after leaving the academy. She is modest and loyal, and her emotional world centers on her long engagement to George Osborne.

Also known as Jos

First appears in chapter 3

Amelia's wealthy older brother, a collector in the East India Company's service home from Bengal. Vain, timid, and fond of comfort, he is susceptible to flattery, making him Becky's first target in her search for a secure marriage.

First appears in chapter 5

Amelia's handsome, self-satisfied fiancé and the son of a rich merchant. Accustomed to admiration and his father's authority, he takes Amelia's devotion for granted and is more attentive to pleasure and appearances than to her feelings.

Also known as Dobbin

First appears in chapter 5

George Osborne's fellow officer and steadfast friend, physically awkward but honorable and perceptive. He quietly loves Amelia and, believing her happiness depends on George, repeatedly works to preserve their engagement without seeking credit.

Also known as Old Osborne

First appears in chapter 5

George's wealthy, forceful father and a former business associate of Mr. Sedley. Proud of the family position he has built, he expects obedience from his son and measures relationships by money and status.

Also known as Sir Pitt

First appears in chapter 7

The elderly baronet of Queen's Crawley, where Becky takes a position as governess. Coarse in dress and manners but shrewd in business, he presides over a divided family and quickly recognizes Becky's practical abilities.

Also known as Rawdon

First appears in chapter 9

Sir Pitt's younger son, a cavalry officer, gambler, and favorite nephew of his rich aunt. Handsome and socially confident, he is less calculating than Becky and becomes fascinated by the new governess at Queen's Crawley.

First appears in chapter 9

Sir Pitt's wealthy unmarried half-sister, whose fortune makes her the object of constant attention from the Crawley family. Irreverent, imperious, and amused by social boldness, she takes an early liking to Becky.

Also known as Pitt Crawley

First appears in chapter 9

Sir Pitt's elder son and heir, a serious, restrained man whose religious and respectable manner contrasts with his father's household and Rawdon's fashionable life.

Also known as Lady Jane

First appears in chapter 21

Pitt Crawley's kind and principled wife. She treats relatives and dependents with a generosity rare in the wider family and becomes a sympathetic counterweight to its struggles over money.

Also known as Marquis of Steyne

First appears in chapter 40

A powerful nobleman and experienced patron of fashionable society. His attention can open doors that money alone cannot, and he takes an increasing interest in Becky's beauty, talent, and ambition.

Also known as Georgy

First appears in chapter 35

Amelia and George Osborne's young son, born after his father's death. Bright, confident, and deeply cherished by Amelia, he grows up amid the tension between her poverty and his wealthy grandfather's interest in the Osborne heir.

Also known as Rawdy

First appears in chapter 36

The son of Becky and Rawdon Crawley. Largely left to servants while his parents pursue society, he responds warmly to the steadier care offered by Rawdon and Lady Jane.