William Makepeace Thackeray was known for his moralistic study of upper and middle class English life. His best known work, VANITY FAIR, has its central character Becky Sharp. She is a perfidious woman who has an insatiable desire to get ahead in the world. She covets the wealth of one man, but when marriage is not feasible she succeeds in a plan to ingratiate herself into the heart of her employer son. Their marriage is not feasible succeeds in a plan to ingratiate herself into the heart of her employer’s son. Their marriage is not a salubrious one and Becky, who lives ostentatiously, from a surreptitious liaison with another man. The affair culminates in a debacle. She is exposed, her husband leaves her, and she must live in penury in Europe. This is the ignominious end for a clever, but misguided woman.
- vanity – kesombongan, excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements.
- perfidious – berkhianat, durhaka, deceitful and untrustworthy
- ingratiate – mengambil hati, bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.
- salubrious – menyehatkan, health-giving; healthy.
- ostentatious- suka pamer, belagu, characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice
- surreptitious – diam-diam, kept secret, esp. because it would not be approved of.
- debacle – bencana, a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco.
- penury – kemiskinan, extreme poverty; destitution
- ignominious – memalukan, deserving or causing public disgrace or shame