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Chapter 14
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Vicar of Wakefield, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humility in the Face of Adversity
The Possibility of Redemption
Family and Society
Equality, Justice, and the Law
Travel, Home, and Belonging
Summary
Analysis
As the Primroses continue to struggle to find out who is behind the slander against them, one of the boys finds a letter case outside. Opening it, they quickly realize it is Mr. Burchell’s and that it contains a sealed copy of a letter to the town ladies. Unable to restrain themselves, they open it, finding a strange letter which, while dissuading the town ladies from hiring Olivia and Sophia, seems as much a criticism of the town ladies’ virtue as the Primrose daughters’. Mrs. Primrose and Olivia are furious, while Sophia is in shock that Burchell could do such a thing. At that moment, they see Burchell approaching the house.
The Primroses, continually failing to practice humility and instead retreating into a cocoon of resentment, commit both an immoral act and a crime in opening Mr. Burchell’s mail. While they do not entirely understand the cryptic letter, they immediately become defensive and vindictive, wallowing in their victimhood rather than giving Burchell the benefit of the doubt. Despite the degree to which this contradicts his morals, Dr. Primrose is too bewildered and demoralized to restrain his own emotions, let alone his family’s.
Themes
The Primroses resolve to confront Mr. Burchell, initially appearing as friendly as usual, cracking jokes with him and debating aesthetics. Dr. Primrose then confronts him directly, asking how he could write such a letter. Burchell asks how the Primroses could open a sealed letter, threatening legal action. At this Dr. Primrose becomes enraged and orders Burchell to leave and never return, which he does without any apparent guilt, upsetting Mrs. Primrose even more. To calm her, Dr. Primrose tells her an allegory about guilt, shame, and virtue explaining why the guilty often feel shame only for their good qualities, not their vices.
The Primroses perpetuate their deceit by not confronting Mr. Burchell right away, seeking the maximum effect in their accusation rather than prioritizing honesty. Dr. Primrose’s allegory, despite the lack of explanation on Burchell’s part, affirms the family’s self-satisfaction. Unlike many of the other stories he and his children tell to illustrate morality, this allegory of guilt and shame disregards both humility and redemption, instead giving those who believe themselves to be good an unearned sense of self-satisfaction and allowing them to reject those who are “guilty” without a second thought.
Themes
