Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair

by

William Makepeace Thackeray

Dobbin Character Analysis

William Dobbin is a friend of George’s from school. Although Dobbin is initially unpopular, mostly because he’s poor, he eventually wins over many of the other students when he stands up to a bully to protect George. From then on, Dobbin continues to protect George and show loyalty to him. Dobbin is often a third wheel, who loves Amelia from afar but is so loyal to George that he helps him marry Amelia instead. He’s also one of the most moral characters in the book, putting the needs of others above his own. One of Dobbin’s biggest acts of sacrifice is when he buys Amelia’s family’s piano (after they go bankrupt), then returns it to her, allowing her to think that George did it. He is also a capable soldier, earning a good living and rising through the ranks. Ultimately, Dobbin gets rewarded for his diligence by marrying Amelia after George’s death in the Napoleonic Wars. Dobbin represents the value of trying to live a modest, virtuous life, which might seem like a disadvantage at times, but which ultimately leads to happiness.

Dobbin Quotes in Vanity Fair

The Vanity Fair quotes below are all either spoken by Dobbin or refer to Dobbin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Greed and Ambition Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5 Quotes

In consequence of Dobbin’s victory, his character rose prodigiously in the estimation of all his schoolfellows, and the name of Figs, which had been a byword of reproach, became as respectable and popular a nickname as any other in use in the school. ‘After all, it's not his fault that his father’s a grocer,’ George Osborne said, who, though a little chap, had a very high popularity among the Swishtail youth; and his opinion was received with great applause. It was voted low to sneer at Dobbin about this accident of birth. ‘Old Figs’ grew to be a name of kindness and endearment; and the sneak of an usher jeered at him no longer.

Related Characters: George (speaker), Dobbin, Miss Pinkerton, Cuff, Dr. Swishtail
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

‘Only I wish you had sown those wild oats of yours, George. If you could have seen poor little Miss Emmy’s face when she asked me about you the other day, you would have pitched those billiard-balls to the deuce. Go and comfort her, you rascal. Go and write her a long letter. Do something to make her happy; a very little will.’

Related Characters: Dobbin (speaker), Amelia, George, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Sedley
Related Symbols: Billiards
Page Number: 135
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

‘Why, Rawdon, it’s Captain Dobbin.’

Related Characters: Becky Sharp (speaker), Amelia, Dobbin, Rawdon
Related Symbols: Piano
Page Number: 188
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

That period of Jos’s life which now ensued was so full of incident, that it served him for conversation for many years after, and even the tiger-hunt story was put aside for more stirring narratives which he had to tell about the great campaign of Waterloo.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, George, Dobbin, Jos, Rawdon
Page Number: 310
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 64 Quotes

If we were to give a full account of her proceedings during a couple of years that followed after the Curzon Street catastrophe, there might be some reason for people to say this book was improper. The actions of very vain, heartless, pleasure-seeking people are very often improper (as are many of yours, my friend with the grave face and spotless reputation—but that is merely by the way); and what are those of a woman without faith—or love—or character? And I am inclined to think that there was a period in Mrs Becky's life when she was seized, not by remorse, but by a kind of despair, and absolutely neglected her person and did not even care for her reputation.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, Dobbin, Rawdon, Lord Steyne
Page Number: 748
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 67 Quotes

Ah! Vanitas Vanitatum! which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?—come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, Dobbin, Jos
Page Number: 809
Explanation and Analysis:
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Dobbin Quotes in Vanity Fair

The Vanity Fair quotes below are all either spoken by Dobbin or refer to Dobbin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Greed and Ambition Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5 Quotes

In consequence of Dobbin’s victory, his character rose prodigiously in the estimation of all his schoolfellows, and the name of Figs, which had been a byword of reproach, became as respectable and popular a nickname as any other in use in the school. ‘After all, it's not his fault that his father’s a grocer,’ George Osborne said, who, though a little chap, had a very high popularity among the Swishtail youth; and his opinion was received with great applause. It was voted low to sneer at Dobbin about this accident of birth. ‘Old Figs’ grew to be a name of kindness and endearment; and the sneak of an usher jeered at him no longer.

Related Characters: George (speaker), Dobbin, Miss Pinkerton, Cuff, Dr. Swishtail
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

‘Only I wish you had sown those wild oats of yours, George. If you could have seen poor little Miss Emmy’s face when she asked me about you the other day, you would have pitched those billiard-balls to the deuce. Go and comfort her, you rascal. Go and write her a long letter. Do something to make her happy; a very little will.’

Related Characters: Dobbin (speaker), Amelia, George, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Sedley
Related Symbols: Billiards
Page Number: 135
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

‘Why, Rawdon, it’s Captain Dobbin.’

Related Characters: Becky Sharp (speaker), Amelia, Dobbin, Rawdon
Related Symbols: Piano
Page Number: 188
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

That period of Jos’s life which now ensued was so full of incident, that it served him for conversation for many years after, and even the tiger-hunt story was put aside for more stirring narratives which he had to tell about the great campaign of Waterloo.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, George, Dobbin, Jos, Rawdon
Page Number: 310
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 64 Quotes

If we were to give a full account of her proceedings during a couple of years that followed after the Curzon Street catastrophe, there might be some reason for people to say this book was improper. The actions of very vain, heartless, pleasure-seeking people are very often improper (as are many of yours, my friend with the grave face and spotless reputation—but that is merely by the way); and what are those of a woman without faith—or love—or character? And I am inclined to think that there was a period in Mrs Becky's life when she was seized, not by remorse, but by a kind of despair, and absolutely neglected her person and did not even care for her reputation.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, Dobbin, Rawdon, Lord Steyne
Page Number: 748
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 67 Quotes

Ah! Vanitas Vanitatum! which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?—come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Becky Sharp , Amelia, Dobbin, Jos
Page Number: 809
Explanation and Analysis: