What characterizes the tone of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair"?

The tone of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" is indeed characterized as bitter and caustic, which reflects the author’s critical view of early 19th-century British society and its social dynamics. Thackeray employs irony and satire to expose the vanity, hypocrisy, and moral ambiguity of his characters, allowing readers to see the flaws and follies of the individuals who populate his narrative.

This tone not only shapes the mood of the novel but also serves to illuminate the broader themes of ambition, social climbing, and the relentless pursuit of status, often at the expense of ethics and genuine human connection. By leveling such fierce critiques against his characters and society, Thackeray engages readers to reflect on the nature of morality and the cost of superficial success. The bitterness in his tone also reinforces the sense of disillusionment that permeates the work, further emphasizing the idea that the characters inhabit a world that is both glamorous and deeply flawed.