“Vanity Fair” is a classic novel written by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1848. The novel is a satirical exploration of society’s obsession with wealth, status, and superficiality, set against the backdrop of early 19th-century England. The title, “Vanity Fair, ” is derived from John Bunyan’s allegorical story “The Pilgrim’s Progress, ” referring to a ceaseless fair in a town called Vanity, which represents man’s sinful attachment to worldly things.