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Chapter 53
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Vanity Fair, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Greed and Ambition
Vanity
Social Class and Character
Gender
Inheritance and Family Life
Summary
Analysis
After the fight, Rawdon goes to the mansion of Pitt Crawley and Lady Jane. Pitt Crawley is frightened when he first sees Rawdon, figuring that perhaps Rawdon is drunk. When Rawdon says he has a problem, Pitt assumes it’s about money. But Rawdon explains the real issue is Rawdy. Rawdon says if it wasn’t for Rawdy, Rawdon would have already slit his own throat, right after slitting the throat of “that damned villain.” Pitt immediately realizes Rawdon must be talking about Lord Steyne.
Although Rawdon may look disheveled when he visits Pitt Crawley and Lady Jane, Rawdon has matured as a character, learning to be more selfless as he puts his son first. Before he had a son, Rawdon was quick to start duels at the slightest offense, but he proves in this passage that he cares enough about Rawdy to leave his old life of dueling behind—or at least postpone it until Rawdy is taken care of.
Themes
Rawdon says that if anything happens to him, Becky can’t be trusted with Rawdy, so Lady Jane and Pitt Crawley must take care of him. Pitt Crawley shakes his hand and promises on his honor that he’ll do it. Rawdon then gives Pitt money to pay back his debt to Miss Briggs, who was always nice to Rawdy. Rawdon says the remainder of the money may as well go to Becky. With that, the two brothers shake hands again, and Rawdon leaves.
In making sure Rawdy is taken care of, Rawdon also finally ends his feud with his brother, Pitt Crawley, for good. While this whole chapter captures a moment of growth for Rawdon, it also has grim undertones, as if perhaps Rawdon is getting his affairs settled in the event of his sudden death.
Themes
Rawdon goes to Lord Steyne’s house, where he scares a servant with his disheveled appearance. He leaves a card with a location where Lord Steyne can find him all day. Rawdon then goes to visit Captain Macmurdo, a friend he knows from Waterloo, and tells him he needs a second for a duel, which is about Becky. Macmurdo wants to confirm Rawdon is sure about his suspicions about Becky and Lord Steyne, but Rawdon tells him that he is.
Macmurdo hasn’t come up in the novel before, giving a hint of how fully Becky has separated Rawdon from his old life (which, as a soldier, Macmurdo represents). The fact that Rawdon is starting a new duel is yet another sign that he is slipping back into his old ways from before he met Becky.
Themes
Rawdon laments to Captain Macmurdo that he used to be so fond of Becky, acting like a servant to her. Captain Macmurdo tries to defend Becky, saying she’s certainly been alone with Lord Steyne before without any incident. But Rawdon can’t be swayed. He sends one of Macmurdo’s servants to fetch his clothes at Curzon Street, where Becky still is. Meanwhile, Rawdon and Macmurdo struggle together to write a letter to Lord Steyne, formally challenging him to a duel and advising him to pick a second.
This passage once again draws attention to gender expectations in the early 19th century While Rawdon was willing to go along with almost anything Becky wanted, he draws the line at infidelity. This shows how, despite Rawdon’s willingness to let people gossip about other aspects of his reputation, he reacts strongly against any potential challenge to his masculinity.
Themes
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Captain Macmurdo’s servant comes back, saying that no one would let him in the house and all the servants were drinking and celebrating. Rawdon’s glad at least that Rawdy is away at boarding school and isn’t stuck at the house. At that very moment, Rawdy is in church, thinking about the next time he’ll see Rawdon.
The image of Rawdy at church thinking of the next time he’ll see his father seems to be an ominous sign that perhaps Rawdy won’t see his father again. The celebrating servants in Rawdon and Becky’s home reveals how precarious their position truly was, with the servants seemingly celebrating their downfall.
Themes
Rawdon gets emotional at the thought that he might never see Rawdy again if he falls in the duel. He tells Captain Macmurdo that if anything happens, he should tell Rawdy that Rawdon was very fond of him and give him Rawdon’s cufflinks, which are all he has left to give. After everything is settled, Macmurdo goes off to wax his mustache, since he wants to look nice if he’s meeting a lord.
The ending of this chapter is both humorous and tragic. Rawdon’s cufflinks are a comically small gift for a father to leave his son, particularly compared to all the other inheritances in the story, yet the gesture is also moving because the cuff links are all Rawdon has to give. Meanwhile, Macmurdo’s decision to wax his mustache shows that these characters value reputation so much that they always want to look nice before meeting a noble—even a mortal enemy.
Themes
