NAVIGATING SATIRE AND SENTIMENT IN OLIVER GOLDSMITH’S THE VICAR OF THE WAKEFIELD

Abstract

This paper applies a close reading approach to Oliver Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield, examining the interplay of satire and sentiment as defining features of the novel. The analysis shows how Dr. Primrose functions simultaneously as an unreliable narrator and a figure of moral integrity, creating structural irony that exposes vanity, misplaced trust, and self-righteousness. At the same time, sentimental elements—such as Olivia’s repentance and the family’s endurance—reinforce themes of forgiveness and resilience. Through this dual emphasis, Goldsmith’s text critiques the duplicity of social values while affirming the appeal of steadfast virtue. The study situates the novel within 18th-century sentimental fiction and highlights how its enduring resonance lies in sustaining the tension between satire and sentiment.