JasonKoivu

It's "father knows best" 18th Century style!

A relatively well-off parson's family in mid 1700s England is forced into reduced circumstances and then really falls on hard times.

A contemporary and friend of lexicographer Samuel Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith too was a lover of language. He was a teller of tales and The Vicar of Wakefield is essentially just that, a collection of stories tailored to fit linearly into this one novel. As such, there are occasional moments when the book veers from the main story for a moment and it becomes obvious that Goldsmith had a particular tale or some allegorical tidbit he wanted to feed his readers. But it gets back on track and finishes by tying up ALL loose ends in a comically clustered finish.

Yes, it can get a tad preachy and the all-knowing father figure bores all but himself. Ahhh, but there's the saving grace! The witty and humorous Goldsmith was clever enough not to create a flawless god-like priest in the father who is blindly obeyed by his dutiful family. No, the dad is human. He makes a mistake or two and is sometimes ignored by his wife and children like most dads through out the ages. And that keeps The Vicar of Wakefield a relatable piece of work that has endured over time and influenced English writers like Jane Austen in the years following its publication.

Rating: 3.5