cience and technology, people’s ideology and faith changed a lot. Females began to realize their poor living situation, and the discrimination against them, and they decided to struggle for themselves. The Feminist movement emerged around the late 19^thcentury with the beginnings of the first wave of feminism. The first wave refers to the feminism movement of the 19th through early 20th centuries, which dealt mainly with the Suffrage movement. It was an outgrowth of the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements, in which women fighting for the rights of Blacks in the United States realized that they themselves lacked some of the rights they were fighting for others.

As a critical realism writer, Thackeray witnessed a corrupted, hypocritical and mammonish Victorian society. In a money-oriented and status-conscious male world, women underwent a pathetic society that was full of prejudice.

From these it can be seen that the social background and the development of feminism in Thackeray’s time, which poses effect on his writing in this novelVanity Fairand the creations of the females characters. Thackeray wanted to write something to wake up more women, and advocate them to stand up to fight and live in a new life.

2.2 His family sources

To a large degree, Thackeray’s feminism thought derived from his family, his mother, wife, and his daughters. Melville says, “Thackeray had a nature of almost womanly softness”^[3].

At the age of four, Thackeray’s father died. From that moment on, his mother became his only spiritual support in his early life. Unfortunately, later he had to separate with his mother when he was sent to England to study. In England, Thackeray led a terrible and lonely life because of his unhappy and cruel educational experience. He expressed, “I remember kneeling by my little bed a night, and saying, ‘Pray God, I may dream of my mother’”^[4]Thackeray’s mother described when she reunited with her child, “dear soul he has a perfect recollection of me he could not speak but kissed me and looked at me again and again”^[4]. His early childhood experience made a contribution to his ideal of women which could be found in his books.

In 1835, a girl Isabella Shawe whom he later married came into Thackeray’s life. The time he fell in love with her, she was 18 years old. Isabella Shawe was an innocent and childish girl which was just the reason why Thackeray loved her. However, it was proved to be a sad marriage for the author. His wife got mental illness and had never been normal at until the end of her life. what he treasured most then had turn into an enduring pain in his life. His second emotional support collapsed forever.

In Thackeray’s later years, his spiritual support was his daughters. The time with his daughters was the happiest time. The love for his girls sustained his spirit. He made every effort to make his daughters live happily. In the rest of his life, he had never separated with them. “Thackeray’s affection for his daughters was one of the most touching things about him”^[5].

Besides, Thackeray had a number of female acquaintances. His need for this kind of companionship could be understood through the analysis of his reliance on his mother. “I can’t live without the tenderness of some women”^[3], he wrote to Mrs. Brookfield. In his many letters, we can find his need for the female companionship easily.

In a word, Thackeray’s close relationship can be seen in his letters and the other books about him. These women and their ideas had a great influence on Thackeray’s thought.. He showed great concern and sympathy for women in his life or his works because of his miserable life. That is the reason why we call him a feminist in some degree. InVanity Fair,he showed pity and respect to these two women.

3.A Feminist Analysis ofAmelia andRebecca

In this novel, these two female characters Amelia and Rebecca have the different characters and the author also has the different description on them since they are both the heroines of this novel. in common, they have the feminist features and virtues.

3.1 Amelia as a heroine

Amelia is the heroine of this novel. She has many traditional virtues. Her pure and warm-hearted nature, unswerving and faithful belief, and her courageous and decisive spirit make a good impression on readers.

3.1.1 A warm-hearted and pure Amelia

Amelia is a mild, kind-hearted lady. Besides, she is an innocent girl without any evil tricks in the traditional society.

She lives a rich and happy life where she has the chance to receive a good education and grow up healthily and happily. Since childhood, she is treated with all courtesy and mother’s intensive care which shapes her with the characters of gentility and kindness. From “… cry over a dead canary-bird; or over a mouse”^[6], it can be easily seen that Amelia is good-natured with a great mercy since that she will cry for a dead creature such as a mouse. Amelia’s parents Mr. Sedly and Mrs. Sedly are very kind people, especially Mr. Sedly. He is kind to Miss Sharp though she is only a poor and ordinary governess from the lower class in the hierarchical society. And Joseph, Amelia’s brother is dull and silly, but he is a friendly man to others. After all, in this family, there is no acrid or evil person. Thus the harmonious family environment makes a significant contribution to Amelia’s personality and her nature.

We can find a lot of evidence which prove Amelia is certainly a warm-hearted girl. For example, in the first scene of this novel, everyone from the head-teacher to the students sees Amelia off and presents many gifts to Amelia in the iron gate ofMiss Pinkerton's academy for young ladieson Chiswick Mall. Because in the daily life, Amelia is kind to everyone, therefore everyone likes this angel-like girl. Compared with Beckey, Amelia has better relationships with others. And when Rebecca lives in her family, Amelia makes every effort to help Rebecca and regards her as her best girlfriend though she knows that Rebecca is lowborn. Later she also tries to bring Rebecca and her brother Joseph together. Later, when she knows that Rebecca has done many bad things that are harmful to her, she still chooses to forgive her. For all these reason, Amelia is a good and warm- hearted woman.

In addition to that, Amelia is no doubt a pure and innocent person. She is just like a lily blooming in an ugly and vulgar society. The evil tricks never appear in her mind. She considers everybody to be kind-hearted. For example, Amelia couldn’t understandMiss Pinkerton, the head-teacher of her school treats her very well just because her family is rich and Miss Pinkerton could benefit from her. In Amelia’ mind, Rebecca is her good girlfriend. However, Rebecca takes advantage of Amelia’s innocence to achieve her own aim. Although Rebecca has a lot of tricks, she wouldn’t like to hurt Amelia because she realizes Amelia is a good girl. Good mind, good find.

Also Amelia longs for love. George Osborne who comes from a wealthy family is her emotional dependence. She pins her happiness on the love she pursuits. “George was her Europe, her emperor, her allied monarchs and august prince regent … He was her sun and moon … when he came to Russel Square, her face lighted up as if she had been sunshine … As soon as the door was shut, she went fluttering to lieutenant George Osborne’s heart as if it was the only natural home for her to nestle in.”^[6]Her love for George is so pure and deep.

As the heroine of this novel, Amelia is endowed with a pure and warm heart. She is the most beautiful angel in this novel.

3.1.2 An unswerving and faithful girl

Amelia is an unswerving and faithful girl, which we could know through her attitude to Rebecca and Amelia.

She sees Rebecca as her lifelong friend from the moment she brings her home. Mrs. Sedly does not like Rebecca because she sees through Rebecca and she figures out that Rebecca is taking advantage of her daughter. Mrs. Sedly shows that she doesn’t want Rebecca staying in their home. It is sure that Amelia understands what her mother worries about. However she does best to put in a good word for Rebecca and tries to bring Rebecca and Joseph together. One time, when Osborne speaks ill of Rebecca and says Rebecca just wants to go into upper society, Amelia defends her girlfriend no matter how deep she loves Osborne. She insists Rebecca is a good person whatever the others say. She trusts and appreciates Rebecca. It seems that she only believes her own eyes.

Amelia loves George Osborne purely and faithfully as always. From the moment she falls in love with him, she never changes her love no matter what happens. However, even George’s father makes her family bankrupt, she still love him. Her love for Mr. Osborne has become an emotional dependence even he died in the war, just as “hanging on … happy and loving … by day and by night, and reigned over it always.”^[7]When she is persuaded into another marriage, she refuses even if she understands Dobbin is so nice, sincere and helpful. She persists in widowhood for fifteen years .At last she gets married with Dobbin only after knowing that her husband who she contributes her deep and profound love and uncompromising honesty once decided to elope with Rebecca.

3.1.3 An courageous and decisive Amelia

In this novel, Amelia is always seen as a weak and tame girl by many critics, but actually she is not.

She loves George deeply for over half of her life. But George want to elope with her best friend—Rebecca bef