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Rebecca “Becky” Sharp 

The protagonist of the novel and Rawdon Crawley’s wife. Becky is the orphaned daughter of an English artist and a French dancer. She is clever, scheming, manipulative, and charming. Becky’s goal is to acquire social standing and money, and she will use people in any capacity to further that goal.

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Amelia “Emmy” Sedley 

The foil of the novel and wife of George Osborne and William Dobbin. Amelia is a passive and dependent woman who sees the good in people. She remains true to George after his death and devotes herself to her son, though she sacrifices her own happiness when she allows him to be raised by his grandfather.

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William “Dob” Dobbin 

George’s best friend and Amelia’s second husband. The narrator calls Dobbin the only true gentleman in the novel. He is loyal, kind, helpful, and devoted to Amelia. For eighteen years, he sacrifices his happiness for Amelia’s. He secretly provides Amelia and Georgy with financial support.

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George Osborne 

Amelia’s first husband and godson to the Sedleys. George and Amelia were promised to one another as children. He is spoiled, selfish, and impetuous, marrying Amelia even though he doesn’t love her and can’t support her. He dies in battle before Amelia can learn his true character and his hope to desert her for Becky.

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Rawdon Crawley 

Becky’s husband and the younger son of Sir Pitt Crawley. Rawdon is a pleasure-seeking, non-serious, but charming young man. He has been raised in anticipation of inheriting from his wealthy aunt and is content to grift creditors with Becky. He has little desire to be a better man until he becomes a father.

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Lord Steyne 

A marquess. Lord Steyne is a wealthy, older aristocrat who enjoys a close friendship, perhaps an affair, with Becky. He enjoys mocking people and being cruel to his wife and daughters-in-law. The narrator postulates that he seeks to drown out the pain and worry of his younger son’s madness.

Joseph “Jos” Sedley 

Amelia’s older brother. Jos works in the civil service in India but also spends time in England. Lazy, vain, and weak, Jos loves eating, drinking, and dressing flamboyantly. He mainly acts out of self-indulgence but supports his parents financially after the bankruptcy.

John Osborne 

George’s father. Mr. Osborne is a wealthy businessman who breaks off the engagement between George and Amelia after Mr. Sedley’s bankruptcy and disowns his son when they marry. He sees a relationship with his grandson Georgy as a way of reconciling with his dead son.

Pitt Crawley 

The oldest son of Sir Pitt and heir of Queen’s Crawley. Pitt is serious, pious, and dull. While he initially disapproves of Becky, he becomes attracted to her and believes her lies. Pitt inherits the family title after his father’s death.

Sir Pitt Crawley 

Baronet of Queen’s Crawley. Sir Pitt Crawley is a cheap, bad-natured, haughty, and uneducated noble. He spends his time engaged in lawsuits and cannot manage his estate successfully.

Lady Crawley (Rose Dawson) 

The second wife of Sir Pitt Crawley. Becky becomes governess to her two daughters.

Mr. and Mrs. John Sedley 

Amelia’s father and mother. Mr. Sedley is a wealthy man until his bankruptcy. Initially, he disapproves of Amelia’s marriage, but his views change after George dies in battle. Mrs. Sedley’s nature changes when the Sedleys lose their fortune.

Lady Jane Sheepshanks 

Pitt Crawley’s wife. Lady Jane is a kind, generous, and maternal woman well-loved by everyone except Becky.

Miss Martha “Matilda” Crawley 

Aunt of Rawdon and Pitt Crawley. Miss Crawley, the half-sister of Sir Pitt, is a wealthy spinster. Vulnerable to flattery, she intends to make Rawdon her heir until he marries Becky.

George “Georgy” Osborne 

Son of Amelia and George Osborne. Georgy is just like his father in looks and disposition. He is spoiled and self-centered as a child, but he undergoes positive changes under Dobbin’s influence.

Rawdon “Rawdy” Crawley 

Son of Becky and Rawdon Crawley. As a child, Rawdy worships Becky, but his feelings turn to hate. He has a close relationship with his father and comes to look upon Lady Jane as his mother and the Pitt Crawleys as his family.

Bute Crawley 

The younger brother of Sir Pitt Crawley. The rector of his brother’s estate, Rev. Crawley enjoys drinking, gambling, and sports, and he is in debt.

Mrs. Bute Crawley 

Wife of Rev. Bute Crawley. Mrs. Bute knows everything that happens at Queen’s Crawley. She schemes to help her poor family and lies to curry Miss Crawley’s favor and money, but her plans fail.

Jane Osborne

George’s sister and Amelia’s sister-in-law. Jane is a spinster who looks after her father and the household as well as Georgy after he comes to live with them.

Maria Osborne 

George’s second sister. She increases her social standing by marrying Frederick Bullock and then snubs her own family.

Arabella Briggs 

Miss Crawley’s companion. After Miss Crawley’s death, Briggs works for Becky and takes care of Rawdy. She lends money to the Crawleys.

Horrocks 

Sir Pitt Crawley’s butler and drinking partner.

Miss Horrocks 

The daughter of Sir Pitt Crawley’s butler. She is a silly and dishonest young woman who hopes to marry Sir Pitt.

Peggy O’Dowd 

Wife of Major O’Dowd. Peggy is a voluble Irish woman who mothers all the soldiers in the regiment.

Glorvina O’Dowd 

Sister-in-law to Peggy O’Dowd. She is good-natured but fails to get Dobbin to marry her.

Miss Swartz 

An heiress of Black and Jewish ancestry whom the Osbornes befriend because they want George to marry her and acquire her wealth.

Narrator

An unnamed character. The narrator meets Amelia and Dobbin in Germany and learns all about their history.

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