The traveller in Goldsmith

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the significance of the traveller in Oliver Goldsmith's The Citizen of the World, "The Traveller," "The Deserted Village," and The Vicar of Wakefield. The study first provides an introduction to Goldsmith, focusing upon the autobiographical basis for the traveller and Goldsmith's effective employment of the traveller in his satirical and sentimental treatment of man and in his development of the theme of inner happiness. The second and third chapters include a discussion of the traveller in each of the four works. The study reveals that each work focuses on a particular element of human life. The final chapter provides an explanation of how the four works, each with a distinct traveller, combine to form a realistic and entertaining picture of man.