ThestoryopensatMissPinkerton'sAcademyforYoungLadies,wheretheprincipalprotagonistsBeckySharpandAmeliaSedleyhavejustcompletedtheirstudiesandarepreparingtodepartforAmelia'shouseinRussellSquare.Beckyisportrayedasastrong-willedandcunningyoungwomandeterminedtomakeherwayinsociety,andAmeliaSedleyasagood-natured,loveable,thoughsimple-mindedyounggirl.AtRussellSquare,MissSharpisintroducedtothedashingandself-obsessedCaptainGeorgeOsborne(towhomAmeliahasbeenbetrothedfromaveryyoungage)andtoAmelia'sbrotherJosephSedley,aclumsyandvaingloriousbutrichcivil-servantfreshfromtheEastIndiaCompany.BeckyenticesSedley,hopingtomarryhim,butshefailsbecauseofwarningsfromCaptainOsborne,Sedley'sownnativeshyness,andhisembarrassmentoversomefoolishdrunkenbehaviorofhisthatBeckyhadwitnessedatVauxhall.Withthis,BeckySharpsaysfarewelltoSedley'sfamilyandenterstheserviceofthecrudeandprofligatebaronetSirPittCrawley,whohasengagedherasagovernesstohisdaughters.HerbehaviouratSirPitt'shousegainshisfavour,andaftertheprematuredeathofhissecondwife,heproposestoher.However,hefindsthatsheisalreadysecretlymarriedtohissecondson,RawdonCrawley.SirPitt'selderhalfsister,thespinsterMissCrawley,isveryrich,havinginheritedhermother'sfortuneof£70,000.HowshewillbequeathhergreatwealthisasourceofconstantconflictbetweenthebranchesoftheCrawleyfamilywhovieshamelesslyforheraffections;initiallyherfavoriteisSirPitt'syoungerson,CaptainRawdonCrawley.Forsometime,BeckyactsasMissCrawley'scompanion,supplantingtheloyalMissBriggsinanattempttoestablishherselfinfavorbeforebreakingthenewsofherelopementwithMissCrawley'snephew.However,themisalliancesoenragesMissCrawleythatshedisinheritshernephewinfavourofhispompousandpedanticelderbrother,whoalsobearsthenamePittCrawley.ThemarriedcoupleconstantlyattempttoreconcilewithMissCrawley,andsherelentsalittle.However,shewillonlyseehernephewandrefusestochangeherwill.WhileBeckySharpisrisingintheworld,Amelia'sfather,JohnSedley,isbankrupted.TheSedleysandOsborneswereoncecloseallies,buttherelationshipbetweenthetwofamiliesdisintegratesaftertheSedleysarefinanciallyruined,andthemarriageofAmeliaandGeorgeisforbidden.GeorgeultimatelydecidestomarryAmeliaagainsthisfather'swill,primarilyduetothepressureofhisfriendDobbin,andGeorgeisconsequentlydisinherited.Whilethesepersonaleventstakeplace,theNapoleonicWarshavebeenrampingup.GeorgeOsborneandWilliamDobbinaresuddenlydeployedtoBrussels,butnotbeforeanencounterwithBeckyandCaptainCrawleyatBrighton.TheholidayisinterruptedbyorderstomarchtoBrussels.Already,thenewlyweddedOsborneisgrowingtiredofAmelia,andhebecomesincreasinglyattractedtoBeckywhoencourageshisadvances.AtaballinBrussels(basedontheDuchessofRichmond'sfamousballontheeveoftheBattleofWaterloo)GeorgegivesBeckyanoteinvitinghertorunawaywithhim.HeregretsthisshortlyafterwardsandreconcileswithAmelia,whohasbeendeeplyhurtbyhisattentionstowardsherformerfriend.Themorningafter,heissenttoWaterloowithCaptainCrawleyandDobbin,leavingAmeliadistraught.Becky,ontheotherhand,isvirtuallyindifferenttoherhusband'sdeparture.ShetriestoconsoleAmelia,butAmeliarespondsangrily,disgustedbyBecky'sflirtatiousbehaviorwithGeorgeandherlackofconcernaboutCaptainCrawley.Beckyresentsthissnubandariftdevelopsbetweenthetwowomenthatlastsforyears.Beckyisnotveryconcernedfortheoutcomeofthewar,either.ShouldNapoleonwin,sheplanstobecomethemistressofonehismarshals,andmeanwhileshemakesaprofitsellinghercarriageandhorsesatinflatedpricestopanickingBritonsseekingtofleethecity,wheretheBelgianpopulationisopenlypro-Napoleonic.CaptainCrawleysurvives,butGeorgediesinthebattle.Ameliabearshimaposthumousson,whoisalsonamedGeorge.Shereturnstoliveingenteelpovertywithherparents.Meanwhile,sincethedeathofGeorge,Dobbin,whoisyoungGeorge'sgodfather,graduallybeginstoexpresshisloveforthewidowedAmeliabysmallkindnessestowardherandherson.Mostnotableistherecoveryofheroldpiano,whichDobbinpicksupatanauctionfollowingtheSedleys'ruin.Ameliamistakenlyassumesthiswasdonebyherlatehusband.SheistoomuchinlovewithGeorge'smemorytoreturnDobbin'saffections.Saddened,hegoestoIndiaformanyyears.Dobbin'sinfatuationwithAmeliaisathemewhichunifiesthenovelandonewhichmanyhavecomparedtoThackeray'sunrequitedloveforafriend'swife,Meanwhile,Beckyalsohasason,alsonamedafterhisfather,butunlikeAmelia,whodotesonandevenspoilsherchild,Beckyisacold,distantmother.Shecontinuesherascentfirstinpost-warParisandtheninLondonwheresheispatronisedbythegreatMarquessofSteyne,whocovertlysubsidisesherandintroduceshertoLondonsociety.Hersuccessisunstoppabledespiteherhumbleorigins,andsheiseventuallypresentedatcourttothePrinceRegenthimself.BeckyandRawdonappeartobefinanciallysuccessful,buttheirwealthandhighstandardoflivingaremostlysmokeandmirrors.Rawdongamblesheavilyandearnsmoneyasabilliardsshark.Thebookalsosuggestshecheatsatcards.Beckyacceptstrinketsandmoneyfromhermanyadmirersandsellssomeforcash.Shealsoborrowsheavilyfromthepeoplearoundherandseldompaysbills.Thecouplelivesmostlyoncredit,andwhileRawdonseemstobetoodim-wittedtobeawareoftheeffectofhisborrowingonthepeoplearoundhim,Beckyisfullyaware。