Barchester Towers was Anthony Trollope’s second in a group of novels, following The Warden (1855), later called the Barsetshire sequence. Published in 1857, it featured Trollope’s trademark interest in religion as politics. In his focus on who would receive the reward of various religious appointments associated with the cathedral town of Barchester, Trollope features a clash between the high and low factions of the Church of England, supported by a charming love story, to produce a gently ironic tale that readers continued to find delightful more than a century later.
Set during the 1850s, the novel introduces characters concerned over who might be appointed archdeacon when the present archdeacon expired. The archdeacon’s son, Dr. Grantly, held confident expectations of the appointment as his father’s chosen successor, having served the church by managing diocesan affairs for years. However, Church powers appoint Dr. Proudie, whose transparent name foreshadows his character and the impression he makes as an outsider. Most damaging is his omnipresent wife, the first female ever to position herself as the power behind the deaconship. She offends Grantly and his father-in-law, Mr. Harding, choirmaster of the cathedral and the former warden, trying to impress them by making much of her set of London horses, which she will use to visit the locals. She gravely mistakes the effect of her bragging to Grantly, who, the narrator informs the readers, “could have bought every individual possession of the whole family of the Proudies, and have restored them as a gift without feeling much of the loss.” Further offense is scored when Proudie appoints Mr. Slope, a supporter of low-church factions, as his public representative.
The disastrous first meeting between the old and new Barsetshire residents predicts their future combative relationships. Conflict escalates as a struggle begins between the two factions over the wardenship of the diocese-controlled charitable Hiram’s Hospital, already vacant. Dr. Grantly’s candidate, Mr. Harding, finds he will have to vie for the position with Mr. Slope. Seeking to exercise control over the wardenship, Slope offers it to Mr. Harding, but attaches conditions to the office that Harding rejects. With Mrs. Proudie’s support, and that of some local women who enjoy Slope’s sermons, Slope seems destined for success.
Mrs. Proudie’s first visit to the bishop’s palace to meet the Reverend Vesey Stanhope is unsuccessful, increasing her frustration with her husband’s assignment. Stanhope returned from living abroad with two of his children, the charming La Signora Neroni, deserted by her Italian husband and left crippled by an accident, and her younger brother, Bertie Stanhope, an agreeable but crafty young man without income. Neither makes a positive impression on Mrs. Proudie, particularly the signora, who occupies a sofa seat intended for Mr. Slope. However, Slope falls immediately under the signora’s trance, irritating Mrs. Proudie.
Mr. Slope pursues Eleanor Bold, widowed daughter of Mr. Harding, who has an admirable income, a relationship that causes Slope to regret his previous manipulation of Mr. Harding. As the action rises, Mrs. Proudie meets Mr. Quiverful, a poverty-stricken minister with a large family, and she wants him to receive the hospital wardenship; however, Mr. Slope manipulates Quiverful into claiming he does not want the appointment. Suddenly Slope finds Mrs. Proudie an indomitable force whose wishes he should not challenge.
In the romantic subplot, Eleanor visits the Grantlys at their Plumstead home, where she meets a favorite of Dr. Grantly to whom she is attracted, Mr. Arabin, minister of a nearby parish. His doctrine opposes that of Mr. Slope. A shy man without romantic experience, he cannot express his fondness for Eleanor. When Eleanor receives a letter from Slope, the Grantlys worry that she may accept his marriage proposal. She learns of their concerns and mistakenly believes that Arabin stated her intention to marry Slope. Feeling insulted by Arabin, she returns to Barchester. Meanwhile, Slope remains enthralled by La Signora Neroni but still wants to marry Eleanor. At a party, Eleanor receives and rejects marriage proposals from both Slope and Bertie Stanhope, who seeks to marry money. Trollope inserts yet another scene of crossed communication when Eleanor sees Arabin talking with the signora, and she mistakenly believes him to be attracted to her.
In the middle of all this conflict, the village receives news that the old dean of Barchester, Mr. Trefoil, is dying, meaning another vacancy would need filling, one that Slope wants to assume. He immediately visits the bishop and shares his wishes with political friends. However, he has forgotten his insult to Mrs. Proudie and underestimated her determination. As the true strength behind the bishop, she influences the move not only to retire Slope but also to have the dean position offered to Mr. Harding. In order to bring the story to its denouement, the signora refuses Slope’s attentions while she shares the news of Arabin’s love for Eleanor with Eleanor herself. The romance reaches a happy conclusion, and Mr. Quiverful becomes a warden. In addition, when Harding refuses the deanship offer, Arabin receives and accepts a nomination. Trollope’s fictional village returns to the peace it craves, and the high-church sentiments have beaten the low.
Well received by Trollope’s contemporaries, the novel was lightly criticized by some later scholars as being too “talky”; Trollope digresses into long narratives regarding women, the clerical scene, and various groups of workers. While his narratives never lack wit, their repetitious nature causes readers to skip ahead. Others have judged Trollope’s handling of romance stilted and unimaginative. Nevertheless, his creation of the two antiheroes, Slope and Mrs. Proudie, marks a major accomplishment; both provide more entertainment than does Grantly. Readers may even admire Mrs. Proudie as a sharp woman who practices her ideals, desirable or not. Trollope admirably unfolds a political game before a skillfully detailed background, with his intimate knowledge of, and affection for, Barchester evident in his imagery. Moreover, while not in the comic novel category, Barchester Towers contains the type of humor arising from the absurdity produced by power struggles.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Galbraith, John Kennet. Preface to Barchester Towers, by Anthony Trollope. London: Penguin Books, 1987.
Gilmour, Robin. Introduction to Barchester Towers, by Anthony Trollope. London: Penguin Books, 1987.
Glendinning, Victoria. Anthony Trollope. New York: Knopf, 1993.
Categories: British Literature, Literature, Novel Analysis
Slave Narrative 
Analysis of Ford Madox Ford’s The Good Soldier 
Analysis of Molly Keane’s Good Behaviour 
Analysis of Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook
You must be logged in to post a comment.