Barchester Towers

Barchester Towers, published in 1857, is the second novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire". It is possibly Trollope's best known work. Among other things it satirizes the then raging antipathy in the Church of England between High Church and Evangelical adherents.

Plot summary

Barchester Towers concerns the leading citizens of the imaginary cathedral city of Barchester. The much loved bishop having died, all expectations are that his son, Archdeacon Grantly, also a clergyman, will gain the office in his place. Instead, owing to the passage of the power of patronage to a new Prime Minister, a newcomer, the far more Evangelical Bishop Proudie, gains the see. His wife, Mrs Proudie, exercises an undue influence over the new bishop, making herself unpopular with right-thinking members of the clergy and their families. Her interference in the reappointment of the universally popular Mr Septimus Harding (hero of Trollope's earlier novel, The Warden) as warden of the hospital is not well received, even though she gives the position to a needy clergyman with a large family to support.

Even less popular than Mrs Proudie is the bishop's newly appointed chaplain, the hypocritical Mr Obadiah Slope, who takes a fancy to Harding's wealthy widowed daughter, Eleanor Bold, and hopes to win her favour by interfering in the controversy over the wardenship. The Bishop, or rather Mr Slope under the orders of Mrs Proudie, also orders the return of Dr Vesey Stanhope from Italy. Dr Stanhope has been there, recovering from a sore throat, for 12 years and has spent his time catching butterflies. With him to the Cathedral Close comes his wife, and his three children. It is the younger of Dr Stanhope's two daughters who causes consternation in the Palace and threatens the plans of Mr Slope; Signora Madelina Vesey Neroni is a crippled serial flirt with a young daughter and a mysterious husband whom she has left. Mrs Proudie is appalled by her and considers her an unsafe influence on her daughters, her servants and Mr Slope. Mr Slope is drawn like a moth to a flame and cannot keep away. Bertie Stanhope is a man skilled at spending money but not at making it; his two sisters think marriage to rich Eleanor Bold will suit, and pay off his debts.

Summoned by the local clergy to assist in the war against the Proudies and Mr Slope is another clergyman, the brilliant Mr Francis Arabin. Mr Arabin is a considerable scholar, fellow of Lazarus College Oxford, who nearly followed his mentor John Henry Newman into the Church of Rome. He is genuinely attracted to Eleanor but the efforts of Archdeacon Grantly and his wife to stop her marrying Slope also interfere with any relationship that might develop. Finally, at the Ullathorne garden party, matters come to a head. Mr Slope proposes and is slapped for his presumption, Bertie proposes and is refused with good grace and the Signora has a chat with Mr Arabin. Mr Slope's double-dealings are now revealed and he is dismissed by Mrs Proudie, and the Signora. The Signora drops a delicate word in several ears and Mr Arabin and Eleanor become engaged. The old Dean of the Cathedral having died it seems obvious that Mr Arabin should become the new Dean, with a beautiful house in the Close, 15 acres (61,000 m²) of garden and an income even greater than his wife's.

With the Stanhopes' return to Italy, life in the Cathedral Close returns to its previous quiet and settled ways and Mr Harding continues his life of gentleness and music.

Adaptations

The Warden and Barchester Towers were filmed by the BBC as The Barchester Chronicles in 1982, with Alan Rickman attracting considerable plaudits as the villainous Slope.

External links

• Barchester Towers at Project Gutenberg
• Information about Barchester Towers on Anthony Trollope.com