Barchester Towers
Encyclopedia
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.
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 (60,702.9 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.
and Barchester Towers were filmed by the BBC
as The Barchester Chronicles
in 1982, with Alan Rickman
attracting considerable plaudits as the villainous Slope.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
in Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire
Chronicles of Barsetshire
The Chronicles of Barsetshire is a series of six novels by the English author Anthony Trollope, set in the fictitious cathedral town of Barchester...
". It is possibly Trollope's best known work. Among other things it satirizes the then raging antipathy in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
between High Church and Evangelical adherents.
Plot summary
Barchester Towers concerns the leading citizens of the imaginary cathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
city of Barchester. The much loved bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
having died, all expectations are that his son, Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
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
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
. 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
The Warden
The Warden is the first novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire", published in 1855. It was his fourth novel.-Synopsis:...
) 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 (60,702.9 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 WardenThe Warden
The Warden is the first novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire", published in 1855. It was his fourth novel.-Synopsis:...
and Barchester Towers were filmed by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as The Barchester Chronicles
The Barchester Chronicles
The Barchester Chronicles is a 1982 British television serial produced by the BBC. It is an adaptation of Anthony Trollope's first two Barchester novels, The Warden and Barchester Towers, and was directed by David Giles...
in 1982, with Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...
attracting considerable plaudits as the villainous Slope.