Barchester Towers

Anthony TrollopeMar 2015

4.0

Word count: 233K words
Chapters: 54

Summary

Anthony Trollope was well aware that the seemingly parochial power struggles that determine the action of Barchester Towers — struggles whose comic possibilities he exploits to hilarious effect — actually went to the heart of mid-Victorian English society. The small intrigues of provincial life mirror the great conflicts of the nation: in other times and other guises, such struggles had led to civil war and constitutional upheaval. The result is a novel that is at once a sharp social comedy and a searching study of power, ambition, and moral weakness.

Editor's review

What makes Barchester Towers so rewarding is the precision with which Trollope turns diocesan infighting, factional friction, and everyday propriety into comedy. He does not rely on exaggerated plot but lets every character believe they are defending principle, while the reader sees self-interest, vanity, and goodwill entangled. This method gives local trivia structural weight: church appointments, gentry networks, and the pressure of public opinion are a microcosm of how power worked in mid-Victorian England. The narrator's shifts between intrusion and withdrawal add an easy intellectual pleasure. It suits leisurely reading—as a comedy of manners to enjoy and as an entry into British institutional culture and moral satire; readers used to strong plotting will need a little patience with its conversations and scene-setting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy English satire and comedies of manners and are willing to savor verbal wit
Readers who want to understand the church, the gentry, and local power structures in the Victorian period through fiction
Readers of classic literature who prefer ensemble casts and steady narration to strong plot
English literature students or book-club members looking for a social-manners text to discuss

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting suspense, a central love plot, or frequent twists
Readers entirely unfamiliar with ecclesiastical titles, gentry forms of address, and Victorian social context who are unwilling to look anything up
Readers seeking practical self-help or direct personal-growth advice

Reading tips

Clarify church positions and character relationships before entering the argument scenes; this reduces early disorientation.
Pay attention to the narrator's asides and irony—they are the key to the book's comic register.
Read one or two chapters a day, comparing characters' words and actions with your own workplace experience.
After finishing, write a short note on how respectability masks power, then revisit key scenes.

Copyright information
CHAPTER I Who Will Be the New Bishop?
CHAPTER II Hiram's Hospital According to Act of Parliament
CHAPTER III Dr. and Mrs. Proudie
CHAPTER IV The Bishop's Chaplain
CHAPTER V A Morning Visit
CHAPTER VI War
CHAPTER VII The Dean and Chapter Take Counsel
CHAPTER VIII The Ex-Warden Rejoices in His Probable Return t
CHAPTER IX The Stanhope Family
CHAPTER X Mrs. Proudie's Reception—Commenced
CHAPTER XI Mrs. Proudie's Reception—Concluded
CHAPTER XII Slope versus Harding
CHAPTER XIII The Rubbish Cart
CHAPTER XIV The New Champion
CHAPTER XV The Widow's Suitors
CHAPTER XVI Baby Worship
CHAPTER XVII Who Shall Be Cock of the Walk?
CHAPTER XVIII The Widow's Persecution
CHAPTER XIX Barchester by Moonlight
CHAPTER XX Mr. Arabin
CHAPTER XXI St. Ewold's Parsonage
CHAPTER XXII The Thornes of Ullathorne
CHAPTER XXIII Mr. Arabin Reads Himself in at St. Ewold's
CHAPTER XXIV Mr. Slope Manages Matters Very Cleverly at Pudd
CHAPTER XXV Fourteen Arguments in Favour of Mr. Quiverful's
CHAPTER XXVI Mrs. Proudie Wrestles and Gets a Fall
CHAPTER XXVII A Love Scene
CHAPTER XXVIII Mrs. Bold is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Gran
CHAPTER XXIX A Serious Interview
CHAPTER XXX Another Love Scene
CHAPTER XXXI The Bishop's Library
CHAPTER XXXII A New Candidate for Ecclesiastical Honours
CHAPTER XXXIII Mrs. Proudie Victrix
CHAPTER XXXIV Oxford—The Master and Tutor of Lazarus
CHAPTER XXXV Miss Thorne's Fête Champêtre
CHAPTER XXXVI Ullathorne Sports—Act I
CHAPTER XXXVII The Signora Neroni, the Countess De Courcy, a
CHAPTER XXXVIII The Bishop Sits Down to Breakfast, and the D
CHAPTER XXXIX The Lookalofts and the Greenacres
CHAPTER XL Ullathorne Sports—Act II
CHAPTER XLI Mrs. Bold Confides Her Sorrow to Her Friend Miss
CHAPTER XLII Ullathorne Sports—Act III
CHAPTER XLIII Mr. and Mrs. Quiverful Are Made Happy. Mr. Slo
CHAPTER XLIV Mrs. Bold at Home
CHAPTER XLV The Stanhopes at Home
CHAPTER XLVI Mr. Slope's Parting Interview with the Signora
CHAPTER XLVII The Dean Elect
CHAPTER XLVIII Miss Thorne Shows Her Talent at Match-Making
CHAPTER XLIX The Beelzebub Colt
CHAPTER L The Archdeacon Is Satisfied with the State of Affa
CHAPTER LI Mr. Slope Bids Farewell to the Palace and Its Inh
CHAPTER LII The New Dean Takes Possession of the Deanery, an
CHAPTER LIII Conclusion

FAQ

Is this a good first Trollope?

Yes, but adjust your expectations. It is not a novel driven by suspense; it succeeds through dialogue, church appointments, and the narrator's irony. First-time readers can focus on how three or four central figures shift position rather than trying to remember every title; once you're drawn in, the everyday negotiation scenes become genuinely comic.

Will I understand it without knowing the Church of England?

You don't need expertise. It's enough to know that parishes involve hierarchies, contests over appointments, and different factions. Skip unfamiliar titles or consult brief notes; relationships matter more than institutional detail, and the background mainly amplifies the comic conflict without affecting the main line.

How is it different from a typical Victorian love story?

It certainly involves courtship and marriage choice, but its center is how power, face, and moral judgment pervade everyday decisions. The love plot works more as a device to align characters and expose personality; read it as social comedy rather than pure romance and its satirical edge comes through more clearly.

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About the author

Anthony Trollope Author

Anthony Trollope was a nineteenth-century English writer. Public information about his background is limited, but three of his works are included in our collection, commonly categorized under inspirational growth. His representative novel Barchester Towers is set in the fictional town of Barchester and depicts the network of relationships within the church and local society; Phineas Finn, the Irish Member follows the political experiences and personal choices of an Irish MP; and Rachel Ray focuses on the daily life and moral dilemmas of ordinary people. Trollope's style is plain and delicate, and he excels at portraying social groups through multi-stranded narratives, presenting characters' growth and choices within seemingly trivial everyday matters. His work has had a lasting influence on later realist fiction.