There is no better way to immerse yourself in 19th century England than the works of Anthony Trollope. About every 10 years I re-read the "Barsetshire Novels" and each time re-discover what a engaging storyteller he was, what a perceptive creator of character, what an acute chronicler of his times. The Barsetshire novels are all lengthy (except for the slim prequel, "The Warden"), and "Last Chronicle" is the longest of all, but by the time you get to it you're glad it's so mammoth because you don't want to leave Trollope's world. His plots are simple: who will marry who, who will inherit what, who will rise in the Victorian world and who will fall. But his characters are so endearing, so engaging, and - some of them - so enraging. I can't recommend Trollope highly enough for anyone who wants to understand the 19th century. His books are more rural in focus than Dickens, quieter in tone and more realistic of plot. Just finishing up "Last Chronicle of Barset" and I practically want to start the whole thing over again.
Pride (
Mary E. Sibley)
The introduction notes that Trollope wrote the first novel sequences, the Barsetshire and the Palliser novels, in English. The Barsetshire books were written over a twelve year period. Mr. Crawley, perpetual curate at Hogglestock, is accused of stealing a cheque for twenty pounds. Grace Crawley, his daughter, nineteen years old, is a teacher. Dean Arabin has undertaken to finance the studies of Bob Crawley, currently in school at Marlborough, and headed for Cambridge. The son of Archdeacon Grantly, Major Grantly, is interested in Grace Crawley. Griselda Grantly, daughter of the archdeacon, is now Marchioness of Hartletop.
Mr. Crawley's role in the twenty pound cheque matter is a muddle, notwithstanding his innate honestly and his superior intellect and academic achievement. Grace Crawley and Lily Dale of Allington are friends. For Crawley's hearing, the board of magistrates includes Lord Lufton, a member of the DeCourcy family, and Dr. Thorne. Mr. Robarts advises Mrs. Crawley that he will arrange bail, should it be necessary.
The case is bound over to be heard by the Assizes in April and Mr. Crawley is released on bail, (he had refused to be represented by a lawyer). Bitterness is produced by poverty in the poor gentry. The Crawley family is in such circumstances. Behind Mr. Crawley's humility there is crushing pride. Later when Mr. Robarts tries to persuade him to accept the services of an attorney, Crawley reponds that he doesn't want to obstruct justice and is reluctant to mislead a jury.
Grace's mother seeks to shield her from the trouble and she is sent to visit Lily Dale. Mrs. Proudie worries about the souls at Hogglestock and tries to have Crawley removed from his curacy. At the preliminary stage it is not really within the bishop's power to act against Mr. Crawley. John Eames, Grace's cousin, undertakes a journey to uncover the truth in Crawley's case.
Trollope is particularly good on pecuniary matters, changes of fortune. He writes movingly, also, of honor. The portrait of Mr. Crawley, of stiff-necked pride, is a wonder. The novel is a highly satisfactory end to the Barset sextet.
Last Chronicle of Barset (Everyman's Library (Paper)). By Anthony Trollope
What a wonderful read! (
Ibsen Freak)
The best way to spend a winter's night? Curling up with Anthony Trollope in front of a woodstove- Heaven! And The Last Chronicle of Barset is wonderful- It's one of those books that you're actually thankful for its length. Amazing characters- wonderful details- and what's even better? there are 46 other Trollope novels left to devour- One per winter!
Last Chronicle of Barset (Everyman's Library (Paper)). By Anthony Trollope
The Last Chronicle of Barset is the final and best of the excellent Barset Series of Novels (
C. M Mills)
The Last Chronicle of Barset is the final, longest (862 pages) and best of the Barset novels of Anthony Trollope (1815-1882). The novels comprising the clerical series are: The Warden; Barchester Towers; Doctor Thorne; Framley Parsonage; The Small House at Allington and The Last Chronicle of Barset. This novel was written and published serially in 1866-1867. It is a massive three decker in the Victorian style. The prolific Trollope authored over 40 novels, short-stories and travel accounts in his storied career. The Last Chronicle of Barset has several characters and stories any one of which could have made a full fledged novel in itself! The main players are:
Josiah Crawley-The eccentric pastor of the poor Hogglestock bricklayer parish is accused of stealing a check for 20 pounds. Lawyer Mr. Toogood, the Grantleys and Lady Lufton seek to win him acquittal. We see this gloomy man put his wife Mary and daughters Grace and Jane through the purgatory of suffering and dread as his case is due to be brought up before the assizes. Crawley is one of the most interesting characters in all of Trollope's voluminous writing.
Several love stories are reported:
a. Johnny Eames still loves Lily Dale. Lily jilted him for the rake Adolphus Cosbie seven years previous to the opening of the novel. Johnny has a good job in London but Lily still says no. Will she marry Johnny or will she wed Adolphus? Or will she write two letters after her name "OM" for Old Maid? Read the novel and see!
b. Major Henry Grantley is the son of archdeacon Grantley. He is widowed with a small daughter. Henry falls in love with the intelligent and beautiful Grace Crawley daughter of the accused thief the Rev. Josiah Crawley. Will true love conquer?
c. The London artist Conway Dalrymple is torn between a married woman
and Miss Van Siever. Whom will he choose as his life's companion? This story has little to do with the action in Barsetshire and was added by Trollope to fulfill his contract for so many pages per month to a periodical.
In addition to the mystery regarding the theft of the check and the usual Trollopian love stories there are two key deaths of major characters in the Barset series:
a. The Rev. Septimus Harding-the aged fathere of Eleanor Arabin the dean's wife and Susan Harding the spouse of the archedeacon of Barset.
Mr. Harding is one of the kindest men seen in the pages of English fiction.
b. Mrs. Proudie-the busybody, interfering, harridan who has made her husband her uxorious tool dies of a heart attack in this final volume. She is one of the best comical characters in fiction.
There is also a suicide of a minor character Mr. Broughton.
I have read these Barset novels for many years and they are eminently worthy of rereading! Countless hours of pleasure and profitable wisdom await those who have the time and patience to devote to a huge Victorian novel. I was touched by Trollope's final paragraphs in which he bids adieu to Barset and the characters he so lovingly created with his genius pen.
Last Chronicle of Barset (Everyman's Library (Paper)). By Anthony Trollope
Why be stubborn? (
Vincent Poirier)
Trollope ends his Barsetshire cycle of novels with the longest one of the series, but the one with the weakest plot and with a most unsatisfying resolution. But that's OK and it is usual with Trollope. He is not writing a mystery novel or a complex spy thriller. His plots may well be flat and uninteresting, but his characters gain all the more.
After all, real life seldom offers us complicated situations. Whether fortune smiles or frowns on us, we understand our lot pretty well, even if we often fail to act as we should. If our lives and situations are simple, we are not. Trollope offers us brilliantly recreated complex people from which even casual readers may draw insight into their own lives.
As usual, there are no white hats and black hats. The main character, Josiah Crawley, is an unimpeachable, principled man accused of theft. He could not have done it, but looks guilty. He stubbornly refuses all charity and comes off as dour. He wears his tattered pauper's cassock with sinful pride. But he suffers greatly and so we sympathize, empathize even as we dislike him.
Lily Dale stubbornly resists her suitor Johnny Eames. One could think of her as an early feminist if she simply stated that a woman's happiness does not necessarily require sharing her life with a man. But no: she turns down Eames because she refuses to get over a previous heartbreak.
Johnny Eames is continually refused by a Lily Dale who only offers him the "F" word (i.e. friendship), so he flirts with other women but stubbornly refuses committing to any one else because of his devotion to Lily.
Archdeacon Grantly stubbornly refuses to accept that his son may marry whomever he wishes. His son, Major Grantly, stubbornly refuses to acknowledge that his father has a right to at least have feelings about his choice of a mate.
In the end, some relent some do not; material or matrimonial happiness comes to some of the characters but not to others. But true happiness comes only to those who trust and hope whether or not they realize their temporal desires.
Indeed my favorite line in the novel is spoken by Mr. Harding, the hero of the first Barset novel and a man who sees the good even in his foes. "Why should anyone weep for those who go away full of years - and full of hope?" Happiness is to trust and to hope.
Vincent Poirier, Dublin
Last Chronicle of Barset (Everyman's Library (Paper)). By Anthony Trollope
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