Trollope's comic masterpiece of plotting and backstabbing opens as the Bishop of Barchester lies on his deathbed. Soon a pitched battle breaks out over who will take power, involving, among others, the zealous reformer Dr Proudie, his fiendish wife and the unctuous schemer Obadiah Slope.
Set in the early Victorian period, Barchester Towers picks up where Trollope's previous novel, The Warden, left off. The story centers on the politics of the Church of England, particularly the struggle for the position of Bishop of Barchester after the death of the elderly incumbent, Dr. Grantly, and the ensuing contest over the succession to his office.
As various characters vie for power and influence, Mrs. Proudie emerges as a major force within the church, trying to shape it according to her own vision and to control the lives of those around her. Dr. Grantly supports the ideal of a strong, independent church in which the bishops are free to make their own decisions without interference. Ultimately, the series of events are comedic as well as deeply dramatic.
The conflict, with all its twists, turns and wit among different parties, leaves readers with a deeper understanding of human relationships amid a world full of political maneuver and social manipulation.
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Categories: Fiction Historical Literature