Plot
Barchester Towers, to which The Warden forms the prologue,
is the story primarily of the contest between Mrs. Proudie,
the Bishop's wife, and Mr. Slope, his chaplain, for primacy in the diocese. As
an incident in this battle the wardenship of Hiram's
Hospital was in question. Against the strenuous advice of his son-in-law
Archdeacon Grantly, and following criticism of the
administration of the hospital funds, Mr. Harding resigned as Warden. Mrs.
Proudie and Mr. Slope united in warring against the
high-church party that sought his reinstatement. Mr. Slope, without Mrs. Proudie's knowledge, had rashly offered the wardenship to Mr. Quiverful,
but, upon learning that Mr. Harding's widowed daughter Eleanor Bold had an
income of £1,200, with an eye to the widow's favor he swung to the support of
her father.
Not content with this demonstration of his
independence, Mr. Slope secured the recall of the Rev. Dr. Vesey Stanhope, a prebendary of the Cathedral who had been living comfortably
in
Mr. Arabin, a brilliant young churchman from
GEROULD,
WINIFRED GREGORY;
A GUIDE TO TROLLOPE.
© 1948 Princeton University Press,
1976 renewed PUP
Reprinted by permission of
Url: http://www.anthonytrollope.com/
Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés
López
©Davinia Moreno Arroyo
Universitat de València
Press
damoa2@alumni.uv.es