If you get three people or three chimpanzees in one place, you will surely see politics in action. The cathedral town of Barchester provides the backdrop for a poo-throwing extravaganza as the old Bishop dies and is replaced by someone from outside the community. The clergy of the town could have tolerated that, had the new Bishop not proven to be a puppet of his wife and her chosen chaplain, Mr. Slope. The Bishop's wife may have chosen Mr. Slope, but he intends to rule the diocese (and her) and begins to plot and plan immediately.
Trollope picks up the story where he left off in The Warden. In the interim, John Bold has died, leaving Eleanor with a new baby. Of course she has inherited her husband's money and thus becomes a desirable potential spouse for both the greasy Mr. Slope and the feckless and useless Bertie Stanhope. Trollope sets both these men up to pursue the young widow and then immediately offers a spoiler, assuring the reader that she does not wed either one. My first thought was “Mr. Trollope, you do not seem to understand plot tension!” However, I was proven wrong, as that knowledge allowed me to completely enjoy the machinations of both men in their useless pursuit of Eleanor. Their arrogance in assuming that they had only to pay a little attention to her to secure her as a spouse is misguided. I was pleased to see Eleanor stand up for herself firmly in this book!
Trollope has a field day showing how the clergy are subject to the same passions, foibles, temptations, and failings as their congregations. He still manages to wrap things up happily and make the tale entertaining. I look forward to future visits to Barsetshire.
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