Barchester Towers (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Witty Victorian Satire of Anglican Church Politics, Clerical Ambition, and Moral Conflict in an English Cathedral TownBy Anthony Trollope
Length22h 48m
About this audiobook
Published in 1857 as the second Barsetshire novel, Barchester Towers examines the religious, social, and political rivalries that follow the death of Bishop Grantly. The struggle between the dignified Archdeacon Grantly and the ambitious reformer Mr. Slope, alongside the appointment of the physician's widow Mrs. Proudie as a formidable ecclesiastical power, gives Trollope a richly comic structure through which to explore patronage, clerical authority, class, gender, and institutional hypocrisy. Its leisurely realism, intricate plotting, and sharply observed dialogue are balanced by an omniscient narrator whose ironic asides expose both the characters' self-deceptions and the conventions of Victorian society. As a work of nineteenth-century domestic and social fiction, it extends the ecclesiastical satire of The Warden while developing the expansive community and moral ambiguities characteristic of Trollope's mature style. Anthony Trollope (1815–1882), an Irish-born English novelist and long-serving postal official, drew upon extensive experience of bureaucracy, hierarchy, and professional ambition. His knowledge of Anglican institutions and rural society, combined with his attention to ordinary habits and worldly motives, enabled him to render Barchester's clerical conflicts with both comic precision and psychological sympathy. Written during a period of debate over church reform and changing social authority, the novel reflects Trollope's fascination with the tensions between inherited privilege and modernizing ideals. Barchester Towers is especially rewarding for readers who value intelligent satire without sacrificing narrative pleasure. It offers memorable characters, institutional comedy, and a nuanced portrait of power in everyday life, making it an essential entry point into Trollope's Barsetshire sequence and a lasting study of Victorian social imagination.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (27.6K)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon, StoryGraph
GenreLiterary Classics, Humor
Length22 hrs 48 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 13, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Barchester Towers (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Author Biography
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter I. Who Will Be the New Bishop?
7Chapter II. Hiram's Hospital According to Act of Parliament
8Chapter III. Dr. and Mrs. Proudie
9Chapter IV. The Bishop's Chaplain
10Chapter V. A Morning Visit
11Chapter VI. War
12Chapter VII. The Dean and Chapter Take Counsel
13Chapter VIII. The Ex-Warden Rejoices in His Probable Return to the Hospital
14Chapter IX. The Stanhope Family
15Chapter X. Mrs. Proudie's Reception—Commenced
16Chapter XI. Mrs. Proudie's Reception—Concluded
17Chapter XII. Slope versus Harding
18Chapter XIII. The Rubbish Cart
19Chapter XIV. The New Champion
20Chapter XV. The Widow's Suitors
21Chapter XVI. Baby Worship
22Chapter XVII. Who Shall Be Cock of the Walk?
23Chapter XVIII. The Widow's Persecution
24Chapter XIX. Barchester by Moonlight
25Chapter XX. Mr. Arabin
26Chapter XXI. St. Ewold's Parsonage
27Chapter XXII. The Thornes of Ullathorne
28Chapter XXIII. Mr. Arabin Reads Himself in at St. Ewold's
29Chapter XXIV. Mr. Slope Manages Matters Very Cleverly at Puddingdale
30Chapter XXV. Fourteen Arguments in Favour of Mr. Quiverful's Claims
31Chapter XXVI. Mrs. Proudie Wrestles and Gets a Fall
32Chapter XXVII. A Love Scene
33Chapter XXVIII. Mrs. Bold is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead
34Chapter XXIX. A Serious Interview
35Chapter XXX. Another Love Scene
36Chapter XXXI. The Bishop's Library
37Chapter XXXII. A New Candidate for Ecclesiastical Honours
38Chapter XXXIII. Mrs. Proudie Victrix
39Chapter XXXIV. Oxford—The Master and Tutor of Lazarus
40Chapter XXXV. Miss Thorne's Fête Champêtre
41Chapter XXXVI. Ullathorne Sports—Act I
42Chapter XXXVII. The Signora Neroni, the Countess De Courcy, and Mrs. Proudie Meet Each Other at Ullathorne
43Chapter XXXVIII. The Bishop Sits Down to Breakfast, and the Dean Dies
44Chapter XXXIX. The Lookalofts and the Greenacres
45Chapter XL. Ullathorne Sports—Act II
46Chapter XLI. Mrs. Bold Confides Her Sorrow to Her Friend Miss Stanhope
47Chapter XLII. Ullathorne Sports—Act III
48Chapter XLIII. Mr. and Mrs. Quiverful Are Made Happy. Mr. Slope is Encouraged by the Press
49Chapter XLIV. Mrs. Bold at Home
50Chapter XLV. The Stanhopes at Home
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