If you think modern office politics are brutal, you haven't seen anything yet. Honestly, the 19th-century clergy was way more cutthroat than your average corporate boardroom. We’re talking about Anthony Trollope Barchester Towers, a book that basically invented the "power struggle" trope before it was cool. It’s funny. It’s mean. It’s incredibly relatable for anyone who has ever had a boss they couldn't stand.
Published in 1857, this is the second book in Trollope’s Chronicles of Barsetshire. You don’t actually need to read the first one, The Warden, to get what's going on, though it helps. The story kicks off with a death. The old Bishop of Barchester dies, and everyone expects his son, Archdeacon Grantly, to take over the "family business." It's a slam dunk. Or so he thinks. Then the government changes, a new Prime Minister comes in, and suddenly the job goes to a complete outsider named Dr. Proudie.
This isn't just about religion. Not really. It’s about who gets to sit in the big chair and who gets to pull the strings from behind the curtain.
The Power Behind the Throne: Mrs. Proudie and Mr. Slope
The real juice of the story isn't the Bishop himself. Dr. Proudie is, frankly, a bit of a pushover. The real battle is between his wife, Mrs. Proudie, and his ambitious chaplain, Obadiah Slope.
Mrs. Proudie is a legend in English literature for a reason. She is terrifying. She’s a Sabbatarian who wants to ban everything fun and run the diocese with an iron fist. Then you have Mr. Slope. He’s oily. He’s manipulative. He has these sweaty palms that Trollope describes in a way that makes you want to wash your own hands. Slope wants power, and he thinks he can get it by pretending to be Mrs. Proudie's ally while secretly plotting to take over the local hospital and marry a rich widow.
It’s a three-way tug-of-war.
👉 See also: Black Red Wing Shoes: Why the Heritage Flex Still Wins in 2026
The Archdeacon and his high-church cronies are trying to keep the status quo. Mrs. Proudie is trying to enforce her strict moral code. Mr. Slope is trying to climb the social ladder by stepping on everyone’s toes. If you’ve ever worked in a place where two managers are fighting for dominance and you’re just caught in the middle, you’ll recognize every single beat of this story. Trollope was a civil servant for the Post Office for decades. He knew how bureaucracy worked. He knew how people used "policy" as a weapon to hurt people they didn't like.
Why the Humor Still Lands
Some Victorian novels feel like eating your vegetables. This one feels like gossiping over drinks. Trollope has this habit of breaking the "fourth wall." He’ll just stop the story and tell you directly that a character is being an idiot or reassure you that a certain person isn't going to die because he needs them for the next chapter. It’s meta before meta was a thing.
Take the Signora Madeline Vesey Neroni. She’s a "lame" socialite who returns to Barchester after a disastrous marriage in Italy. She’s basically a human wrecking ball. She sits on her couch, looks beautiful, and systematically destroys the egos of every man who walks into the room, including the "unsinkable" Mr. Slope. Her scenes are pure comedy. She sees through everyone’s nonsense, and she doesn't care about the local church politics at all. She’s there for the chaos.
The Low Church vs. High Church Mess
To really get Anthony Trollope Barchester Towers, you have to understand a little bit about the Church of England in the 1850s, but don't worry, it's not boring. It was basically a massive cultural war.
On one side, you had the "High Church" folks (like the Archdeacon). They liked the old ways, the ceremonies, the fancy robes, and the idea that the church was a pillar of the community. On the other side were the "Low Church" or "Evangelical" types (like the Proudies). They wanted shorter services, more preaching, and a much stricter lifestyle.
✨ Don't miss: Finding the Right Word That Starts With AJ for Games and Everyday Writing
- The Archdeacon: Represents tradition, good wine, and the "old boys' club."
- The Proudies: Represent "progress" (at least in their eyes), austerity, and strict rules.
- Mr. Slope: Represents the opportunist who uses whatever side is winning to get ahead.
This conflict is the engine of the plot. It’s not about theology; it’s about branding. It’s about who gets to control the narrative of Barchester. When Mr. Slope gives his first sermon in the Cathedral, it’s a calculated insult to the local clergy. He’s marking his territory. It’s the 19th-century version of an "aggressive" reply-all email.
The Character of Septimus Harding
In the middle of all this noise is Mr. Harding. He’s the protagonist of the first book and the moral heart of the second. He’s a quiet, gentle man who just wants to play his cello and be left alone. He’s the only person in the entire book who isn't motivated by power or money.
Trollope uses Harding to show how difficult it is to be a truly "good" person in a system designed for "successful" people. Harding is often pressured by his son-in-law, the Archdeacon, to fight for his rights, but Harding would rather lose his position than live with the conflict. It’s a quiet kind of bravery that makes him one of the most beloved characters in fiction. You find yourself rooting for the guy who just wants everyone to stop shouting.
Lessons from Barchester for the Modern Reader
You might wonder why we’re still talking about a book where the biggest scandal is a clergyman marrying a widow. It's because human nature hasn't changed a bit. The tools we use to fight for status have shifted—we use LinkedIn and Slack instead of sermons and dinner parties—but the underlying insecurity is the same.
- Beware the "Fixer": Every office has a Mr. Slope. The person who is suspiciously helpful to the boss but always has an ulterior motive. Trollope teaches us that these people usually trip themselves up because they're juggling too many lies.
- Soft Power is Real Power: Mrs. Proudie doesn't have an official title in the church. She’s just the Bishop’s wife. Yet, she runs the show. It’s a masterclass in how influence often matters more than an official job description.
- The Danger of Certainty: The characters who are the most sure they are "right" (like the Archdeacon and Mrs. Proudie) are the ones who cause the most damage. The characters who are willing to doubt themselves (like Mr. Harding) are the ones who actually keep the community together.
Honestly, the ending of the book is incredibly satisfying. It’s not a "happily ever after" for everyone, but it feels earned. The "bad" people don't necessarily go to jail—this isn't a thriller—but they lose their influence. They get sidelined. In Trollope's world, the worst punishment is being ignored.
🔗 Read more: Is there actually a legal age to stay home alone? What parents need to know
How to Get the Most Out of Barchester Towers
If you’re going to dive into this, don't rush. Trollope is a "leisurely" writer. He takes his time describing a room or a person’s inner thoughts. If you’re used to fast-paced thrillers, this will feel slow at first. But once you get into the rhythm of the prose, it’s addictive. It’s like a long-form prestige TV drama.
- Listen to the audiobook: If you find the Victorian sentence structure a bit dense, a good narrator can make the humor pop. Look for versions read by Timothy West or Simon Vance.
- Pay attention to the names: Trollope isn't subtle. "Slope" sounds like something you slip on. "Proudie" sounds like... well, pride. Even the "Stanhopes" sound a bit more aristocratic and detached.
- Don't worry about the "begats": If the book starts talking too much about specific church laws from 1850, just skim it. The emotional core is the relationship between the characters, not the legal fine print.
The legacy of Anthony Trollope Barchester Towers is huge. You can see its influence in everything from Downton Abbey to The Office. It’s a study of a small community under pressure, and it proves that no matter how much technology changes, a good bit of gossip and a power struggle never go out of style.
Next Steps for the Reader
To truly appreciate the nuance of Trollope's world, start by reading the first few chapters of Barchester Towers with a focus on the dialogue between the Archdeacon and his father. Notice how they use formal language to express very raw emotions like disappointment and ambition. If you're looking for a deeper dive into the historical context, look up the "Oxford Movement" and the "Sabbatarian controversy" of the 1850s. This will give you the "why" behind Mrs. Proudie's obsession with Sunday travel and the Archdeacon's obsession with church ritual. Finally, compare the dynamic between Mr. Slope and Mrs. Proudie to any modern power struggle you’ve witnessed; you’ll likely find that Trollope’s observations are still 100% accurate today.