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The American Senator

Anthony Trollope

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Jun 05, 2020 Elizabeth (Alaska) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, 19thc-read, author-trollope, nineteenth-century

I'm so glad to have been back reading Trollope. This novel has three plot lines: the American Senator of the title, Arabella Trefoil and her husband-chasing, and Larry Twentyman who wishes Mary Masters to be his wife. It is the rare Trollope novel that doesn't have at least one fox-hunting scene or chapter. There are multiple such scenes in this.

I'll take care of the Senator first. I was irritated that an American would be so obnoxious as to go to another country and tell them how wrong they we I'm so glad to have been back reading Trollope. This novel has three plot lines: the American Senator of the title, Arabella Trefoil and her husband-chasing, and Larry Twentyman who wishes Mary Masters to be his wife. It is the rare Trollope novel that doesn't have at least one fox-hunting scene or chapter. There are multiple such scenes in this.

I'll take care of the Senator first. I was irritated that an American would be so obnoxious as to go to another country and tell them how wrong they were to run their country in their own way. It wasn't the politics or the form of government he was criticizing, but other long-standing customs such as primogeniture and the way of choosing rectors in particular, but also including the way that fox-hunting itself tramples on the rights of minor property holders. And then I sort of laughed at myself. Oh Elizabeth, this wasn't an American, this was Trollope pointing fingers at his own country. Just because it was easier for him to use an American didn't mean it wasn't he pointing fingers. (Still, I was annoyed.)

The GR description gives us only the character of Arabella Trefoil. It would have you think it is at the heart of the story and that she "is one of Trollope's most famous and vivid creations." I think this latter is an slight exaggeration. Famous, undoubtedly not, but vivid perhaps. Until writing this, I did not try to picture Arabella, but now that I think of it, I could see Elizabeth Taylor or perhaps Vivien Leigh in the part. But Arabella is not the terrible schemer as is her mother who has schooled her daughter in the finer points of catching the richest husband available.

And now to good, honest, upstanding Larry Twentyman. He is not a gentleman, but stands head and shoulders at the top of the yeoman class. He has everything to offer Mary Masters, daughter of the local attorney, including his undying love. She cares for him, but more like a brother than as a husband. She has refused him. She has a pushy step-mother who is almost as bad as Arabella's mother. In fact, there are two chapters titled "Persecution" and oh my, Mrs. Masters did not hold back her venom and attacks when it was known that Mary had refused Larry.

Even though I rate this 4-stars, I think this is probably only for those who want to read more deeply than Trollope's two series, and perhaps not even immediately after those.

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