Exploring Anthony Trollope discussion
Why do you read Trollope?
date
newest »
newest »
Because I heard he was different from other Victorian authors. His characters are not caricatures and there is humor that I found speaks to me. Most Victorian writers are too sentimental and too unbelievable for reality oriented me. Thank you, Elizabeth, for inviting me.
I have only read one but will be reading more soon. My next will be Phineas Finn, so obviously the one I started with was Can You Forgive Her?
I haven't read Trollope for many years but I first read him out of curiosity. I love him, his books are interesting, can be funny, and of course, paint a picture of life at the time. I like that he is NOT like Dickens. Dickens does sometimes get-on-my -wick. I suppose he is a bit preachy at times, was it him who said 'the job of the author is to improve the reader?' And I note 'good' girls get their man 'bad' ones don't, while any man, be he rich enough, gets a girl. But then again that is how Vic. society was. There is going to be an adaptation of 'Doctor Thorn' on TV soon - I am really pleased as that is one of my favourite Trollope's.
Chrissie wrote: "Most Victorian writers are too sentimental and too unbelievable for reality oriented me. "Trollope can be sentimental, but perhaps not as obviously. And, it is difficult to find sad endings in Trollope, so it's a definite surprise when it happens.
Well, if yu look at what happens to all the different characters in Can You Forgive Her?, some end up married but not all. Some of those marriages are good matches, others less so, but realistically normal. Here I am thinking of the Palliser couple. I personally got a huge kick out of Glencora.
She's marvelous, and you're going to see more of her!
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "She's marvelous, and you're going to see more of her!"Good.
So it is difficult to find sad endings. Hmmm, look what happens to George. Or is it that he does come back in another book? I thought the books didn't hang on each other! I could name some other characters too, but I won't. I don't ant to give spoilers.
Others make appearance in the others titles of this series and there are some very minor characters that appear in novels outside this series. Plantagenet Palliser was first introduced in Barchester Towers, but it is only an introduction, and a very small part he has there.Yes, Trollope does allow sad things to happen - some characters are never going to do/be well, though the reader will always have hope.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Yes, Trollope does allow sad things to happen - some characters are never going to do/be well, though the reader will always have hope. "That is fine by me. I don't want it too sugary, a pinch of hope is enough.
Some authors are very predictable. Trollope does enough predicting on his own that he may well tell you that such-and-such will not happen. There are books in which I know that all will be well, though I might be in despair that it can actually happen. So I read because I want to know how he will bring it about.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "So I read because I want to know how he will bring it about. ."Good approach.
I read Trollope because he gives an insightful portrait of 19th Century British life, does so in an entertaining, easy to read style, and reading him makes me look smarter than I am.I have found that people would see me reading a 900 page Trollope and act impressed, thinking I was reading something difficult and boring, like a Tolstoy or even Dickens, when I felt I was reading escapist, easy to read books that entertain me,and just happen to be long and old. I don't tell them that.
Brian wrote: "I read Trollope because he gives an inciteful portrait of 19th Century British life, does so in an entertaining, easy to read style, and reading him makes me look smarter than I am.I have found ..."
Also, he seems to have had no agenda, as did Dickens, other than exactly that: to provide a portrait of British life.
I am not sure I would say Trollope had 'no agenda'. He subscribes to the theory that 'the author should improve the reader'. None of his 'bad girls' get what they want.
yes, Trollope was almost, but not quite, a feminist. I was thinking about Dickens and his campaign to do something about the poor, and in that way I don't see Trollope as having an agenda.
Trollope characters, especially the women are real people unlike Dickens. Most Trollope novels have a great story to keep the reader interested in what happens next.
Well, I would say: provide a portrait of DESIRABLE British life :)Have you seen the recent TV series - Dickensian?
Linda wrote: "Well, I would say: provide a portrait of DESIRABLE British life :)"Some of what I've read would not in the least be desirable. He Knew He Was Right is a pretty good example of a less than desirable life. Another might be Miss Mackenzie, or even Rachel Ray. Both of these latter included a predictable good outcome, but I'm not sure the life led by either of the women throughout the novel was desirable.
I have read all three, but a long time ago so you will have to bear with me. Rachel Ray is actually one of my favourite Trollope's and I don't remember her being bad. As always I didn't express my self well - I meant desirable behaviour. As I said his 'good girls' get the husband - though sometimes the devious girls do get to get the husband if silly girls take bad advice - eg. Alexandrina and Augusta in Doctor Thorne.
I like that the characters are not all rosy; that would be just so unrealistic. Mostly I love the humor. I am reading the Palliser series; thought the second one Phineas Finn even better than the first. It had a bit more substance , more topics to think about. Their is politics, but it is not heavy. The issues debated concern with voting rights. At this time only those with property could vote. It does not become boring - because of the humor. I also like how Trollope through his characters and the plot interweaves philosophical questions. Party versus personal convictions, love versus money, play versus work, privacy versus prominence. Questions any reader must relate to and questions for which there is no definitive right or wrong. Then I stuck in a short stand-alone, but I wasn't so happy with that; this one: Sir Harry Hotspur Of Humblethwaite.
I am going to continue with the series, but I also want to try The Way We Live Now. So many like that one.
Finally a Victorian author that I really, really like!
Linda wrote: "I have read all three, but a long time ago so you will have to bear with me. Rachel Ray is actually one of my favourite Trollope's and I don't remember her being bad. As always I didn't express my ..."Ah, I read your post as desirable life, as in comfortable, not as desirable behavior, as in against norms. Yes, most of his women conform to morality. A notable exception, I think, was An Eye for an Eye. For a darker Trollope, you might also be interested in Linda Tressel or Nina Balatka.
I still have 20 novels for a first reading, so there may be others, but I don't anticipate there will be.
Chrissie wrote: "I like that the characters are not all rosy; that would be just so unrealistic. Mostly I love the humor. I am reading the Palliser series; thought the second one Phineas Finn even bet..."I think the books in that series continue to get better as you read. However, saying that, my least favorite of the six was The Prime Minister, the next to last.
Trollope was wonderful, but even as good as I think he is, there will be a few duds to trip over.
OK, thanks for the tip about The Prime Minister. NO author is perfect!I like dark....so I am going to check out those that you mention, Elizabeth! thanks. Is the humor absent from the darker ones? I don't want to miss the humor. It fits me perfectly. It is never mean humor.
Chrissie wrote: "I like dark....so I am going to check out those that you mention, Elizabeth! thanks. Is the humor absent from the darker ones..."The sweetness isn't missing, does that help? And both are very short.
Yep. But actually I prefer long over short. You get a deeper story.
Chrissie wrote: "Yep. But actually I prefer long over short. You get a deeper story."
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Linda wrote: "I have read all three, but a long time ago so you will have to bear with me. Rachel Ray is actually one of my favourite Trollope's and I don't remember her being bad. As always I didn..."I haven't read Linda Tressel or Nina Balatka but I have been meaning to - are they short stories?
Linda wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Linda wrote: "I have read all three, but a long time ago so you will have to bear with me. Rachel Ray is actually one of my favourite Trollope's and I don't remember her ..."No, they're just short for Trollope. I can't remember for certain, but I think in the 200 page range.
I like him for many reasons.But the phrase in the first comment on this thread - 'antidote to an overdose of reality' - certainly holds true for me.
Especially in the two sets of chronicles, I love escaping into Trollope's world, and seeing what scrapes those wonderful characters are getting themselves into - and out of.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "This question was brought to mind by my recent reading of Trollope and Women. Her first chapter is on the subject, in which she says "I embarked on my research into Trollope as an ant..."I read my first story by Trollope because I liked a show made about the book (a rather low reason, I know).
Upon delving far into the story, Dr. Thorne, I discovered a tale that was at times wholesome, jocular, poignant, charming and relatable. It was such an account that, once I finished the last sentence, it silently bade me to return soon.
Excellent, Sophie! I had not thought of this aspect, but yes, his characterizations are very real.
Exploring Anthony Trollope
Books mentioned in this topic
Doctor Thorne (other topics)Trollope and Women (other topics)
The Prime Minister (other topics)
Phineas Finn (other topics)
An Eye for an Eye (other topics)
More...
The last page of her book includes the sentences I included in my review and are very much in keeping with the reason I keep reading Trollope. "To me Trollope writes novels that are about women living their lives at a time of great social upheaval and change. He writes stories where women live their lives trying to conform to the expectations of their social milieu, and his explorations of their characters show us how difficult this sometimes was."
So, why do you read Trollope?