The Warden

Rating:
Summary: The story of a righteous man's battle with his conscience.
Review: In the 15th century, Hiram's Hospital was established as a perpetual charitable home for 12 poor old men, each being replaced at his death. Over the years the income from the property of the estate has increased to the point where the warden of the hospital enjoys a substantial salary.

The Rev. Septimus Harding (the Warden), kind, gentle, and conscientious, loves his comfortable position and is loved by the old men under his care - until his life is disrupted by a REFORMER, in the person of young John Bold, who questions the ample income of the warden, while the old men still receive only pennies a day. Bold brings in a solicitor and interests the newspaper The Jupiter (obviously the London Times), which makes the issue a national debate.

Although the church stands behind the warden with all its influence, the gentle Mr. Harding himself begins to doubt the propriety of his position. The matter becomes further complicated when Bold and Harding's daughter Eleanor fall in love.

This first of the six Barsetshire novels is by far the shortest and concentrates almost exclusively on the main plot. (In fact, Trollope inserts a criticism of the long serial novels of the day, although he later adopted that same mode.) "The Warden" is not so rich in detail or in the extensive cultural ambience of the later novels, but it is an excellent introduction to this deservedly acclaimed series. It introduces many vivid characters who grow and develop delightfully in the later novels.

Rating:
Summary: I wanted to love it
Review: My closest friend has been urging me for years to read Trollope and finally bought me a copy of The Warden. Maybe it's like The Hobbit in relation to the Lord of the Rings -- I found the Warden slow moving and tedious, but I could see that the next books in the series could be promising. I haven't given up on Trollope, I just find writers like Jane Austen and the Brontes much more exciting in both their writing and their plotlines. Still, there were sections I really enjoyed, but overall I was a bit disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: I wanted to love it
Review: My closest friend has been urging me for years to read Trollope and finally bought me a copy of The Warden. Maybe it's like The Hobbit in relation to the Lord of the Rings -- I found the Warden slow moving and tedious, but I could see that the next books in the series could be promising. I haven't given up on Trollope, I just find writers like Jane Austen and the Brontes much more exciting in both their writing and their plotlines. Still, there were sections I really enjoyed, but overall I was a bit disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Unfulfilled expectations
Review: This book was difficult to read as it contains references to the religious life of the Anglican church in Victorian Ebgland, events and politics quite unfamiliar to the American reader. The main plot about the Rev. Harding is interesting and engaging. But while the story in itself is worthwhile Trollope presents too many rabbit trails.

Rating:
Summary: What Should A Virtuous Man Do?
Review: This is a simple, short novel dealing with the ethical dilemma of a virtuous man. The Reverend Harding is the warden of a small home providing quarters for 12 retired, indigent workers. The facility is provided for by a trust set up by its founder over two hundred years ago. Income off the land provides revenue for the maintenance of the home and a living for the warden.. The warden has traditionally been the benefactor of this income which has increased over the years. The Rev. Harding is a gentle, honest man who has never given thought to his 800 pound annual revenue until a young reformer files suit, claiming the intent of the will is being violated. Harding thinks about the matter and is inclined to resign. The Bishop and Archdeacon argue that he is entitled to the income.

This book certainly would be a good one for a book club read and discussion. The reformer, the lawyers, the church hierarchy and Reverend Harding all have their views on the matter. Author Trollope does not really pass final judgment on his characters; none of them are cast in black and white terms. In fact Trollope makes the unusual move of bringing a criticism of both the press and Charles Dickens into the novel. The press makes strident value judgments about issues without bothering itself with all the facts or considering the effect their articles will have on the people involved; Charles Dickens treats people as being all good or all bad. Indeed, I found myself arguing with myself for several days after reading The Warden. What should the Rev. Harding done? Was the issue shrouded in shades of gray, or was it clear cut one way or the other?

Many critics consider this to be one of Trollope's lesser works, yet to me it is a very interesting, valuable presentation of an ethical dilemma. And for readers who are reluctant to pick up Victorian novels because of their common 700+ page lengths, this is a little gem at less than 300 pages. Criticism? Well I did a bit of eye-rolling during some of the melodramatic passages. All and all, though, this is an excellent read. From an historical standpoint there was considerable attention being paid to clergy income during this period in England. Trollope's tale was very timely in this regard.

One final note. There are many outstanding Victorian novels that I would give a five star rating to. This book doesn't quite fit into that hall of fame so I have given it just 4 stars, which shouldn't be interpreted as a slight to Mr. Trollope or The Warden.

Rating:
Summary: A fine introduction to Trollope's (prolific) writing
Review: This is the first book in Trollope's 6 part Barchester series. While the subject matter, the intrigues surrounding clerical life in a fictional English cathedral town, might put you off, don't let it. Trollope wrote fantastic characters. While it's sequel, Barchester Towers, is even better, this is an excellent short introduction both to the series and to Trollope's writing as a whole. (Incidentally, the BBC TV series `Barchester Chronicles' is a really good adaptation of both `The Warden' and `Barchester Towers'.)

Rating:
Summary: Literary perfection?
Review: This short and unassuming novel by Anthony Trollope may be one of the greatest books of all time. In it, English Clergyman Septimus Harding is challenged with the unethical appropriation of funds for his own use. The remainder of the story details the struggle within his soul regarding how to deal with these accusations. An amazingly clear portrait emerges of the few combatants who line up on opposite sides of the conflict. It makes no matter that these are largely members of the Church of England, and ostensible representatives of Christ: they are very human. Unlike the sometimes exaggerated, one-dimensional characters from a Dickens novel, Trollope's characters are complex, multi-faceted mortals. They are so believable, so vividly drawn, that it's nearly impossible to believe they are fictions. The elegance and economy of the story, along with the author's narrative skills make this a true masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: A Man of Conscience
Review: Trollope's debut novel about a man of conscience proved the first of a series set in fictional Barchester. Despite its slow start due to extensive exposition, the story gradually unfolds until the three main characters rush off to London--that great resolver of country crises. There is much internal debate as the "disinterested victim" ponders his comfortable situation. His quiescent conscience slowly awakens to a possible moral injustice, as a result of a sincere lawsuit provoked by an ardent reformer--in tune with 19th century England's mood for social reform. Two outside forces combine to make Mr. Warding's
existence miserable: the ponderous process of the Law (as represented by Sir Abraham Haphazard) and the unbridled power of the Press (in the person of Tom Towers, that "compounder of thunderbolts").

Rev. Septimus Harding at 50 is a mild-mannered Cathedral preceptor, who also serves as warden to a charity hospital for 12 aged men who are no longer able to earn their keep. Far from stealing anything from them, he has acutally increased their daily allowance from his own purse, but the mood of reform which sweeps the nation has caught even Barchester in its pitiless scrutiny. The press condemns; the young reformer (who is coincidentally the suitor of Harding's younger daughter) sets in motion the legal machinery which will surely topple this 400-year-old Injustice.

Now for the critical debate: does the State have the right to dictate to the Church how it shall spend its monies? Is temporal authority to tread upon, investigate, and demand reform in sacred matters? Is there no sanctity of the cathedral Close? Gentle Harding becomes trapped in the middle of this public debate--his heart smitten with personal pain in case he has inadvertently committed great wrong through merely doing his best for the men in his kindly care. Bullied by the Archdeacon, his overbearing son-on-law, the Warden embarks on a moral journey to find peace of mind. His only consolations are his devoted daughter (who denies her own heart in order to remain loyal to her tormented
father) and his aged friend, the Bishop, who is embarrassed but powerless before his pompous son, the Archdeacon. How can such a public outcry be appeased; how can true justice be done for the old beadsmen? Yet, must a man sacrifice his conscience for
the good of others?

Tropllope warns of the dangers of the pen: both the ruthless Press and the more subtle but effective novelist. It is difficult to stay the course of the pendulum of reform once it has been set in motion, as John Bold regretfully
discovers. This is a short intense novel of personal conviction and moral courage, a classic for thoughtful readers. The author provides hints into his characters' personalities by their very names, as did Dickens. [One wonders how such a church vs state situation would be handled today. Alabama courthouse.}

Rating:
Summary: Not your typical Victorian tale of adventure!
Review: Trollope's plot is of a plodding sort, though there is no doubtthat the protagonist's (Harding's) sufferings, not to mention theirsource, do raise some excellent ethical questions. The characters in "The Warden," of whom there are relatively few, are profiled with the most meticulous detail. However there is want of movement -- both vertical and horizontal. The characters are one-dimensional and lack vitality. The story line is devoid of that element so vital to a novel's appeal: ample change of setting or scenery -- a popular and essential trademark of writers like Dickens and Eliot.

If you read this book, perhaps you should do so for its employment of Victorian linguistic technique or else use it as a springboard to discussions on ethics. As a novel exposing the true nature of English clerical life, across the board, this novel may not hold up too well, for Trollope confessed that he was no expert on such matters, and at times relied on his own estimations.

Comparatively speaking, "The Warden" lags and does not fare well in the category of "engrossing."