Anthony Trollope

Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) was one of the most productive and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. After a difficult childhood and a career in the Post Office, where he introduced the pillar box, he turned to writing, producing 47 novels and numerous short stories. His major works include the six-novel Chronicles of Barsetshire, such as The Warden and Barchester Towers, as well as standalone novels like Orley Farm, a legal drama, and The Claverings, a study of marriage and ambition. Trollope’s fiction is celebrated for its psychological depth, realistic dialogue, and satirical yet compassionate portrayal of Victorian society, particularly the clergy, politics, and the landed gentry. His posthumous Autobiography famously detailed his disciplined writing habits, influencing later authors. Today, he is regarded as a master of the novel of manners and a key figure in 19th-century English literature.