# Mrs. Bold Confides Her Sorrow to Her Friend Miss Stanhope explained — Barchester Towers

> Chapter companion for Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

Eleanor Bold, distressed after Mr. Slope's inappropriate advances at Miss Thorne's party, confides in Charlotte Stanhope. Charlotte devises a plan to protect Eleanor from further harassment by arranging for Bertie Stanhope to escort her back to Barchester, while also maneuvering to advance Bertie's courtship of Eleanor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Moral Ambiguity

Mr. Slope's religious facade is shattered by his drunken and predatory behavior, highlighting the theme of hypocrisy.

### Marriage and Courtship

Charlotte's orchestration of Bertie's courtship of Eleanor underscores the strategic and social dimensions of marriage.

### Gender and Domestic Power

Eleanor's vulnerability and reliance on female friendship and male protection reflect the limited agency of women in Victorian society.

## Character check-ins

### Eleanor Bold

Distraught after Mr. Slope's advances, she confides in Charlotte Stanhope and reluctantly agrees to Charlotte's protective scheme.

### Charlotte Stanhope

Offers sympathy and devises a plan to use Mr. Slope's misconduct to bring Bertie and Eleanor closer together.

### Mr. Slope

Subject of Eleanor's distress; his drunken and shameless behavior at the party is recounted.

### Bertie Stanhope

Charlotte's brother, intended to be Eleanor's protector and suitor in the scheme.

### Mr. Arabin

Seen in the drawing-room with Signora Neroni, awkwardly silent in Eleanor's presence.

### Signora Neroni

Consents to Charlotte's plan and is engaged in conversation with Mr. Arabin.

## Key lines

> Had anyone told her a week ago that he would have put his arm round her waist at this party of Miss Thorne’s, she would have been utterly incredulous.

Eleanor could not have imagined a week earlier that Mr. Slope would dare to put his arm around her waist at Miss Thorne's party.

_Highlights Eleanor's shock at Mr. Slope's audacity._

> In the first place it was quite manifest that he was tipsy; in the next place it was to be taken as proved that all his religion was sheer hypocrisy; and finally the man was utterly shameless.

Eleanor concluded that Mr. Slope was drunk, his piety a pretense, and he had no sense of shame.

_Summarizes Eleanor's judgment of Mr. Slope's character._

> There are some moments in life in which both men and women feel themselves imperatively called on to make a confidence, in which not to do so requires a disagreeable resolution and also a disagreeable suspicion.

Sometimes people feel compelled to share a secret, as holding back would be unpleasant and suspicious.

_Narrator's observation on the nature of confidences._

## Links

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