# Mrs. Bold at Home explained — Barchester Towers

> Chapter companion for Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

After returning from Miss Thorne's party, Eleanor Bold is deeply distressed and confides in Mary Bold about Mr. Slope's unwanted advances and the Stanhopes' scheme to secure her fortune for Bertie. She finds solace only in her baby, Johnny, and later discusses the dean's death and Mr. Quiverful's appointment to the hospital with her father, Mr. Harding.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Moral Ambiguity

Eleanor's distress over Mr. Slope's advances and the Stanhopes' scheming highlights the moral duplicity of those who pretend friendship for personal gain.

### Marriage and Courtship

The chapter explores the pressures on a young widow to remarry, as seen in the Stanhopes' plot and Mr. Slope's unwanted courtship.

### Clerical Corruption and Patronage

The appointment of Mr. Quiverful to the hospital over Mr. Harding's expectations underscores the influence of patronage and the bishop's power.

## Character check-ins

### Eleanor Bold

Returns home from Ullathorne deeply unhappy and tired, confides in Mary about Mr. Slope's advances and the Stanhopes' scheme, finds comfort in her baby, and later discusses the dean's death and hospital appointment with her father.

### Mary Bold

Comforts Eleanor at home, listens to her story without reproach, and provides gentle support.

### Johnny Bold

Eleanor's baby, who provides her with consolation and comfort during her distress.

### Mr. Harding

Visits Eleanor in the evening; learns of Mr. Slope's effrontery and discusses the dean's death and Mr. Quiverful's appointment to the hospital.

### Mr. Slope

Subject of Eleanor's anger and disgust for his unwanted advances; she struck him in self-defense.

### Charlotte Stanhope

Mentioned as a base, designing woman for her role in the scheme to secure Eleanor's fortune for Bertie.

## Key lines

> Poor Mrs. Bold, when she got home from Ullathorne on the evening of Miss Thorne’s party, was very unhappy and, moreover, very tired.

Eleanor returned home from the party feeling miserable and exhausted.

_Opening line establishing Eleanor's emotional and physical state._

> Nothing fatigues the body so much as weariness of spirit, and Eleanor’s spirit was indeed weary.

Mental exhaustion is more draining than physical tiredness, and Eleanor was deeply weary in spirit.

_Narrator's observation on the connection between emotional and physical fatigue._

> Had I stabbed him with a dagger, he would have deserved it.

Eleanor felt that even killing Mr. Slope would have been justified.

_Hyperbolic expression of Eleanor's anger toward Mr. Slope._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barchester_towers_se/chapters/xliv-mrs-bold-at-home
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barchester_towers_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barchester_towers_se/chapters