Barchester Towers · Chapter
Mrs. Bold Is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Slope's letter to Eleanor Bold is intercepted by Archdeacon Grantly, who reacts with outrage and suspicion. The letter is eventually given to Mr. Harding, who reads it and finds it contains Mr. Slope's proposal for Eleanor and news about the hospital. Eleanor, unaware of the uproar, feels judged by the Grantlys and Mr. Arabin at dinner. She later shows the letter to her father, who is pained by her lack of disgust, leading to a tense family situation.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Moral Ambiguity
The archdeacon condemns Eleanor for receiving a letter from Mr. Slope, yet his own curiosity and judgmental attitude reveal hypocrisy.
Marriage and Courtship
Mr. Slope's letter to Eleanor is a courtship attempt, highlighting the social pressures and family involvement in marriage decisions.
Personal Integrity vs. Ambition
Mr. Slope's proposal is tied to his ambition for the hospital appointment, contrasting with Eleanor's desire to help her father.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Slope
Writes a letter to Eleanor Bold containing a proposal and news about the hospital, which causes conflict.
- Eleanor Bold
Receives Mr. Slope's letter, feels judged by the Grantlys, and shows it to her father, leading to misunderstanding.
- Archdeacon Grantly
Intercepts Mr. Slope's letter, expresses outrage, and confronts Eleanor about her association with Slope.
- Mr. Harding
Receives the letter from the archdeacon, reads it, and is pained by Eleanor's lack of disgust, leading to a quiet farewell.
- Mr. Arabin
Is told by the archdeacon about Eleanor's potential involvement with Mr. Slope and becomes grave and silent.
- Mrs. Grantly
Is part of the tense dinner and later sends her maid to summon Eleanor to the archdeacon's study.
Key passages
“He looked at it as though he held a basket of adders. He could not have thought worse of the document had he read it and discovered it to be licentious and atheistical.”
The archdeacon regarded the letter with extreme suspicion and disgust, as if it were dangerous or immoral.
Illustrates the archdeacon's immediate prejudice against Mr. Slope.
“She felt that she had been tried and found guilty of something, though she knew not what.”
Eleanor sensed she was being judged and condemned without understanding the accusation.
Highlights Eleanor's confusion and the tense atmosphere.
“He opened his eyes, and his mouth and said in a sort of whisper ' Mr. Slope!' in the same way as he might have said 'The Cholera!' had his friend told him that that horrid disease was in his nursery.”
Mr. Arabin reacted to the news of Mr. Slope's involvement with Eleanor as if it were a terrible plague.
Shows the extreme disdain for Mr. Slope among the clergy.