# Mrs. Bold Is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead explained — Barchester Towers

> Chapter companion for Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

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