Short Fiction · Chapter
The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral explained
The narrator discovers a box of papers belonging to the Ven.
What happens
The narrator discovers a box of papers belonging to the Ven. Archdeacon Haynes, who died mysteriously at Barchester. Through his diaries and letters, we learn of his growing unease and supernatural experiences after taking up his post, including strange occurrences in the cathedral and his home, culminating in a descent into fear and paranoia.
Themes in this chapter
Supernatural and the Uncanny
The archdeacon experiences a cat statue seeming to move and bite, hears whispering voices, and feels an unseen presence, all suggesting a supernatural influence.
Antiquarianism and the Past
The narrator's research into the cathedral's history, the description of the stalls and their carvings, and the discovery of the Hanging Oak's gruesome past highlight a fascination with historical artifacts and local lore.
Decay and Mortality
The carving of the 'King of Terrors' (Death) on the stall, the bones found at the Hanging Oak, and the archdeacon's declining mental state all evoke themes of mortality and decay.
Characters to notice
- Dr. Haynes
The Ven. Archdeacon Haynes, whose papers are examined; he experiences disturbing supernatural events in the cathedral and his home.
- Miss Anna Seward
Mentioned as a correspondent; the doctor's letters were returned to his sister.
- Mr. Somerton
The narrator who discovers and examines the box of papers.
Key passages
“I was startled by what seemed a softness, a feeling as of rather rough and coarse fur, and a sudden movement, as if the creature were twisting round its head to bite me.”
He felt something soft and furry, like rough fur, and a sudden movement as if the carved cat was turning to bite him.
The archdeacon's unsettling experience with the cat carving during a service.
“something whispered to me, 'Let me wish you a happy New Year.' I could not be mistaken: it spoke distinctly and with a peculiar emphasis.”
A voice clearly whispered a New Year's greeting to him as he climbed the stairs, which he could not dismiss as imagination.
The archdeacon hears a distinct whisper in his home, adding to his growing fear.
“The knotted cord is quickly seen to be a halter, held by a hand all but concealed within the draperies; while the sunken features and, horrid to relate, the rent flesh upon the cheekbones, proclaim the King of Terrors.”
The cord is actually a noose held by a hidden hand, and the gaunt face with torn cheeks reveals the figure to be Death itself.
Description of the third carving on the archdeacon's stall, representing Death.