Although the misuse of charitable funds was a contentious issue in the mid-19th century because there were few governmental programs to deal with poverty, Trollope's central social issue is more localised and humble compared to the grand subjects being presented in much of Charles Dickens' fiction. This makes “The Warden” a more quiet and contemplative novel than might even be found amongst Trollope's contemporaries. Injustice is recognized and, indeed, the salary the warden receives is probably far more than the original founder of the charity ever intended, but there is also a recognition of the complexity of how communities work and the overall impact from implementing rapid change. Their inner sense of justice is more forcefully applied to how they themselves interact with society rather than projecting their rigid idealism onto the rest of the world. What instantly endeared me to Trollope's writing was that (though his characters might possess certain prejudices) they feel well-rounded and realistic like neighbours. This is not only a comic inversion of the central drama in this story, but it also shows the essential good nature of people who are receptive to critique and are willing to reconsider their views. Through self-scrutiny on the part of Mr Harding and an entreaty to Mr Bold on the part of Eleanor, the accused and the accuser switch positions on the matter. However, in Trollope's world things play out very differently. Mr Harding would be a figure of ridicule turned into a meme. If this argument were to play out today there would likely be a public pile on Mr Harding until he was shamed into resigning from his role. Tensions run high when a newspaper article comes out accusing Harding of retaining the charity's funds for himself out of greedy self interest. However, Bold also has a romantic interest in Harding's daughter Eleanor.

John Bold is an idealistic young surgeon and reformer who calls into question whether the wardenship is really entitled to the funds which were primarily intended for the residents of the charitable hospital. Septimus Harding is the warden of a charity, a role which comes with a generous income. So when I took up the challenge from the Trollope Society to read my first novel by this writer and the first novel in Trollope's Barsetshire series I didn't anticipate the extreme pleasure I'd find in the more mild-mannered and reasonable moral, social and political debate as conducted in Trollope's fictional cathedral town of Barchester. This arena which I'd idealistically like to imagine to be a forum for debate and exchange more often becomes a battleground where opposing sides become even more entrenched in feelings of righteousness. So much current political discourse is thrashed out online and on social media that it can feel like an overwhelming cacophony.

The warden trollope review