 |
Antony TrollopeEnglish writer
Date of Birth: 24.04.1815
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Early Life
Anthony Trollope was born in 1815 to a financially unstable father and an imaginative but impractical mother. His parents' financial woes forced them to flee to Belgium and later Cincinnati, USA, where his mother unsuccessfully operated a fashion goods store. Upon returning to London, she found literary success with her scathing portrayal of American customs in "Domestic Manners of the Americans."
Literary Pursuits
Despite attending prestigious schools, Anthony struggled academically and socially, earning the label of "black sheep" within his family. In 1834, he secured a position as a junior clerk in the London Post Office. Describing the absurdity of his work with wit in "Three Clerks" (1857), Trollope would later use his experiences as a postal inspector in Ireland as inspiration for his early novels.
The Barsetshire Chronicles
Trollope's literary breakthrough came in 1855 with "The Warden," the first of his acclaimed Barsetshire Chronicles. These novels depict the peaceful, ecclesiastically-minded Barsetshire county and its inhabitants. Each novel stands alone but is chronologically linked, with characters recurring throughout the series. "Barchester Towers" (1857), "Doctor Thorne" (1858), and "Framley Parsonage" (1861) are among the most notable.
Parliamentary Novels
After retiring from the Post Office in 1867, Trollope embarked on a series of political novels set in Parliament. These six novels, including "Can You Forgive Her?" (1864), "Phineas Finn" (1869), and "The Prime Minister" (1876), showcase Trollope's views on society and politics.
Social Satire and Legacy
In the 1870s, Trollope's writing shifted towards social satire, reflecting a broader loss of Victorian moral values. "The Way We Live Now" (1875) is a poignant example of this shift. Throughout his career, he penned 47 novels and numerous non-fiction works, solidifying his reputation as a literary master.
