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A review by burritapal_1
The American Senator by Anthony Trollope
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The whole review is a spoiler.
I find myself picturing Senator Gotobed in the character of Peter Falk.
"The Senator speaks in generalities and platitudes, often choosing poor examples to illustrate sound opinion; arabella's conduct is precise, specific, and unequivocal. The senator has come to England to see what it is like; it is like arabella. The novel had to be named after one or the other, and trollope's choice, underlining as it does the international theme and the subject of comparative culture, is perhaps not such a bad one. "
-From the introduction by John Halperin
A hunt is going to take place in Dillsborough. The "Paragon," John Morton, has invited the American Senator, Mr Gotobed (from the state of Mikewa 😂), to observe it. It cracks me up what Trollope has the senator think about it:
"... the groom, however, who heard this was quite aware that Mr Stubbings did not wish to give unlimited credit to the Captain, and he knew also that the second horse was to have carried his master the whole day, as the animal which was brought to the meet had been ridden hard on the previous Wednesday. At all this the Senator looked with curious eyes, thinking that he had never in his life seen brought together a set of more useless human beings."
I would definitely agree with that sentiment. The hunt was brought to a halt because the fox that they intended to kill was killed with poison by the farmer who was pissed off that they would ride over his fields and killed his corn, which they did before. This greatly pissed off the "hunters."
Miss Trefoil's mother calls the Honourable Mrs Morton a "termagant." 🤣 ie an unpleasant woman
£43=$175 1875 England what the American Senator paid the lawyer for Goarly
$1,469,366.71 equivalent in 2024 dollars of what Lady Augustus got from Lord Rufford for settlement for Arabella
There's a horrible character in this book named Mrs Morton. She is the grandmother of the Paragon, John Morton. She hates Reginald Morton, because his mother was a commoner from Canada. Her grandson has come to Bragton from Washington to stay a bit and he plans to give a dinner for some of his neighbors. She says to him:
".. I like to meet clergyman. I think that it is the duty of a Country Gentleman to ask them to his house. It shows a proper regard for religion. By the by, John, I hope that you'll see that they have a fire in the church on Sunday.' The Honorable Mrs Mortin always went to church, and had no doubt of her own sincerity when she reiterated her prayer that as she forgave others their trespasses, so might she be forgiven hers. As Reginald Morton had certainly never trespassed against her perhaps there was no reason why her thoughts should be carried to the necessity of forgiving him."
Trollope is very good at writing characters, but he's especially good at writing horrible characters. Mrs Masters is another of his horrible characters. She's the stepmother of one of the main characters, Mary Masters. She's the biggest martyr you ever saw. In this scene, Mary has been invited to the house of Lady Ushant, who is the great aunt of John Morton. Mary had lived with her a long time when she was a little girl and her mother had died. Mrs Masters is horribly jealous of Lady Ushant, who is a good woman.
" 'Mamma,' Said Mary, rising from her seat, 'I won't go. I'll write to Lady Ushant that I can't do it.'
'you're not to mind me,' said Mrs Masters. 'You're to do what your papa tells you. Everything that I have been striving at is to be thrown away. I'm to be nobody, and it's quite right that your papa should tell you so.'
'Dear Mamna, don't talk like that,' said Mary, clinging hold of her stepmother.
'Your papa sits there and won't say a word,' said Mrs Masters, stamping her foot.
'What's the good of speaking, when you go on like that before the children?' said Mr Masters, getting up from his chair. 'I say that it's a proper thing that the girl should go to see the old friend who brought her up, and has always been kind to her - and she shall go.' Mrs Masters seated herself on the nearest chair, and leaning her head against the wall, began to go into hysterics. 'your letter has already gone, Mary; and I desire you to write no other without letting me know.' Then he left the room and the house and absolutely went over to the Bush [the bar]... "
Here's another very funny scene where Senator Gotobed is at a dinner at Lord Rufford's with the Gentry, and he starts talking about what he thinks about hunting. He pisses off an old fart who's really into hunting:
".. A man did not live in the county more respected than John Runce, or who was better able to pay his way. To his thinking an animal more injurious than Goarly to the best interests of civilization could not have been produced by all the evil influences of the world combined. 'Do you really think,' said the Senator calmly, 'that a man should be hanged for killing a fox?' John Runce, Who was not very ready, turned around and stared at him. 'I haven't heard of any other harm that he has done, and perhaps he had some provocation for that.' Words were wanting to Mr Runce, but not indignation. He collected together his plate and knife and fork and his two glasses and his lump of bread, and, looking the Senator full in the face, slowly pushed back his chair and, carrying his Provisions with him, toddled off to the other end of the room. When he reached a spot where place was made for him he had hardly breath left to speak. 'well,' He said, 'I never -!' He sat a minute in silence shaking his head, and continued to shake his head and look around upon his neighbors as he devoured his food."
There's another asshole character who thinks he's just the best judge and trainer of horses in the whole county. His name is Major Caneback. He insists on riding this Wild Horse Jemima who won't let anyone ride her, with disastrous results.
"hampton, who had passed them, was the first over the fence, and the other three all took it abreast. The Major was to the right, the lord to the left, and the girl between them. The Mare's head was perhaps the first. She rushed at the fence, made no leap at all, and of course went headlong into the ditch. The major still stuck to her, though two or three voices implored him to get off. He afterwards declared that he had not strength to lift himself out of the saddle. The mare lay for a moment; - then blundered out, and rolled over him, jumped onto her feet, and lunging out kicked her rider the head as he was rising. Then she went away and afterwards jumped the palings on to Rufford Park. That evening she was shot."
This pissed me off that the horse got shot for kicking an asshole in the head who insisted on riding her when she let him know plainly that she did not want to be ridden.
The Senator has quite the cognitive dissonance about his country, the United States. He's in this scene writing a letter to his friend, another politician, and he's talking about how unjust it is that so many poor people are in England and there's so many rich people, and both just accept that their lot as the way things should be:
".. but they do their work as Vicegerents with an easy grace, and with sweet pleasant voices and soft movements, which almost make a man doubt whether the alMighty has not, in truth, intended that such Injustice should be permanent. That one man should be rich and another poor is a necessity in the present imperfect state of civilization; - but that one man should be born to be a legislator, born to have everything, born to be a tyrant, - and should think it all right, is to me miraculous. But the greatest Miracle of all is that they who are not so born, - who have been born to suffer the reverse side, - should also think it to be all right."
As if the forming of the young country that this character is supposedly from was not stolen from the indians, and that the founders were not given whatever they wanted in then way of land, and slaves to workit, so that they were enriched. I don't know if Trollope is just ignorant or if he's willfully ignorant.
And now we turn to the case of Arabella Trefoil, who has been working very hard to catch Lord Rufford as her husband. She writes to him, after many other things have failed, that she thinks he has treated her very badly and that he surely will admit that he asked her to marry him. he writes her a very cold and terse letter that in no way admits to any culpability in the case.
It was curious the way Trollope describe Arabella when she got into her room and alone contemplated her failure:
"the whole form of the girl's face was altered when she was alone. Her features in themselves were not lovely. Her cheeks and Chin were heavy. Her brow was too low, and her upper lip too long. Her nose and teeth were good, and would have been very handsome had they belonged to a man. Her complexion had always been good till it had been injured by being improved, - and so was the carriage of her head and the outside lines of her bust and figure, and her large eyes, though never soft, could be bright and sparkle. Skill had done much for her and continued effort almost more. But now the effort was dropped and that which skill had done turned against her. She was haggard, lumpy, and almost hideous in her bewildered grief."
More about the Hideous character of Mrs Morton, the grandmother of John Morton. He got sick and was actually on his deathbed, an unexpected happenstance in the book. This is where Arabella Trefoil redeems her character by visiting the invalidand being pardoned by him for having behaved badly to him, her fiancé.
Mrs Masters wants to have John's will changed so that his estate will go to one of her distant relatives. Anything but that Reginald Morton should have it.
".. Peter Mortin was, at any rate, the legitimate son of a Wellborn father and a Wellborn mother. What had she or anyone belonging to her to gain by it? But 40 years since a brat had been born at Bragton in opposition to her wishes, - by whose means she had been expelled from the place; and now it seemed to her to be simple Justice that he should on this account be robbed of that which would otherwise be naturally his own. As Mr Masters [he refused to be her lawyer for a rewriting of the will] would not serve her turn she must write to the London lawyers. The thing would be more difficult; but, nevertheless, if the sick man could once be got to say that Peter should be his Heir she thought that she could keep him to his word. Lady Ushant and Mr Masters went back to Dillsborough in Runximan's fly, and it need hardly be said that the attorney said nothing of the business which had taken him to Bragton.
This happened on a wednesday, - Wednesday the 3rd of march. On Friday morning, at 4:00, during the darkness of the night, John Morton was lying dead on his bed, and the old woman was at his bedside. She had done her Duty by him as far as she knew how in attending him, - had been assiduous with the diligence of much younger years; but now as she sat there, having had the fact absolutely announced to her by Dr Nupper, her greatest Agony arose from the feeling that the roof which covered her, probably the chair in which she sat, were the property of Reginald Morton - 'bastard!' she said to herself between her teeth; but she so said it that neither Dr Nupper, Who was in the room, nor the woman who was with her should hear it."
hahaha I laughed to myself with joy when I read this part.
When Arabella Trefoil goes to See Lord Rufford and has it out with him, I saw her character totally Redeemed by Trollope. She was invited inside for lunch but refuses, and then at the same time the Senator comes in for lunch, and I love how he defends Arabella to Lady Penweather (Rufford's sister) and Miss Penge (who his sister wants him to marry), the two bitches who live with Lord Rufford.
" '... poor young lady! Was she talking about him?'
'not particularly,' said his lordship.
'she must have remembered that when she was last here he was of the party, and it was but a few weeks ago, - only a little before christmas. He struck me as being cold in his manner as an affianced lover. Was not that your idea, lady Penweather?'
'I don't think I observed him especially.'
'I have reason to believe that he was much attached to her. She could be sprightly enough; but at times there seemed to come a cold melancholy upon her too. It is, I fancy, so with most of your English ladies. Miss Trefoil always gave me the idea of being a good type of the English aristocracy.' lady Penweather and Miss Pence Drew themselves up very stiffly. 'you admired her, I think, my lord.'
'Very much indeed,' said Lord Rufford, filling his mouth with pigeon-Pie as he spoke, and not lifting his eyes from his plate.
'will she be back to dinner?'
'oh dear no,' said lady Penweather. There was something in her tone which at last startled the senator into perceiving that Miss Trefoil was not popular at Rufford hall.
'she only came for a morning call,' said Lord rufford.
'Poor young woman! She has lost her husband, and I am afraid, now has lost her friends also. I am told that she is not well off; - and, from what I see and hear, I fancy that here in England a young lady without a dowry cannot easily replace a lover. I suppose, too, Miss Trefoil is not quite in her first youth.'
'If you have done, Caroline,' said lady Penweather to miss penge, 'I think we'll go into the other room.' "
The senator is a great foil to these uppity, Phony British pendejos.
Here is the part where I find out that Trollope is a great lover of The Fox Hunt and a great hater of philanimalists, people who are against cruelty to animals.
Reginald is talking to his wife Mary Masters Morton about it:
" 'that is the way of it. I am not now saying whether it is right or wrong. The lady with the tippet [one of those hideous fox capes] will justify the wires and the starvation because, as she will say, she uses the fur. An honest blanket would keep her just as warm. But the fox, who suffers perhaps 10 minutes of agony, should he not succeed as he usually does in getting away, - is hunted only for amusement! It is true that the one fox gives Amusement for hours to perhaps some hundreds; - but it is only for amusement. What Riles me most is that these would be philosophers do not or will not see that Recreation is as necessary to the world as clothes or food, and the providing of the one is as legitimate of business as the prevailing of the other.' "
And even Mary, my hero, agrees with him saying,
" 'people must eat and wear clothes.' "
Oh Mary why did you have to ruin my admiration of your character as I'll say the same to Trollope.
I find myself picturing Senator Gotobed in the character of Peter Falk.
"The Senator speaks in generalities and platitudes, often choosing poor examples to illustrate sound opinion; arabella's conduct is precise, specific, and unequivocal. The senator has come to England to see what it is like; it is like arabella. The novel had to be named after one or the other, and trollope's choice, underlining as it does the international theme and the subject of comparative culture, is perhaps not such a bad one. "
-From the introduction by John Halperin
A hunt is going to take place in Dillsborough. The "Paragon," John Morton, has invited the American Senator, Mr Gotobed (from the state of Mikewa 😂), to observe it. It cracks me up what Trollope has the senator think about it:
"... the groom, however, who heard this was quite aware that Mr Stubbings did not wish to give unlimited credit to the Captain, and he knew also that the second horse was to have carried his master the whole day, as the animal which was brought to the meet had been ridden hard on the previous Wednesday. At all this the Senator looked with curious eyes, thinking that he had never in his life seen brought together a set of more useless human beings."
I would definitely agree with that sentiment. The hunt was brought to a halt because the fox that they intended to kill was killed with poison by the farmer who was pissed off that they would ride over his fields and killed his corn, which they did before. This greatly pissed off the "hunters."
Miss Trefoil's mother calls the Honourable Mrs Morton a "termagant." 🤣 ie an unpleasant woman
£43=$175 1875 England what the American Senator paid the lawyer for Goarly
$1,469,366.71 equivalent in 2024 dollars of what Lady Augustus got from Lord Rufford for settlement for Arabella
There's a horrible character in this book named Mrs Morton. She is the grandmother of the Paragon, John Morton. She hates Reginald Morton, because his mother was a commoner from Canada. Her grandson has come to Bragton from Washington to stay a bit and he plans to give a dinner for some of his neighbors. She says to him:
".. I like to meet clergyman. I think that it is the duty of a Country Gentleman to ask them to his house. It shows a proper regard for religion. By the by, John, I hope that you'll see that they have a fire in the church on Sunday.' The Honorable Mrs Mortin always went to church, and had no doubt of her own sincerity when she reiterated her prayer that as she forgave others their trespasses, so might she be forgiven hers. As Reginald Morton had certainly never trespassed against her perhaps there was no reason why her thoughts should be carried to the necessity of forgiving him."
Trollope is very good at writing characters, but he's especially good at writing horrible characters. Mrs Masters is another of his horrible characters. She's the stepmother of one of the main characters, Mary Masters. She's the biggest martyr you ever saw. In this scene, Mary has been invited to the house of Lady Ushant, who is the great aunt of John Morton. Mary had lived with her a long time when she was a little girl and her mother had died. Mrs Masters is horribly jealous of Lady Ushant, who is a good woman.
" 'Mamma,' Said Mary, rising from her seat, 'I won't go. I'll write to Lady Ushant that I can't do it.'
'you're not to mind me,' said Mrs Masters. 'You're to do what your papa tells you. Everything that I have been striving at is to be thrown away. I'm to be nobody, and it's quite right that your papa should tell you so.'
'Dear Mamna, don't talk like that,' said Mary, clinging hold of her stepmother.
'Your papa sits there and won't say a word,' said Mrs Masters, stamping her foot.
'What's the good of speaking, when you go on like that before the children?' said Mr Masters, getting up from his chair. 'I say that it's a proper thing that the girl should go to see the old friend who brought her up, and has always been kind to her - and she shall go.' Mrs Masters seated herself on the nearest chair, and leaning her head against the wall, began to go into hysterics. 'your letter has already gone, Mary; and I desire you to write no other without letting me know.' Then he left the room and the house and absolutely went over to the Bush [the bar]... "
Here's another very funny scene where Senator Gotobed is at a dinner at Lord Rufford's with the Gentry, and he starts talking about what he thinks about hunting. He pisses off an old fart who's really into hunting:
".. A man did not live in the county more respected than John Runce, or who was better able to pay his way. To his thinking an animal more injurious than Goarly to the best interests of civilization could not have been produced by all the evil influences of the world combined. 'Do you really think,' said the Senator calmly, 'that a man should be hanged for killing a fox?' John Runce, Who was not very ready, turned around and stared at him. 'I haven't heard of any other harm that he has done, and perhaps he had some provocation for that.' Words were wanting to Mr Runce, but not indignation. He collected together his plate and knife and fork and his two glasses and his lump of bread, and, looking the Senator full in the face, slowly pushed back his chair and, carrying his Provisions with him, toddled off to the other end of the room. When he reached a spot where place was made for him he had hardly breath left to speak. 'well,' He said, 'I never -!' He sat a minute in silence shaking his head, and continued to shake his head and look around upon his neighbors as he devoured his food."
There's another asshole character who thinks he's just the best judge and trainer of horses in the whole county. His name is Major Caneback. He insists on riding this Wild Horse Jemima who won't let anyone ride her, with disastrous results.
"hampton, who had passed them, was the first over the fence, and the other three all took it abreast. The Major was to the right, the lord to the left, and the girl between them. The Mare's head was perhaps the first. She rushed at the fence, made no leap at all, and of course went headlong into the ditch. The major still stuck to her, though two or three voices implored him to get off. He afterwards declared that he had not strength to lift himself out of the saddle. The mare lay for a moment; - then blundered out, and rolled over him, jumped onto her feet, and lunging out kicked her rider the head as he was rising. Then she went away and afterwards jumped the palings on to Rufford Park. That evening she was shot."
This pissed me off that the horse got shot for kicking an asshole in the head who insisted on riding her when she let him know plainly that she did not want to be ridden.
The Senator has quite the cognitive dissonance about his country, the United States. He's in this scene writing a letter to his friend, another politician, and he's talking about how unjust it is that so many poor people are in England and there's so many rich people, and both just accept that their lot as the way things should be:
".. but they do their work as Vicegerents with an easy grace, and with sweet pleasant voices and soft movements, which almost make a man doubt whether the alMighty has not, in truth, intended that such Injustice should be permanent. That one man should be rich and another poor is a necessity in the present imperfect state of civilization; - but that one man should be born to be a legislator, born to have everything, born to be a tyrant, - and should think it all right, is to me miraculous. But the greatest Miracle of all is that they who are not so born, - who have been born to suffer the reverse side, - should also think it to be all right."
As if the forming of the young country that this character is supposedly from was not stolen from the indians, and that the founders were not given whatever they wanted in then way of land, and slaves to workit, so that they were enriched. I don't know if Trollope is just ignorant or if he's willfully ignorant.
And now we turn to the case of Arabella Trefoil, who has been working very hard to catch Lord Rufford as her husband. She writes to him, after many other things have failed, that she thinks he has treated her very badly and that he surely will admit that he asked her to marry him. he writes her a very cold and terse letter that in no way admits to any culpability in the case.
It was curious the way Trollope describe Arabella when she got into her room and alone contemplated her failure:
"the whole form of the girl's face was altered when she was alone. Her features in themselves were not lovely. Her cheeks and Chin were heavy. Her brow was too low, and her upper lip too long. Her nose and teeth were good, and would have been very handsome had they belonged to a man. Her complexion had always been good till it had been injured by being improved, - and so was the carriage of her head and the outside lines of her bust and figure, and her large eyes, though never soft, could be bright and sparkle. Skill had done much for her and continued effort almost more. But now the effort was dropped and that which skill had done turned against her. She was haggard, lumpy, and almost hideous in her bewildered grief."
More about the Hideous character of Mrs Morton, the grandmother of John Morton. He got sick and was actually on his deathbed, an unexpected happenstance in the book. This is where Arabella Trefoil redeems her character by visiting the invalidand being pardoned by him for having behaved badly to him, her fiancé.
Mrs Masters wants to have John's will changed so that his estate will go to one of her distant relatives. Anything but that Reginald Morton should have it.
".. Peter Mortin was, at any rate, the legitimate son of a Wellborn father and a Wellborn mother. What had she or anyone belonging to her to gain by it? But 40 years since a brat had been born at Bragton in opposition to her wishes, - by whose means she had been expelled from the place; and now it seemed to her to be simple Justice that he should on this account be robbed of that which would otherwise be naturally his own. As Mr Masters [he refused to be her lawyer for a rewriting of the will] would not serve her turn she must write to the London lawyers. The thing would be more difficult; but, nevertheless, if the sick man could once be got to say that Peter should be his Heir she thought that she could keep him to his word. Lady Ushant and Mr Masters went back to Dillsborough in Runximan's fly, and it need hardly be said that the attorney said nothing of the business which had taken him to Bragton.
This happened on a wednesday, - Wednesday the 3rd of march. On Friday morning, at 4:00, during the darkness of the night, John Morton was lying dead on his bed, and the old woman was at his bedside. She had done her Duty by him as far as she knew how in attending him, - had been assiduous with the diligence of much younger years; but now as she sat there, having had the fact absolutely announced to her by Dr Nupper, her greatest Agony arose from the feeling that the roof which covered her, probably the chair in which she sat, were the property of Reginald Morton - 'bastard!' she said to herself between her teeth; but she so said it that neither Dr Nupper, Who was in the room, nor the woman who was with her should hear it."
hahaha I laughed to myself with joy when I read this part.
When Arabella Trefoil goes to See Lord Rufford and has it out with him, I saw her character totally Redeemed by Trollope. She was invited inside for lunch but refuses, and then at the same time the Senator comes in for lunch, and I love how he defends Arabella to Lady Penweather (Rufford's sister) and Miss Penge (who his sister wants him to marry), the two bitches who live with Lord Rufford.
" '... poor young lady! Was she talking about him?'
'not particularly,' said his lordship.
'she must have remembered that when she was last here he was of the party, and it was but a few weeks ago, - only a little before christmas. He struck me as being cold in his manner as an affianced lover. Was not that your idea, lady Penweather?'
'I don't think I observed him especially.'
'I have reason to believe that he was much attached to her. She could be sprightly enough; but at times there seemed to come a cold melancholy upon her too. It is, I fancy, so with most of your English ladies. Miss Trefoil always gave me the idea of being a good type of the English aristocracy.' lady Penweather and Miss Pence Drew themselves up very stiffly. 'you admired her, I think, my lord.'
'Very much indeed,' said Lord Rufford, filling his mouth with pigeon-Pie as he spoke, and not lifting his eyes from his plate.
'will she be back to dinner?'
'oh dear no,' said lady Penweather. There was something in her tone which at last startled the senator into perceiving that Miss Trefoil was not popular at Rufford hall.
'she only came for a morning call,' said Lord rufford.
'Poor young woman! She has lost her husband, and I am afraid, now has lost her friends also. I am told that she is not well off; - and, from what I see and hear, I fancy that here in England a young lady without a dowry cannot easily replace a lover. I suppose, too, Miss Trefoil is not quite in her first youth.'
'If you have done, Caroline,' said lady Penweather to miss penge, 'I think we'll go into the other room.' "
The senator is a great foil to these uppity, Phony British pendejos.
Here is the part where I find out that Trollope is a great lover of The Fox Hunt and a great hater of philanimalists, people who are against cruelty to animals.
Reginald is talking to his wife Mary Masters Morton about it:
" 'that is the way of it. I am not now saying whether it is right or wrong. The lady with the tippet [one of those hideous fox capes] will justify the wires and the starvation because, as she will say, she uses the fur. An honest blanket would keep her just as warm. But the fox, who suffers perhaps 10 minutes of agony, should he not succeed as he usually does in getting away, - is hunted only for amusement! It is true that the one fox gives Amusement for hours to perhaps some hundreds; - but it is only for amusement. What Riles me most is that these would be philosophers do not or will not see that Recreation is as necessary to the world as clothes or food, and the providing of the one is as legitimate of business as the prevailing of the other.' "
And even Mary, my hero, agrees with him saying,
" 'people must eat and wear clothes.' "
Oh Mary why did you have to ruin my admiration of your character as I'll say the same to Trollope.