Reading Notes on Phineas Finn

Reading Notes: Anthony Trollope, Phineas Finn
December 24-31, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter

Lady Laura Standish is the real politician, but as a woman she must operate through men -- in this case the impulsive, improvident Phineas. 11:02 AM Dec 24th, 2008 from txt

Lady Laura finds Finn a seat in the House and advises him how to make use of those he despises: "I mean you to be very intimate with Mr Kennedy, to shoot his grouse and to stalk his deer and to be helpful to his progress as a Liberal member of Parliament." 11:08 AM Dec 24th, 2008 from txt

Laura's friend Violet Effingham also drawn to male activity: sports. "It is strange what a propensity I have for the wrong side of the post" 12:11 PM Dec 24th, 2008 from txt

Laura arranges men's lives: urges her father into Cabinet and Phineas into a PM; tries to arrange her "beastly" brother's marriage to Violet 1:17 PM Dec 24th, 2008 from txt

Chiltern's ill reputation: "We all know how the man well spoken of may steal a horse, while he of evil repute may not look over a hedge." 1:40 PM Dec 24th, 2008 from txt

Phineas's political (and romantic) talent is being agreeable and, at least in early stage of his career, he is all ambition, no substance. 9:34 AM Dec 25th, 2008 from txt

Of radical MP's, Monk is modest, self-doubting while Turnbull is "leveler of forests" without care for how to cultivate the land so cleared. 9:41 AM Dec 25th, 2008 from txt

The "pleasant" Phineas occupies a safe middle ground between the absolute dullness of Laura's Kennedy and the wildness of Violet's Chiltern. 5:25 PM Dec 25th, 2008 from txt

Trollope lauds mediocrity (common sense) in romance as well as politics. Laura tallies that for "999 of 1000" life is business not romance 5:27 PM Dec 25th, 2008 from txt

Chiltern calls Kennedy "a log of wood ... such men drive me out of the pale of decent life. If that is decency, I'd sooner be indecent" 5:41 PM Dec 25th, 2008 from txt

Bunce deflates prestiege of Phineas's going into the government: "a man gets so thick in the muck that he don't know if he's dirty or clean" 12:10 PM Dec 27th, 2008 from txt

Not suprisingly, Violet chooses Chiltern, and so Phineas rejected first for a dull prig and then a wildman -- each, however, men of status. 8:33 PM Dec 27th, 2008 from txt

For all the talk of romance, the clear priority of suitors, both male and female, is social status: "grasping the top brick of the chimney" 8:38 PM Dec 27th, 2008 from txt

Appearance of the "European" Madame Max Goesler who flirts with Phineas but then trains her sights on the unreachably regal Lord Omnium. 10:12 AM Dec 28th, 2008 from txt

Seeing a threat to the coronet she intends for her "blond, bold faced son," Glencora challenges Madame Goesler to "duel" of reputation. 10:19 AM Dec 28th, 2008 from txt

Glencora's liberal mask slips as she seethes at the "black browed, yellow skinned, half monkey baby" of a liaison of Mdm Goesler with Omnium 10:29 AM Dec 28th, 2008 from txt

Glencora seethes further: "it might be that Madam Goesler would win the coronet; but she would find there were sharp thorns in the lining" 10:47 AM Dec 28th, 2008 from txt

Reconciliation of Madame Goesler and Glencora after their "duel" similar to mutual respect of Chiltern and Phineas following their exchange. 8:14 PM Dec 28th, 2008 from txt

Mdm Goesler sees Phineas as a rushing train that may jump the tracks; Omnium as a majestic snowy peak vulnerable only to a major earthquake. 8:20 PM Dec 29th, 2008 from txt

Mdm Goesler: "you see me in society and look upon me as a member of a gregarious herd, but I am an animal that feeds alone and lives alone." 8:23 PM Dec 29th, 2008 from txt

Phineas now in position of choosing "suitor" between Mary, the romantic love of his childhood, and the wealth and status of Madame Goesler. 4:16 PM Dec 30th, 2008 from txt

Laura advises Phineas to wed Madame Goesler for her money: "You have had your romance and must now put up with reality." 4:30 PM Dec 30th, 2008 from txt

At end of story, Phineas has acted principled in both love and politics -- meaning, for Trollope, that he has conformed to his social status 12:24 PM Dec 31st, 2008 from web

Reading Notes on Can You Forgive Her?

Reading Notes: Anthony Trollope, Can You Forgive Her?
October 25-November 6, 2008. Transcribed from Twitter.

In "CYFH?," Alice Vavasor's choice between the "worthy" "milk-and-honey" John Grey and the "brandy" of her "wild man" cousin George Vavasor 2:25 PM Oct 25th, 2008 from txt

Plantangenet Palliser an avatar of dullness; proud to be dull. "If he was dull as a statesman, he was even more dull in private life." 12:48 PM Oct 26th, 2008 from txt

Trollope creates no win situations for Alice and Glencora: the worthy men are dull and gray, the romantic men are schemers or wastrels. 8:24 PM Oct 31st, 2008 from txt

"Can You Forgive Her" shifts from genteel parlour drama to near-Gothic as George Vavasor's rage spills over, his threats barely contained. 1:35 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

George Vavasor's thoughts increasingly turn to murder, but he doesn't plot murder (and suicide) so much as he dreams it. 7:46 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

George Vavasor's campaign manager, the lawyer Scruby: "the man was like a rat, and knew a falling house by the instinct that was in him." 8:05 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

Stymied in raising funds:"George Vavasor cursed the City and made his calculation about murdering it. Might not a river of strychnine ..." 8:20 AM Nov 2nd, 2008 from txt

Back to "Can You Forgive Her?" George Vavasor so disruptive a presence in the Trollope universe that he has to be despatched to America. 7:59 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

In Dickens, George's fate would have been part of the cresendo. In Balzac, the plot would have centered on such a remarkable villain. 8:02 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

Trollope always trying to be fair to characters. George is such a monster, he needs to be sent offstage, spoken about only in hushed tones. 8:05 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from web

Up early to finish Trollope; per his stultifying conservative vision dullness, social order must prevail over even the most trivial revolts 8:52 AM Nov 6th, 2008 from web