Title Barchester Towers
Allow me to quote Dr. Grantly’s statement on honest men squabbling for money. This is unfortunate since in the light of this question and in reference to the context of the basis of the question in question, the squabble for money and power involves men of God. Church men who are believed by many people and more especially the clergy’s converts to be people of virtue and honest. The contrary is that, they are the ones involved in this conflict of the struggle to ascend to the leadership of the diocese in question.
I totally concor with Dr. Grantly’s opinion and so as Trollope’s endorsement. The squabble amongst the clergy men in the Church bestrays the very trust bestowed to men of Church by the society. The Church should be the center of peace order and honesty. Anything short of this is the very opposite of the way things should happen. OTHER AMBITIONS Apart from the squabbling for the Church leadership, there is also rivalry for the control of Hirams hospital. The ambitions Mr. Hope does not only run much of the proudies official businesses but also aspire to take over the Hirams hospital.
This is a show of selfishness since he wants to grab anything at his disposal. He further goes ahead to Marry not necessarily to have a family but the rich lady who will bring wealth to him. This is what we call falling in love in disguise for his love with lady he married lands him into scandals until his undoing restores peace among the people in the diocese. The ambition is to marry someone is encouraged if it is not motivated by other uteria motives. The ambition of ascending to power is also positive since if the world lacked ambition people, it would not produce its leaders.
Any one will approve of positive ambition. Grantly’s ambition to take over leadership of the Church is acceptable before the eyes of people who are for the truth and justice. The appointment of proudies is a disappointment to the people who are for the truth. The war of ideas between Mr. Slope and his rivals on who has the right to run Hirams hospital is an act of selfishness and shame in the Church and the society as a whole. In this case who is who is not what matters, what matters is who is just. THE HONEST MAN
The honest man in the Barchester tower is Archdeacon Grantly . According to Trollope, he is the person who by the virtue of the tradition of the church, he is the heir and the next to take over the leadership of the diocese if everything were to go as stipulated by the law of the Church. The contrast comes when Mr. Proudies is brought in by the Government to ran the affairs of the Church. It is also sad to learn that there are other people who control the state of affairs in the Church and he is only there as a rubber stamp.
The above example is one of the many leaders in the world who own their political offices not because the quality to own or ran them but because they are puppets of some well connected power brokers. A good example are Mr. Slope and Mrs. Proudie. Mr. Proudie is unlikely to deliver since his service must be directed to his proxys, political God fathers and mother. Another negative aspect of this kind of a leader is that, he might be installed in an office which he is not experienced to run which might inhabit. This delivery of required of him by the society concerned.
Honest people are the least popular with the mass. This is because he may not agree with the view of the majority behavioural aspect that might make him popular. This very sad, since Grantly should have been the right choice for the post of the Bishop but he lost it to proudie since he was not well connected with the politicians. This could have been simply due to his stand on justice and being fair to all which is what the corrupt people would not accept. Then if this is the case, do we allow corrupt people control and rule the world? However, we cannot give all the credit to Mr.
Grantly since his own weakness. As a son of Bishop he grew up with the opinion that he has the monopoly of knowledge as pertains to a running of church affairs, now that he is a heir to his father Bishop his strong opinion are unbending attitude makes him a conservative and a figure representing the Church traditions. He fails to understand world keeps on changing and she should accept to change with it, and that he lived in a society that is dynamic. For that reason he is likely to fall out with people who have modern ideas like Mr.
Slope and the sister in- law Eleanor Bold. CHARACTER The character of Mr. Slope and Mr. Arabins desires for the worldly comforts is portrayed negatively. Meangiful comfort can only be realized once someone acquires wealth out of his own sweating. Any short cut or unwanted inheritance as of Eleanor’s case does not guarantee comfort since the consequences haunts the person concern since ones conscience will also remind the person concerned of the unfair ways he dreprived the person of his rights e. g. inheritance. How ever, Mr. Hardings refusal to take over of the deanery is reasonable.
This is because being a righteous person would not accept to the associated with corrupt people in the Church. He is also aware of the external political forces running the Church and as such he fears to be compelled to do what he knows its not right before the eyes of God and men. So the relationship between the honest and the wicked is bad as expected. There is no way a honest person will share and agree with the wicked. However we can not deny the fact Dr. Hardings is the Father – in – law to Mr. Grantly and there is no doubt that he shares the same segment with his son in – law Mr. Grantly.
We can say that he is also a conservative. We can not also rule out his opposition to the marriage of his daughter Eleanor Bold to Mr. Slope. The fact that Mr. Slope is a close associate of Mr. Proudie who is now the current Bishop and Mrs. Proudie whom they share ideas and house, it is apparent that the two parties have different attitudes towards each other. Grantly’s attitudes towards Eleanor Bold his sister in –law and Mr. Slope are extreme and rigid. He is a one man who would not admit mistakes and he looks at other people as being on the wrong him right. That is why on the other hand Mr.
Slope and his associates regard Mr. Grantly as old , out dated old fashioned conservative The honest person will want to use a clear way that would be approved by the men of justice. A wicked person on the contrary, cares not what people would think or say about him but its achievements. It doesn’t matter to him that in the course of action towards the achievements of its goals, someone was hurt on the way or not provided he achieves what he wanted. That’s why the likely of Grantly and other honest people in the church do feature much in the struggle for possession of power.
That’s why the author Trollope write to side with Mr. Grant. People like Mr. Slope, Mr. Arabin are driven by a burning desire of the worldly posses for the worldly possession and comforts, and that’s why their ends is a big disgrace to them and their families. A good name is better than wealth something they fail to understand and history will judge them. The white people say that “ Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” so the coming in of the politicians in the said squabble for money in the Church not only indoctrinate the politicians but also the church men like Mr.
Slope. Charlotte, Stanhope and Madeleine Neroni’s to Bertie’s situation is another very amusing act of people who are acting in the middle of a big controversy . The two characters are close associates of Bertie yet their approach to us are problems leaves a lot to be desired. CONCLUSION In relation to the Church situation today and in reference to the character mentioned earlier in the analysis, it is apparent that the uprightness is lacking the Church and the struggle for power has killed the very trust the church used to enjoy in the past .
There are a few honest men and women in Church, but the majority are people out to achieve their ambitions gains. Let the Church stands its ground and route not this vice if it hopes to restore its lost Glory. The government also should keep off the affairs of the Church. A church is a define place with the obligation of providing for refuge and consolation of the heartbroken but not a den of thieves as Jesus puts it when he met people doing business in the Solomon’s temple in Jesuralem. Opportunists should also not seek their lack in the Church as with some of the clergy men today.
However when the old fashioned clergy men like Mr. Grantly becomes so rigid with the old ideas, conflicts in the Church from the young generation are eminent . So anything good pertaining to the history and the tradition of the Church should be passed on to the new generation with caution and wisdom. Therefore it is seems apparent that somehow Mr. Grantly and the like in the Church should seek for dialogue if the Church glory has to be maintained. Such weaknesses as with the clergy today gives room to the young invading the church and overturning the tables
They go to work in the Church not with a call to serve the people of God but to earn for their living just like people in any other business. Such people have destroyed the good reputation of the Church. The government and politicians should be warned not poke their noses in the Church affairs least God will punish them for interfering with and destroying the directions and good name of the Church. The two can’t be married let the church be left to the clergy and politics and to the politicians. WORK CITED. ? Barchester Towers by Trollope 1847 ? The writers collections experience
