The Claverings

Anthony Trollope's The Claverings is a Victorian novel of love, money and social ambition, first published in 1867. Harry Clavering, a young man of good family but uncertain prospects, is in love with Julia Brabazon, who chooses a wealthy marriage instead. Before long, widowed as Lady Ongar, Julia returns to England rich and independent, and Harry must decide where his heart and his honour truly lie. Around them Trollope assembles a vivid cast: the proud Lady Ongar, the sincere Florence Burton, the scheming Archie Clavering, and the unhappy household of Sir Hugh Clavering. The novel moves between country rectories, London drawing rooms and the new world of professional work, asking what it means to act decently when desire and duty pull apart. Readers who enjoy Jane Austen's social observation, or Trollope's own Barsetshire novels, will find here the same clear-eyed sympathy and quiet irony. This edition contains the complete text of The Claverings, a new introduction for first-time readers, a character guide, a summary of the plot, notes on major themes, a glossary of period words and phrases, and discussion questions for book clubs and students.