Can You Forgive Her?

This novel explores the lives and romantic entanglements of two women Alice Vavasor and Lady Glencora Palliser both caught between duty and desire. Through Alice's indecision about her suitors and Glencora's struggle with an arranged marriage Trollope weaves a complex narrative about personal agency societal expectations and moral dilemmas. The novel is also the first in Trollope's political Palliser series mixing personal and political intrigue. Anthony Trollope (1815-1882) became one of the most successful prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire; he also wrote penetrating novels on political social gender issues and conflicts of his day.