The Warden

<p><strong>The Warden</strong> by Anthony Trollope is the first novel in his <em>Chronicles of Barsetshire</em> series. It follows <strong>Mr. Septimus Harding</strong> a kind and gentle clergyman who serves as the warden of Hiram's Hospital a charitable institution for elderly men. When a young reformer named <strong>John Bold</strong> (who also loves Harding's daughter Eleanor) questions the fairness of the warden's generous income compared to the poor inmates' a public scandal arises. Caught between conscience duty and social pressure Mr. Harding ultimately decides to resign rather than profit from what he feels is an unjust system.</p><p>The novel explores <strong>morality integrity and the clash between tradition and reform</strong> in Victorian society.  </p><p></p><p></p><p></p>