Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite (1871), By Anthony Trollope A NOVEL

Anthony Trollope's novel Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite, was originally published in Macmillan's Magazine, May-Dec. 1870 and in novel form in 1871. The novel offers psychological dissection of the issues of inheritance, filial duty, noblesse oblige, gentlemanly behaviour, repentance and love, all hung upon the story of the wooing and losing of Sir Harry Hotspur's daughter (and heir to his property), Emily, by their "scamp" of a cousin (and heir to Sir Harry's baronetcy), Captain George Hotspur. Anthony Trollope (24 April 1815 - 6 December 1882) was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Among his best-loved works is a series of novels collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, which revolves around the imaginary county of Barsetshire. He also wrote perceptive novels on political, social, and gender issues, and on other topical matters. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century. Thomas Anthony Trollope, Anthony's father, was a barrister. Though a clever and well-educated man and a Fellow of New College, Oxford, he failed at the bar due to his bad temper. In addition, his ventures into farming proved unprofitable, and he lost an expected inheritance when an elderly childless uncle[a] remarried and had children. As a son of landed gentry, [3] he wanted his sons to be raised as gentlemen and to attend Oxford or Cambridge. Anthony Trollope suffered much misery in his boyhood owing to the disparity between the privileged background of his parents and their comparatively small means. Born in London, Anthony attended Harrow School as a free day pupil for three years from the age of seven because his father's farm, [b] acquired for that reason, lay in that neighbourhood. After a spell at a private school at Sunbury, he followed his father and two older brothers to Winchester College, where he remained for three years. He returned to Harrow as a day-boy to reduce the cost of his education. Trollope had some very miserable experiences at these two public schools. They ranked as two of the most élite schools in England, but Trollope had no money and no friends, and was bullied a great deal. At the age of twelve, he fantasized about suicide. However, he also daydreamed, constructing elaborate imaginary worlds....