Doctor Thorne
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|
 First edition title page. | |
| Author | Anthony Trollope |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Chronicles of Barsetshire |
| Publisher | Chapman and Hall |
Publication date | 1858 |
| Media type | |
| Preceded by | Barchester Towers |
| Followed by | Framley Parsonage |
| Text | Doctor Thorne at Wikisource |
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (Chapman and Hall, London, 1858) is the third novel in the Chronicles of Barsetshire series, between Barchester Towers and Framley Parsonage. The idea of the plot was suggested to Trollope by his brother Thomas.[1] Though set in Barsetshire, Barchester and its familiar residents have little part in the narrative. Most of the narrative is based in the village of Greshamsbury, the seat of squire John Newbold Gresham, of an old and respected family, and his wife Lady Arabella, sister of the Earl de Courcy. They have a son and several daughters.
The titular Doctor Thorne lives in the village with his niece Mary. She is of a similar age to the Gresham children and since the doctor is well acquainted with squire Gresham, Mary spends a great deal of time at Greshamsbury Hall even though nothing is known of her background. However, the mystery of Mary's birth is only a mystery to the numerous characters in the tale. It is one of Trollope's most insistent principles to take the reader into his confidence.[2]
The novel is mainly concerned with money and position. The Thornes, are lesser cousins of the Thornes of Ullathorne and well below the De Courcy and Gresham families in status and wealth historically. Since Mary Thorne has neither family background nor money she is unable to associate with her erstwhile playmates once they all grow older. However another uncle of much lesser background, Roger Scatcherd goes some way to making up for his lack of background by making a large fortune, but alcoholism proves to be his downfall as might be expected in a book of this date.
Plot summary
When their father dies, Doctor Thomas Thorne and his younger brother Henry are left to fend for themselves. Thomas begins to establish a medical practice, while Henry seduces Mary Scatcherd, the sister of stonemason Roger Scatcherd. When Roger finds out that Mary has become pregnant, he kills Henry in a fight.
While her brother is in prison for the death, Mary gives birth to a girl. A former suitor offers to marry Mary and emigrate to America to start a new life, but not if she keeps the baby. Doctor Thorne persuades Mary to accept the offer, promising to raise his niece. He names her Mary Thorne, but, wishing neither to have her illegitimacy made public nor to have her associate with the uncouth Roger Scatcherd, he keeps her parentage secret. Mary Scatcherd tells her brother that the baby has died.
After his release from prison, Scatcherd rises quickly in the world, becoming extremely rich. When he completes a seemingly impossible important project on time, he is made a baronet. Throughout his career, he entrusts his financial affairs to Doctor Thorne. When Thorne becomes the family doctor to the Greshams, he persuades Scatcherd to lend increasing sums to the head of the family, the local squire. Eventually, much of the Gresham estate is put up as collateral.
Meanwhile, Mary Thorne grows up with the Gresham children and becomes a great favourite with the whole family.
As young adults, Mary and Frank Gresham — the only son and heir of the squire of Greshamsbury — fall in love. However, his parents want him to marry wealth; the squire has squandered much of his wealth on expensive and fruitless campaigns for a seat in Parliament and is grieved that he can leave little to his son. As Mary is penniless and of suspect birth, such a marriage is inconceivable to his mother and to the de Courcys, the Greshams' aristocratic relatives. They wish Frank to marry the 30-year-old, eccentric heiress Martha Dunstable instead. Frank reluctantly visits Courcy Castle in order to meet Miss Dunstable, and they become friends. He foolishly and playfully proposes, but she wisely demurs, knowing that he does not love her.
Sir Roger Scatcherd is a chronic drunkard, and Doctor Thorne tries in vain to get him to curtail his drinking. In his will, Scatcherd stipulates that the bulk of his estate goes to his only son, the dissolute Louis Philippe. However, he leaves Doctor Thorne in control of the inheritance until Louis Philippe reaches the age of 25. Should Louis die before then, Scatcherd stipulates that the estate goes to his sister Mary's eldest child. Thorne, knowing that Scatcherd is thinking of the children Mary had in America, is forced to divulge Mary's parentage to Scatcherd, but Scatcherd leaves the will unchanged.
Roger Scatcherd eventually dies of drink. The son proves just as much an alcoholic as the father, and his weaker constitution quickly brings him to the same end before he turns 25. After consulting with lawyers, Doctor Thorne confirms that his niece Mary is the heiress—now richer than even Miss Dunstable.
Unaware of these developments, the still resolute Frank finally persuades his doting father to consent to his marriage to Mary. When all is revealed, the rest of his relatives heartily congratulate him.
Characters
The Thornes
- Dr Thomas Thorne, the uncle of Mary Thorne, who works as a doctor and apothecary. He is the confidant of both Squire Gresham and Sir Roger.
- Mary Thorne, the niece of Dr. Thorne and Sir Roger
The Scatcherds
- Sir Roger Scatcherd
- Lady Scatcherd, wife of Sir Roger and mother of Louis Philippe. She was Frank Gresham's wet nurse when he was a child and remains very fond of him.
- Sir Louis Philippe Scatcherd
The Greshams
- Mr Francis Newbold Gresham, senior, the squire of Greshamsbury
- Lady Arabella, his wife, née de Courcy, who is most anxious for Frank to "marry money"
- Francis "Frank" Newbold Gresham, junior, the squire's eldest child, only son and heir
- Augusta Gresham, Frank's youngest sister
- Beatrice Gresham, Frank's younger sister and Mary Thorne's best friend
The de Courcys
- The Earl de Courcy, Lady Arabella Gresham's brother
- Lady de Courcy, wife of the earl
- Lady Alexandrina, their eldest daughter
The Oriels
- Caleb Oriel, a clergyman who later marries Beatrice Gresham
- Patience Oriel, Caleb's sister, and a close friend of Beatrice
Others
- The Duke of Omnium, an extremely wealthy bachelor who figures in a number of Trollope's Barsetshire and Palliser novels
- Martha Dunstable, a kind-hearted, wealthy heiress of the "oil of Lebanon" business
- Mr. Moffat, one-time suitor of Miss Augusta Gresham, who later withdraws his proposal (to seek a more advantageous match) and is horsewhipped by Frank for it
- Dr. Fillgrave, a Barchester doctor who detests Dr Thorne
Adaptations
An ITV adaptation, Doctor Thorne, aired on 6 March 2016.[3] The script was written by Julian Fellowes, the creator and scriptwriter for Gosford Park and Downton Abbey.
See also
Notes
- ^ Rendell, Ruth. "Introduction", Doctor Thorne, London: Penguin Books, 1991, p. viii
- ^ Sadleir, Michael (1961). Trollope: a commentary. Oxford: Oxford paperbacks. p. 377.
- ^ Radford, Ceri (6 March 2016). "Doctor Thorne review: Fellowes and Trollope is a happy marriage". Telegraph Online. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
External links
- Doctor Thorne at Standard Ebooks
- Anthony Trollope – Comprehensive summaries of all of Trollope's plots and characters as well as information on all things Trollopian.
Doctor Thorne public domain audiobook at LibriVox- Gutenberg edition of Doctor Thorne.
