Great conversation about Anthony Trollope's novels. I've been "reading" Trollope for about two years now, mainly by listening to the audio performances of Timothy West while I exercise each morning. What I love most about Trollope is the way he seamlessly moves from the interior thoughts and feelings of one character to the next and even from the narrator to the reader on the same page. AT's omniscient style seems so different from the modern style of limited viewpoint. And today's critics condemn "head-hopping" which I find engaging if done right in the way Trollope perfected it.
Currently reading "The Prime Minister." A good example of Trollope's versatile omniscient viewpoint is in chapter 5 (See https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2158/2158-h/2158-h.htm#c5 ) beginning with "I would not wish the reader to be prejudiced" to " before he had allowed himself to love her.") In these four paragraphs Trollope manages to delve and speculate into the inner thoughts and feelings of various characters: Mrs. Roby, Emily Wharton, her father Mr. Wharton, her lover Ferdinand Lopez, other people, the reader, and the Narrator Anthony Trollope himself. Amazed at how well AT is consistently able to switch between character and narrative viewpoints with such ease and effectiveness.
Great conversation about Anthony Trollope's novels. I've been "reading" Trollope for about two years now, mainly by listening to the audio performances of Timothy West while I exercise each morning. What I love most about Trollope is the way he seamlessly moves from the interior thoughts and feelings of one character to the next and even from the narrator to the reader on the same page. AT's omniscient style seems so different from the modern style of limited viewpoint. And today's critics condemn "head-hopping" which I find engaging if done right in the way Trollope perfected it.
That's an interesting observation. I wonder if you have a favorite example to share? I must trying listening to Trollope, too.
Currently reading "The Prime Minister." A good example of Trollope's versatile omniscient viewpoint is in chapter 5 (See https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2158/2158-h/2158-h.htm#c5 ) beginning with "I would not wish the reader to be prejudiced" to " before he had allowed himself to love her.") In these four paragraphs Trollope manages to delve and speculate into the inner thoughts and feelings of various characters: Mrs. Roby, Emily Wharton, her father Mr. Wharton, her lover Ferdinand Lopez, other people, the reader, and the Narrator Anthony Trollope himself. Amazed at how well AT is consistently able to switch between character and narrative viewpoints with such ease and effectiveness.
That's a fine shelf of Trollope! Thanks for posting the talk.