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Ralph the Heir, first published in serial form during 1870 and the first part of 1871, remains one of Anthony Trollope's least commonly read novels, and one of those which has tended to attract the least critical attention too. Such relative neglect is ill-deserved. As this article suggests, Ralph retains a particular interest as one of Trollope's most obviously political novels, and in some senses one of his most obviously autobiographical too; it is also one of his most didactic. Towards the end of Ralph, Trollope muses on the importance of good literature informing its readers; there is always, as he confirms, physic beneath the sugar of a good story. This is especially pertinent, it will be argued, for those modern scholars who are interested in Trollope's views on matters of law, both public and private. This article examines Trollope's rather pointed commentary in Ralph on the consequences of franchise reform; it then turns to his related commentaries on marriage and illegitimacy. These latter matters were the subject of considerable contemporary interest, stimulated in large part by proposals to reform the law which sought to regulate both.
Author(s): Ward I
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: English Studies
Year: 2016
Volume: 97
Issue: 5
Pages: 473-492
Print publication date: 01/08/2016
Online publication date: 31/05/2016
Acceptance date: 09/07/2016
ISSN (print): 0013-838X
ISSN (electronic): 1744-4217
Publisher: Routledge
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0013838X.2016.1168631
DOI: 10.1080/0013838X.2016.1168631
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