Anthony Trollope's second novel, first published in 1848.
In 1840s Ireland the aristocratic O'Kelly family and their distant relatives, the decidedly less aristocratic Kelly family, are both short of money. Francis O'Kelly and Martin Kelly both decide the best thing to do is to marry a rich woman. Francis gets engaged to Fanny Wyndham, but her guardian tries to force her to break the engagement so she can marry his son instead. Martin gets engaged to Anastasia Lynch, whose brother is trying to steal her money.
Like most of his early novels it's unknown to all but the most dedicated Trollope fans and hasn't been in print for years. It's available on Gutenberg
, however.
Contains examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Anastasia is almost universally known as Anty.
- Age-Gap Romance: Anastasia is ten years older than Martin.
- Amoral Attorney: Daly agrees to help Barry in his plan to steal Anastasia's money, in spite of his dislike of Barry and the plan itself. Played with, though, because his conscience bothers him so much he finally decides to stop helping Barry.
- Apron Matron: Mary Kelly is the matriarch of the Kelly family, helps Anastasia escape from Barry, and stands up to a hungover/still half-drunk Barry when he tries to bring Anastasia back.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Played with. Lord Kilcullen is a Jerkass who wastes his family's money and is willing to go along with his father's suggestion he should marry Fanny for her money, but he genuinely falls in love with her and feels guilty about his part in his father's plan.
- Babies Ever After: The last chapters reveal that Francis and Fanny had at least three children, while Martin and Anastasia had two.
- Cain and Abel: Barry (Cain) and Anastasia (Abel) are a rare brother-and-sister example. Barry hates and abuses Anastasia, and even considers killing her.
- Doorstopper: It's forty chapters and over four hundred pages long in most editions... and compared to Trollope's later novels it's practically a novella.
- Funetik Aksent: Martin, his brother John, and his mother Mary have nearly incomprehensible accents.
- Gender-Blender Name: Or nickname in this case. Dot Blake's real name is Walter; he got the nickname "Dot" as an abbreviation of the phrase "Dot and carry on" (i.e., make calculations before betting on horses).
- Gold Digger: Francis and Martin are male examples. Neither is ashamed to admit — to themselves at least — that they're mainly interested in their respective fiancées for their money.
- Historical Domain Character: Real people are mentioned, including Daniel O'Connell and the judges at his trial.
- Kissing Cousins: Lord Cashel wants his niece Fanny to marry his son.
- Love Triangle: Fanny and Frank love each other, while Lord Kilcullen loves Fanny.
- Massive Numbered Siblings: Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong have nine children.
- Name and Name / Protagonist Title: The main characters are Martin Kelly and Francis O'Kelly.
- Nephewism: Fanny's parents are dead, so she's raised by her uncle and aunt.
- Parental Marriage Veto: Lord Cashel forbids Fanny's marriage to Francis (though he's Fanny's uncle, not her father).
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Mary Kelly gives Barry one hell of one when he comes to her shop and asks to see Anastasia."...And as for brother, Masther Barry, why didn't you think of that before you struck her, like a brute, as you are—before you got dhrunk, like a baste, and then threatened to murdher her? [...] That's being a brother and a guardian, is it, Masther Barry? Talk to me of danger, you ruffian," continued the widow, with her back now thoroughly up; "you'd betther look to yourself, or I know who'll be in most danger. [...] Danger, indeed! a robber and ruffian like you, to talk of danger to me—and his dear sisther, too, and aftimer trying his best, last night, to murdher her!"
- Would Hit a Girl: Barry hits Anastasia and knocks her to the ground, knocking her out in the process.
