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Cover of Mr. Scarborough's Family

Mr. Scarborough's Family

Written by Anthony Trollope

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Domestic fictionInheritance and successionFathers and sonsHertfordshire (England)

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About this book

"Mr. Scarborough's Family" by Anthony Trollope is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the complex relationships and conflicts within the Scarborough family, particularly focusing on the issues of legitimacy, inheritance, and the impact of family secrets on personal lives. Central characters include Mr. Scarborough, the enigmatic patriarch who reveals startling truths about his sons, Mountjoy and Augustus, whose lives are dramatically altered by their father's claims about their legitimacy and the subsequent struggle for inheritance. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Mr. Scarborough as he grapples with the implications of declaring his eldest son Mountjoy a bastard. Scarborough's selfish motivations to protect his wealth create tension, particularly as he reveals secrets that could devastate his family's reputation. The narrative encompasses various perspectives, including those of the two brothers—Mountjoy, a reckless officer burdened by gambling debts, and Augustus, the more pragmatic barrister left to navigate the fallout of his father’s confession. Additionally, the involvement of characters like Florence Mountjoy and Harry Annesley hints at romantic entanglements complicated by familial conflicts, setting the stage for drama and intrigue as the story unfolds.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Mr. Scarborough's Family, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • legalistic
  • dramatic
  • satirical

Anthony Trollope's "Mr. Scarborough's Family" delves into the intricate and often scandalous affairs of the Scarborough estate, challenging Victorian notions of legitimacy, inheritance, and social reputation. The enigmatic patriarch, Mr. Scarborough, orchestrates a complex legal scheme to protect his wealth, repeatedly declaring and retracting the legitimacy of his eldest son, Mountjoy, a reckless gambler burdened by debt. This manipulation throws his family into turmoil, particularly affecting his second, more pragmatic son, Augustus, who is left to navigate the legal and social fallout. As the narrative unfolds, it explores the clashes between law and justice, individual morality and societal expectations, and the enduring power of family secrets, all while a budding romance between Florence Mountjoy and Harry Annesley is entangled in the familial drama.

“"The law is an ass. Sometimes it is a perverse ass. Sometimes it is a wicked ass. But it is an ass always."”

Key themes

Legitimacy and Inheritance
This is the central theme, explored through Mr. Scarborough's repeated declarations and retractations of Mountjoy's legitimacy. The novel dissects the legal definition of legitimacy versus moral or natural legitimacy, questioning the rigidity and manipulability of Victorian inheritance laws (primogeniture) and their impact on family dynamics and individual lives.
Law vs. Justice
Trollope profoundly explores the tension between the letter of the law and true justice. Mr. Scarborough masterfully manipulates legal technicalities, highlighting how the law, intended to ensure fairness, can be perverted or exploited for personal gain, creating outcomes that feel morally unjust. The novel questions whether strict adherence to legal forms always leads to equitable results.
Morality and Hypocrisy
The novel critiques Victorian society's emphasis on outward respectability and its underlying hypocrisy. Mr. Scarborough, while morally questionable, is refreshingly honest about his cynical motives, contrasting with characters who uphold social conventions while harboring less noble intentions. The family's struggle to maintain reputation despite scandalous revelations highlights societal judgment.

Worth discussing

To what extent is Mr. Scarborough's manipulation of the law justifiable, if at all, given his desire to protect his estate from Mountjoy's gambling?

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