The Way We Live Now Part I (Chapters 1-20)

Anthony Trollope's novel The Way We Live Now, published in 1875, is a satirical novel about greed and its effects on Victorian society. Dishonesty, moral and political corruptions are major themes in the novel.


Trollope introduces these themes as well as the major characters in the first twenty chapters of the novel (there are over one hundred chapters). 


Lady Carbury is dishonest, even if well intentioned, hoping for the most advantageous marriage for her son, though seemingly leaving her daughter's future in the air. Lady Carbury uses her womanly charms to get mediocre books published.



Her son Felix is a selfish profligate, hoping to marry an heiress he does not love while conducting an affair with a peasant girl.


Augustus Melmotte, though still somewhat of a mystery, seems to have gotten his vast wealth through dishonest means, and pushes a scheme to attract investors to the construction of a railroad from Salt Lake City to Vera Cruz Mexico. He is not interested in the actual construction. Rather he wants to push the stock prices through the roof and enrich himself. Sir Felix is taken in with the scheme, investing the remains of his mother's savings and hoping to marry Melmotte's daughter.


Paul Montague, who also happens to love sir Felix's sister, Henrietta, is the only one who seems to have concerns with Melmotte's scheme and the railroad.


Henrietta is just about the only honest character. She refuses to marry her cousin, Sir Roger, because she does not love him, even though it would mean financial security for her.


The Way We Live Now is full of rich subplots and complex, though mostly despicable characters. The satire is biting, though often amusing. It is a rather dark novel, but so far well worth reading.