Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite

I understand you think that anyone considering buying this must already know all about it, but that's not always the case. If you intend to spoil the novel, at least post a spoiler warning at the beginning of your review.

Anthony Trollope turns the tables on the usual "happy ending" in this intriguing novel and has his undaunted and faithful heroine fail miserably in bringing about the attempted reform of her disreputable husband-to-be. Sir Harry Hotspur is a wealthy baronet whose only surviving child, his daughter Emily, falls in love with her cousin George Hotspur. George is a scoundrel, though - a rogue and gambler and alcoholic swindler, all of which he admits to openly. However, Sir Harry's title will pass on to George if he and Emily should marry, as would his estates and property; it is for this continued union of title and estates that Sir Harry, out of his own pride, can't bring himself to forbid the marriage. But when the depth of George's depravity is made known to Sir Harry, he can't any longer give consent to Emily's marrying him. But the incredibly innocent and naïve Emily is convinced not only of her love for George, but of her ability to reform him. In the hands of any number of other novelists of the period that is exactly what would happen, but not in Trollope's. Harry, knowing his man, refuses to budge, and Emily, listening only to her heart, refuses to give up on him. When George finally dumps her and marries someone else, Emily dies. The novel is simple, straight-forward, and compelling. Trollope is concerned with a couple of issues here, one being the "double standard" of the wretched male rogue being the object of Emily's compassion (no female character could ever survive a tenth of the dastardly behaviors exhibited by George). Another is Sir Harry's aristocratic pride at work in hoping to keep his title and property intact, although Trollope would never go so far as to have Sir Harry let Emily marry the blackguard just for that alone. The story moves along quickly and decidedly, and the downward spiral of events into utter sadness at the end is emotionally draining for the reader. One of Trollope's best short novels.

Written in 1870, when Trollope was at the height of his powers, Sir Harry Hotspur is a moving story of greed, courtship, and conflicting emotions. The story is simple. Harry Hotspur is immensely wealthy. He has lost his son, leaving him with just a daughter for as heir to his fortune. His daughter loves a low life cousin who wants her money. The financial troubles of the cousin, and the emotional conflict between father and daughter create the drama of this fine short novel.