The Last Chronicle of Barset
Chapters 61 to 63 |
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[58-60]
[64-66] |
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Chapter 61
"It's Dogged as Does It" |
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Meum and tuum
"Mine and yours." Mr. Crawley, after receiving the letter from Dr.
Tempest about his hearing, states to himself that the ecclesiastical
commission will consider him crazy because he did not know the difference
between "meum and tuum" in regards to the cheque. [KD] |
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Terrible thoughts of the fate of Mr. Crawley's family
After Mr. Crawley receives the letter about his meeting with the
ecclesiastical commission, he takes a walk and sits in the rain as
"terrible thoughts" as to the fate of his family enter his mind. This
likely refers to Mr. Crawley's thoughts of Heracles killing his wife and
children earlier in Chapter 41.
See commentary for Last Chronicle of Barset
Chapter 41. [KD] |
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Greek iambics
Mr. Crawley is said to make Greek iambics as he walks along the
lanes of the street. An iambic is an unstressed and then stressed
syllable. This is a pun that links metric feet with Mr. Crawley's actual
feet. [KD] |
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Justice though the heaven should fall
While sitting in the rain, Mr.,
Crawley decides that he will resign and do justice though the heavens
should fall. This phrase refers to the proverbial justice of Piso. In
this story, a man is sentenced to be executed for murder when the man
supposed to be murdered comes forth. A centurion returns to Piso and
recounts the events, after which Piso declares that all three men should
be executed. The first man because he was already sentenced to death, the
centurion because he did not follow orders, and the presumed murdered man
because he is the cause of death for two innocent men. Piso then declares
that justice will be done though the heavens may fall. This allusion is
very fitting for Mr. Crawley because he decides to resign from his
position even though the bishop thinks that is in not necessary.
www.bartleby.com [KD] |
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Chapter 62
Mr Crawley' Letter to the Dean |
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Let justice be done, though the heaven may fall
Again Mr. Crawley states to himself that he will resign from his
office and that justice shall be done, though the heavens may fall. See
Chapter 61 for further comments on the Latin phrase fiat iustitia, ruat
coelum. [KD] |
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Greek iambics
Mr. Crawley states to himself that the bishop (unlike himself)
probably did not know the difference between an iamb and a trochee. It
appears that Mr. Crawley is using his knowledge of Greek to make himself
feel better in his own eyes. [KD] |
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The Greek poem about the agonies of the blind giant
Mr. Crawley makes Jane read this story before he writes his letters
to the bishop and dean. The story, from Book 9 of the
Odyssey,
is about the Cyclops, Polyphemus, who was blinded by Odysseus while he and
his men were attempting to escape his cave. This is an interesting link
because Polyphemus was once a great giant who was utterly overcome.
Trollope, by mentioning Mr. Crawley's interest in Polyphemus, implies that
Mr. Crawley believes himself to be a tragic figure like Polyphemus.
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology
[KD] |
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Fate/Necessity
Mr. Crawley considers the story of Polyphemus and declares that
"Fate--Necessity, as the Greeks called her" is "the goddess that will not
be shunned!" The Fates were thought to determine the life of people in
antiquity, and it appears that Mr. Crawley believes that the Fates are
interfering with his life by causing the turmoil with the missing cheque.
[KD] |
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Mr. Crawley takes up the passage himself
Mr. Crawley begins to read the passage of the
Odyssey
himself. As we have seen, Mr. Crawley only reads Greek when he is in a
good mood. In this instance, he must be very content because he takes
over the reading from Jane. [KD] |
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Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.
This means "to be conscious of no guilt, to turn pale at no
blame." This phrase is from Horace's Epistles I.1.61. Mr. Crawley
in his letter to the dean says that the dean, if he were not abroad, would
probably give him this advice. [KD] |
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My hair stands on end with horror
In his letter to the dean, Mr. Crawley states that his hair stands
on end in horror when he thinks of the possibility that he stole the
cheque. Here Trollope is playing on the literal meaning of the verb
horresco, horrescere which means to bristle or to have one's hair
stand on end.
OLD [KD] |
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The dean as the patron of the living
In his letter to the dean, Mr. Crawley declares him his patron of
the living. This is reference to the patron/client system which Trollope
commonly invokes in his novels.
See commentary for Small
House at Allington Chapter 22. [KD] |
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Chapter 63
Two Visitors to Hogglestock |
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Greek and Latin
Major Grantly asks Jane to excuse herself from the room so he can
talk to Mr. and Mrs. Crawley. Trollope states that even though Jane has
only studied Greek and Latin she knew that Major Grantly is about to ask
Mr. Crawley's permission to marry Grace. [KD] |
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Nil conscire sibi
"To be conscious of no guilt." Mr. Crawley says this to himself
after he realizes that Major Grantly is asking his permission to marry
Grace. The phrase is from Horace's Epistles. See commentary for
Chapter 62. [KD] |
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Roman fortitude
Mr. Crawley tries to maintain a Roman fortitude when explaining to
Major Grantly that Grace cannot marry him. This fortitude likely refers
to Stoicism which arose from the philosopher Zeno around 313 BC. This
school of thought was focused on logic, physics, and ethics and placed a
strong emphasis on man's alignment with fate or providence. Stoicism also
taught that emotions were bad and without virtue. Stoicism was further
made popular by Seneca and Epictetus. However, Mr. Crawley was unable keep
his Roman fortitude as he was unable to hold his emotions when he
sobbingly rejects Major Grantly's proposal. [KD] |
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[58-60]
[64-66] |
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