Marion Fay

First published in 1882, ‘Marion Fay’ is one of Anthony Trollope’s later novels. It follows two intertwined romances involving members of the upper and lower class. Lord Hampstead is captivated by Marion Fay, the daughter of a Quaker minister, whilst his sister Lady Frances Trafford is romanced by Post Office clerk George Roden, a man with no wealth or social position. Their contrasting situations and Trollope’s commentary on the British class structure make for a fascinating romantic drama.

Anthony Trollope (1815 – 1882) was a Victorian writer and author of 47 novels. He also wrote an autobiography, short stories and plays, travel articles, reviews and lectures. A prolific writer, he made no secret of the fact that money was his motivation for writing – an admission which raised eyebrows among his literary contemporaries at the time. The amount of works Trollope authored are testament to his belief in hard work. His first successful novel was The Warden followed by its sequel, Barchester Towers. The Chronicles of Barsetshire are perhaps his most well-known series of novels, though many of his works have been adapted for TV and radio, starring many familiar faces such as Alan Rickman, David Tennant, Bill Nighy and Tom Hollander. Alongside his literary career, Trollope also worked for some time for the Post Office and is credited with the introduction of the iconic post box to Britain. A memorial to Anthony Trollope was unveiled in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey in 1993.