The American Senator

by Anthony Trollope

"The American Senator" by Anthony Trollope is a novel written in 1877. Set in rural England, it weaves together two romantic pursuits: Mary Masters, a gentlewoman who loves above her station, and Arabella Trefoil, a determined woman who will sacrifice nearly everything to secure a wealthy husband. Meanwhile, American Senator Elias Gotobed observes English society with outsider's eyes, questioning its customs from fox hunting to social hierarchies. Through these intertwined stories, Trollope explores the clash between rationality and tradition in Victorian England.