Summary Of Phineas Finn

Anthony Trollope’s Phineas Finn, the Irish Member, is a literary work dedicated to exposing the problems with the political system of 19th century Great Britain by presenting a comprehensive allegory. Phineas Finn takes place over a young man’s six years in Parliament. Eventually he acquires the wisdom and courage to act on his convictions after being subservient to his political patrons and their wishes in order to maintain his seat. Over the course of this book Trollope is able to make the point that the government is far more dedicated to the status quo than to significant reform or progress, Trollope is also able to out line the significant ways in which the Irish are exploited and controlled by the political establishment.
To put this story in context, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created in 1801 by the merging of the Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Ireland under the Acts of Union. Up until 19th century—the House of Lords was superior to the House of Commons both in theory and in practice. Members of the House of Commons were elected in an antiquated electoral system, under which constituencies of vastly different sizes existed, making those Members very weak politically. In many cases, members of the Upper House also controlled tiny constituencies, known as pocket or rotten boroughs,
New ideas about republicanism and liberalism were making in roads and liberal ideology was prevailing. Parliament passed the Reform Act 1832 making the electoral system in the lower House much more fair and representative giving the House of Commons more power than it ever had. No longer solely dependent on the upper House for their seats, members of the House of Commons began to grow more assertive sometimes to their detriment. This sweeping liberalism is in and of itself a character in Phineas Finn; it was the cause of the protagonist downfall and