1. The Carbury Family's Struggles

Lady Carbury, a widowed mother, fights to keep her family afloat in London's competitive society. Her son, Sir Felix, is handsome but reckless, gambling away his inheritance and relying on his mother's dwindling resources. Her daughter, Hetta, is gentle and loyal, but caught between her mother's ambitions and her own heart. Lady Carbury's literary aspirations and social maneuvering are driven by desperation, as she seeks to secure her children's futures—especially by marrying Felix to an heiress. The family's emotional bonds are tested by poverty, pride, and the relentless pressure to succeed in a world that values wealth above all else.

2. The Rise of Melmotte

Augustus Melmotte, a foreign-born financier of dubious origins, arrives in London and quickly becomes the talk of the town. His immense wealth, ostentatious lifestyle, and rumored business genius attract both admiration and suspicion. Melmotte's lavish parties and bold investments, especially in a speculative Mexican railway, draw in the city's elite, eager for profit and social advancement. Yet, beneath the glittering surface, rumors swirl about his honesty and past. Melmotte's rise exposes the greed and moral flexibility of London society, as even the most established families seek his favor, hoping to share in his apparent prosperity.

3. London's Social Games

London's upper class is a battlefield of social climbing and strategic alliances. Lady Carbury schemes to marry Felix to Melmotte's daughter, Marie, whose fortune is legendary. Other families, like the Longestaffes, also court Melmotte, hoping to solve their own financial woes. The city's clubs, salons, and drawing rooms are filled with gossip, flirtation, and rivalry. Amidst the intrigue, Hetta Carbury finds herself torn between her cousin Roger's steadfast love and the passionate but troubled Paul Montague. The pursuit of wealth and status distorts relationships, as characters weigh love against advantage, and reputation against desire.

4. The Beargarden's Temptations

The Beargarden, a fashionable but decadent club, is the haunt of young men like Felix Carbury and his friend Dolly Longestaffe. Here, fortunes are lost at cards, and debts mount with little hope of repayment. The club's easy camaraderie masks a deeper rot, as members enable each other's vices and evade responsibility. Felix's addiction to gambling and his inability to change set him on a path of self-destruction, dragging his family with him. The Beargarden becomes a symbol of the era's moral bankruptcy, where pleasure and risk-taking are valued above duty and self-control.

5. Marie's Rebellion

Marie Melmotte, raised in luxury but isolated by her father's ambitions, yearns for love and freedom. Pressured to marry Lord Nidderdale for social gain, she instead falls for Felix Carbury, who pursues her for her fortune. Marie's growing self-awareness leads her to challenge her father's authority and the expectations of society. Her attempted elopement with Felix is both a romantic gesture and a desperate bid for autonomy. The consequences are disastrous, exposing Felix's weakness and Melmotte's ruthlessness. Marie's fate becomes a poignant commentary on the limited choices available to women, even those with wealth.

6. The Melmotte Bubble Grows

Melmotte's Mexican railway scheme becomes the center of feverish speculation. Investors, politicians, and aristocrats rush to buy shares, blinded by greed and the promise of quick riches. Paul Montague, drawn into the venture by his American partner Fisker, is troubled by doubts about its legitimacy. As Melmotte's influence expands, so do the risks—both financial and moral. The city's newspapers, clubs, and boardrooms buzz with rumors, but few dare to question the source of Melmotte's wealth. The bubble inflates, sustained by confidence and deception, setting the stage for inevitable collapse.

7. Love, Lies, and Letters

Romantic and ethical dilemmas intensify. Hetta Carbury, pressured by her mother and cousin Roger, struggles with her feelings for Paul Montague, whose past with the enigmatic American widow Mrs. Hurtle haunts their relationship. Letters, secrets, and misunderstandings threaten to destroy trust. Lady Carbury's relentless pursuit of advantageous marriages for her children leads to heartbreak and estrangement. Meanwhile, the Longestaffe family's financial desperation drives them to compromise their values. The personal and the public become inseparable, as love is tested by ambition, and truth is obscured by self-interest and fear.

8. The Great Dinner

Melmotte's grand dinner for the Emperor of China is the zenith of his social triumph. The event, attended by royalty, politicians, and the city's elite, is a spectacle of wealth and power. Yet, beneath the glitter, cracks appear—absent guests, whispered scandals, and Melmotte's increasing desperation. The dinner is both a celebration and a last gamble, as Melmotte tries to cement his position and silence his critics. The night's excesses foreshadow disaster, as the city's faith in Melmotte begins to waver, and the consequences of unchecked ambition come due.

9. The Fall of Melmotte

The truth about Melmotte's frauds and forgeries comes to light. Creditors demand payment, investors panic, and the law closes in. Melmotte's allies abandon him, and his enemies rejoice. His attempt to maintain his composure in Parliament ends in drunken humiliation. Facing arrest and public ruin, Melmotte takes his own life, leaving behind a legacy of shattered fortunes and broken dreams. His death is both a personal tragedy and a symbol of the era's moral bankruptcy—a warning of the dangers of worshipping wealth without scruple or substance.

10. Aftermath and Reckoning

The collapse of Melmotte's empire sends shockwaves through London. Families like the Carburys and Longestaffes must confront the consequences of their choices. Felix, disgraced and penniless, is exiled abroad. Lady Carbury, humbled by adversity, finds unexpected support in the steadfast editor Mr. Broune. Hetta, after much suffering, is reconciled with Paul Montague, who is finally freed from Mrs. Hurtle's claims. Marie Melmotte, stripped of her illusions but still wealthy, faces an uncertain future. The survivors must reckon with their own failings, learning that happiness cannot be built on deceit or selfishness.

11. New Beginnings

Amidst the wreckage, new lives are forged. Hetta and Paul marry, supported by Roger Carbury's selfless friendship. Lady Carbury, after years of struggle, finds peace and companionship in marriage to Mr. Broune. Even the humble John Crumb wins his long-suffering Ruby, proving that honesty and perseverance can triumph over adversity. The Longestaffe sisters, after much humiliation, find their own paths—one in a modest marriage, the other in reluctant acceptance of her fate. The novel's conclusion offers a vision of redemption, suggesting that integrity, kindness, and love can endure even in a corrupt world.

12. The Wheel Turns Again

As the dust settles, London's social world resumes its restless motion. New speculators and social climbers emerge, eager to fill the void left by Melmotte. The Beargarden club, symbol of idle dissipation, collapses, but its spirit lingers in the city's endless pursuit of pleasure and profit. The Carburys, chastened but wiser, find contentment in quieter lives. The story ends with a sense of continuity and change—the wheel of fortune spins on, offering new chances and new dangers. Trollope's final message is both cautionary and hopeful: the world is full of folly, but also of the possibility for growth, forgiveness, and genuine happiness.

Characters

Lady Carbury

Lady Carbury is the widowed matriarch of the Carbury family, fiercely devoted to her children's advancement. Intelligent and resourceful, she is also manipulative, using her charm and literary ambitions to secure social and financial stability. Her love for her son Felix blinds her to his faults, while her relationship with her daughter Hetta is strained by conflicting values. Lady Carbury's journey is one of gradual humility, as she learns the limits of ambition and the value of genuine affection. Her eventual marriage to Mr. Broune offers her the peace and respect she long sought.

Sir Felix Carbury

Felix is Lady Carbury's adored but feckless son, whose good looks and title mask a character marked by selfishness, addiction, and irresponsibility. He gambles away his inheritance, pursues heiresses for their money, and brings his family to the brink of ruin. Felix's inability to change or accept responsibility leads to his social and financial exile. His psychological shallowness and lack of empathy make him both pitiable and infuriating—a symbol of the era's moral decay and the dangers of privilege without purpose.

Hetta Carbury

Hetta is the moral center of the Carbury family, torn between loyalty to her mother and her own sense of right. She is pursued by her cousin Roger, whose steadfast love she cannot return, and by Paul Montague, whose past with Mrs. Hurtle tests her trust. Hetta's journey is one of self-discovery and emotional growth, as she learns to assert her own desires and forgive the failings of those she loves. Her eventual union with Paul is hard-won, grounded in honesty and mutual respect.

Roger Carbury

Roger is the owner of Carbury Manor and the family's moral anchor. Deeply in love with Hetta, he is unable to win her heart, but remains her loyal friend and protector. Roger's sense of duty and integrity guide his actions, even when they bring him pain. He is generous to a fault, supporting the Carburys and forgiving Paul Montague's betrayal. Roger's character embodies Trollope's ideal of the English gentleman—honest, patient, and capable of selfless love.

Paul Montague

Paul is a young engineer drawn into Melmotte's railway scheme and into a complicated romance with Hetta Carbury. Haunted by his past engagement to Mrs. Hurtle, he struggles with guilt, indecision, and the demands of conscience. Paul's psychological complexity lies in his desire to do right, even as he is swept up in events beyond his control. His eventual vindication and marriage to Hetta are the result of perseverance, honesty, and the willingness to confront his own weaknesses.

Augustus Melmotte

Melmotte is the novel's central figure—a self-made man whose rise and fall expose the greed and hypocrisy of Victorian society. He is both a master manipulator and a victim of his own ambition, capable of generosity but ultimately undone by fraud and self-delusion. Melmotte's psychological depth lies in his mixture of bravado and vulnerability, as he seeks acceptance and respect in a world that both envies and despises him. His suicide is the inevitable end of a life built on deception.

Marie Melmotte

Marie is Melmotte's only child, raised in luxury but emotionally neglected. Pressured to marry for her father's advantage, she dreams of love and independence. Her infatuation with Felix Carbury and her attempted elopement are acts of defiance, but also of naivety. Marie's eventual survival—wealthy but disillusioned—reflects her capacity for adaptation and self-reliance. She is both a victim and a survivor, shaped by the limitations placed on women in her society.

Mrs. Hurtle

Winifred Hurtle is Paul Montague's former fiancée, whose arrival in London threatens his new relationship with Hetta. Intelligent, worldly, and emotionally intense, Mrs. Hurtle is both a rival and a mirror to Hetta. Her struggle to let go of Paul and to find her own path is marked by pain, pride, and a refusal to be pitied. She represents the challenge of female autonomy in a world that fears and misunderstands strong women.

Dolly Longestaffe

Dolly is Felix's companion in dissipation, a young man of property who drifts through life without purpose or conviction. His comic complaints and passive resistance to responsibility make him both amusing and tragic. Dolly's inability to change or to assert himself is a commentary on the aimlessness of his class, and his fate is one of resigned mediocrity.

Hamilton K. Fisker

Fisker is Paul Montague's business associate, a driving force behind the Mexican railway scheme. He is shrewd, adaptable, and untroubled by moral scruples, embodying the spirit of American enterprise. Fisker's psychological resilience and lack of sentiment allow him to survive where others fail. He is both a catalyst for action and a symbol of the new world's challenge to the old.

Plot Devices

The Melmotte Bubble

The central plot device is the rise and fall of Melmotte's financial empire, built on speculation, borrowed credibility, and the willingness of society to believe in wealth without substance. The Mexican railway scheme serves as both a literal and metaphorical bubble, inflating expectations and exposing the greed and gullibility of investors, politicians, and aristocrats. The device allows Trollope to explore the psychology of crowds, the dangers of unchecked ambition, and the fragility of social order.

Letters and Miscommunication

Letters play a crucial role in advancing the plot and revealing character. Misunderstandings, delayed messages, and the concealment or revelation of correspondence drive the romantic and ethical conflicts. The device highlights the limitations of communication and the ease with which truth can be obscured or manipulated, especially in matters of the heart.

Social Satire and Irony

Trollope's narrative structure relies on irony and social satire to foreshadow disaster and to critique the values of his time. The contrast between public appearances and private realities is used to devastating effect, as characters are undone by their own pretensions and the shifting tides of fortune. The device of the grand dinner, for example, is both a climax and a harbinger of ruin, as the very event meant to secure Melmotte's position becomes the stage for his downfall.

Parallel Romantic and Financial Plots

The novel's structure weaves together romantic and financial storylines, using the pursuit of marriage and money to mirror and amplify each other. Characters' choices in love are shaped by their economic circumstances, and vice versa. The device allows for the exploration of psychological themes—desire, fear, pride, and self-deception—across different social classes and personal histories.

Analysis

The Way We Live Now is Trollope's most biting satire, dissecting the moral and psychological consequences of a culture that prizes money above integrity, and social advancement above genuine connection. Through the rise and fall of Melmotte, Trollope exposes the dangers of speculation, the emptiness of social climbing, and the ease with which public opinion can be manipulated. The novel's romantic plots are inseparable from its financial intrigues, illustrating how love, trust, and happiness are compromised by the relentless pursuit of advantage. Yet, amidst the cynicism, Trollope offers hope: characters like Hetta, Roger, and Paul find redemption through honesty, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. The novel's enduring lesson is that true worth lies not in wealth or status, but in the courage to act with kindness, humility, and fidelity—even when the world seems to reward only the opposite.

Last updated: November 18, 2025