The Warden is the first entry in Anthony Trollope's The Barsetshire Chronicles trilogy. First published in 1855, The Warden tells the story of Mr. Septimus Harding, the aging warden of Hiram's Hospital, which provides homes to the poor.
Although Mr. Harding is older, he still performs his duties with aplomb. Still, people in Barsetshire think Mr. Harding should be removed from his position to make room for a newer, younger voice. To that end, John Bold and Dr. Grantly launch a campaign to oust Mr. Harding from his position and take the job for themselves. Harding, Bold, and Grantly have a power struggle, but none come out on top. The position is left vacant, and Harding is given another job in a church near Barsetshire.
Although The Warden is one of Trollope's most well-known and successful books of the 19th century, it drew criticism for critics and other authors. For example, George Orwell praised The Warden as "one of [Trollope's] best works" but criticized it for its "odious" nature and critique of Charles Dickens. The Book Satchel, a famous book blogger, called The Warden a "quiet [and] slow in pace yet with an odd beauty" about it.
