The Demagogue and Lady Phayre is an early twentieth-century novel by William John Locke that follows Daniel Goddard, a self-educated cabinetmaker drawn unexpectedly into the sphere of politics and moral responsibility. After delivering a compelling lecture on labor issues to a Radical Club, Goddard attracts the attention of Aloysius Gleam, a Member of Parliament who urges him toward a political career, an invitation he approaches with hesitation and ethical caution. At home, his interaction with his fianc?e Lizzie exposes a growing strain between her aspirations for social refinement and his loyalty to working-class values and personal integrity. From the outset, the novel intertwines ambition, social justice, and intimate relationships, setting the stage for conflicts shaped by class, gender expectations, and the cost of public life.
