After the Bishop of Barchester dies, Dr Proudie becomes the new bishop, bringing with him his domineering wife and ambitious chaplain Mr Slope, whose arrival immediately provokes conflict with the established clergy and begins a struggle for influence within the diocese. Slope attempts to strengthen his position through the wardenship of Hiram’s Hospital and challenges Mr Harding and Archdeacon Grantly, while the return of the unconventional Stanhope family from Italy adds another complicated group of personalities to Barchester society. The young widow Eleanor Bold attracts several admirers, and Slope begins pursuing her partly because of her wealth and position, although Eleanor remains unaware of much of the calculation behind his attentions and becomes increasingly troubled by gossip and interference. As Mrs Proudie and Slope themselves begin competing for authority and the old clerical establishment resists the newcomers, religious disagreements become inseparable from personal ambition, social rivalry, and romantic intrigue.
