The Angel of Ayala: A Tale of Two Sisters
Summary
In Anthony Trollope’s The Angel of Ayala, we are offered a lighthearted account of various characters’ search for marital happiness. Its basic theme, that we often entertain angels without realizing it, is pursued through the development of its central character, Ayala Dormer. Ayala resists the straitjacket of cultural and gender stereotypes that prevail in 19th century England by refusing to marry for money, preferring to wait for her “Angel of Light”, whatever the consequences. The thesis of the book is that by staying focused on luxury castles built in the air, one runs the risk of being blinded to the very things that would bring the greatest happiness.
The Dosetts and the Tringles
In El Ángel de Ayala, the eponymous Ayala, along with her older sister Lucy, is orphaned at age 19. Ayala is sent to live with the sisters’ Aunt Emmeline, who is married to the wealthy town banker, Sir Thomas Tringle; Lucy’s luck is with her relatively poor uncle Reginald Dosett and his wife Margaret. Both adoptive families live in London, but otherwise lead very different lifestyles. The Tringles have every possible luxury in their opulent Queen’s Gate residence, as well as other homes and frequent trips abroad. The Dosett’s already tight budget is further constrained by Lucy’s arrival in their midst, and all vacations are mandatorily enjoyed “within the economic districts of Kingsbury Crescent,” their year-round abode. However, Ayala’s energetic character provokes many confrontations with the Tringles, and numerous arguments arise, especially with Cousin Augusta. Things come to a head when, during a family visit to Rome, Ayala despises the stubborn attentions of her infatuated cousin Tom, calling him a “stupid jerk” right in the face of his doting mother. The offended Aunt Emmeline quickly retaliates; Upon his return to England, he exchanges the sisters and sends Ayala to live with the impoverished Dosetts while the more laid-back Lucy enters the lavish Queen’s Gate lifestyle.
A memorable cast of characters
In Italy, however, Ayala had made a good friend in the English half Marchesa Baldoni, who now visits her at Kingsbury Crescent and introduces her to numerous connections in London. Of them, he gets on particularly well with Colonel Jonathan Stubbs and with Lady Albury, the Marquise’s sister and a close friend of the Colonel. Other distinctive characters in the book include Frank Houston, a lighthearted and curiously endearing gold digger; The Honorable Septimus Traffick, Member of Parliament and Extraordinary Sponsor; and Larry Twentyman, a farmer who rather shined with the most momentous events in the book. Notable portraits include the constancy of Imogene Docimer, the irresponsibility of Gertrude Tringle, the grave mistakes of Captain Batsby, and the lunatic acts of the crush Tom Tringle, all related in Trollope’s inimitable style:
“A policeman whom Tom had punched with his fist in the pit of the stomach had not been courteous enough to accept this sign of familiarity with good humor. The blow had upset him greatly and he had insisted on testifying about it before the magistrate.“
Tom Tringle does not admit defeat at all, chasing Ayala to Kingsbury Crescent. The appearance of two additional suitors equally eager for her hand in marriage further irritates, rather than flatters, our troubled heroine: none of them is considered worthy of the title of “Angle of Light”, that ethereal being whom she will surely recognize so early. when he made an appearance. Initially, Ayala seems a bit flibbertigibbet, but she turns out to have great intelligence, insight, and depth of character. The central plot concerns how she finally makes a decision between her various suitors.
A happy ending
The authors expertly move through the various settings of the story, providing a sense of continuity as they weave their threads, rushing us toward weddings and other urgent events, slowly returning to pick up the threads of the stories of Ayala and others. . There is the inevitable description of hunts and dances, but also some gripping soliloquies. In this work, and particularly in the development of Ayala’s character, Trollope shows a great understanding of the human psyche. Detailed correspondence shows the author’s ability to represent states of being. There are letters between the two sisters, between the destitute Isadore Hamel (Lucy’s suitor) and her angry father, between the Marchesa Baldoni and her protégé Ayala. Things occasionally get messy but, by the end of the book, all the main characters are married, shaken, or safely shipped, and it’s a shame to say goodbye. This is definitely a book to read, savor, and revisit.
