The Kellys and the O'Kellys

by Anthony Trollope

Miss Wyndham, and her cousin, Lady Selina Grey, the only unmarried daughter left on the earl's hands, were together. Lady Selina was not in her premiSre jeunesse, and, in manner, face, and disposition, was something like her father: she was not, therefore, very charming; but his faults were softened down in her; and what was pretence in him, was, to a certain degree, real in her. She had a most exaggerated conception of her own station and dignity, and of what was due to her, and expected from her. Because her rank enabled her to walk out of a room before other women, she fancied herself better than them, and entitled to be thought better.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, 19th Century, Ireland, Literature, Literary Fiction, British Literature

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1848

About the author

Anthony Trollope became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works, known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire; he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.

Trollope has always been a popular novelist. Noted fans have included Sir Alec Guinness (who never travelled without a Trollope novel), former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, American novelists Sue Grafton and Dominick Dunne and soap opera writer Harding Lemay. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_...

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kellys and the O'Kellys: Or Landlords and Tenants is probably the first indicator that, at this early juncture (1848), Anthony Trollope was destined to become perhaps a great writer, or, at the very least, a first-rank one. The urge to write came upon him while he was working for the British Postal Service in Ireland. From the very first -- in The Macdermots of Ballycloran -- we find him adept at writing in Anglo-Irish dialect and betraying from the very first a generous sympathy for both the Protestant and Catholic Irish.

The story is subtitled "Landlords and Tenants" and does not betray its implied promise. The ennobled O'Kellys under the leadership of Lord Ballindine are distantly related to the Kellys, consisting of the mother, who keeps a small town inn and her son and daughters. Both fall in love and run into troubles pressing their suits: Lord Ballindine is rejected by Fanny Wyndham's guardian, Lord Cashel, for being a spendthrift (and that while Cashel's son is criminally indebted and must flee to the Continent); and Martin Kelly falls in love with Anastasia Lynch, sister of one of Trollope's most degenerate villains, Barry Lynch.

Although the book starts slow, the Lord Ballindine plot just keeps getting better and better; and finally, just deserts prevail.

This is not a bad novel to begin reading Trollope, especially if you are interested in his early work.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was Trollope's second novel, and although the plot, which deals with two courtships, isn't as balanced as it could be (and would be later), it does show much of what characterizes Trollope's work. There's a nicely realized setting (Ireland, where Trollope worked for the Post Office for some years), good characters (though his character analysis isn't yet as sharp and perceptive as it would later become), and wry humor.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: During the first two months of the year 1844, the greatest possible excitement existed in Dublin respecting the State Trials, in which Mr O’Connell, his son, the Editors of three different repeal newspapers, Tom Steele, the Rev. Mr Tierney — a priest who had taken a somewhat prominent part in the Repeal Movement — and Mr Ray, the Secretary to the Repeal Association, were indicted for conspiracy.

Premise/plot: Anthony Trollope's second novel, The Kellys and the O'Kellys, chronicles the romances of two men, a Mr. Martin Kelly, and Frank O'Kelly (aka Lord Ballindine). Like Trollope's first novel, it is set in Ireland. Though from different social classes, there is a friendship, of sorts, between the two men. At various times, for various reasons, they seek out one another's company.

In fact, the novel opens with Mr. Martin Kelly going to Lord Ballindine for advice. He wants to marry Anty Lynch. He thinks she's say yes. But there's an obstacle: her brother, Barry. Neither thinks Barry will consent to the marriage. Martin doesn't know if he should try to get her to elope with him and deal with the brother after the fact, or, if he should try to get the brother's consent and risk losing Anty. One thing is clear, he doesn't want anyone thinking that he's trying to take advantage of Anty and manipulate her into marriage. Why? Because she is richer than him, she's recently benefited from her father's will. Barry has issues. Issues is an understatement. He's bitter, angry, and drunk ninety percent of the time. Angry and bitter that their father's will provided for Anty; angry and bitter that he didn't get it all. In truth, he begrudges Anty the air she breathes.

Barry finds out that Anty and Mr. Martin might marry, that there is some talk of a marriage between the two. Barry decides to beat up his sister--remember he has two states 'drunk' and 'asleep.' She's savagely attacked by him, and threatened. He'd rather see her dead than married. A brave servant girl slips out of the house the next morning to go and tell Mrs. Kelly--Martin's mother--what's happened. Mrs. Kelly comes and fetches the girl--while Barry's asleep--to her own home. Martin's mother and sisters will care for her and protect her--as best they can--from Barry. Mrs. Kelly is an awesome defender who can hold her own.

Martin Kelly returns from his visit to see Lord Ballandine and learns all that is happened.

Meanwhile, Lord Ballindine is entertaining the idea of marriage himself. He's in fact engaged to marry a Miss Fanny Wyndham. Soon after the novel opens, he hears from an acquaintance, that HIS match has been broken off. The marriage isn't to be after all. He rushes to Grey Abbey--where she is staying with her aunt and uncle, her guardians--and is confronted with all kinds of unpleasantness. Lord Cashel, the uncle, has changed his mind entirely, and, has persuaded Fanny that it's in her best interest to call off the engagement. The truth is UGLY. Fanny's brother has died; Fanny went from being moderately wealthy to ridiculously wealthy. Lord Cashel wants his own son, Lord Kilcullen, to marry Fanny. He needs Ballindine out of the way. Lord Cashel won't let him see her, and forbids him to come to the house or write.

Lord Ballandine loves Fanny and is determined to marry her. He won't be easily dissuaded.

The book alternates back and forth between these two dramatic love stories.

My thoughts: This one is DRAMATIC but good. Trollope created some memorable characters in this one. I really loved getting to spend time with Fanny especially! I liked Anty well enough, I suppose, but she spent a lot of time in bed almost dying. Anty is one of those good--practically saintly--characters. Imagine someone apologizing for still breathing, and you've got the right idea. Anty's biggest flaw is that she wants every single person to be happy and get what they want. And that's just not possible. Fanny was a strong character, for the most part. Yes, she was persuaded--for a day, maybe two, to follow her uncle's advice, but she remains true to her heart, and VOCAL about what she wants. Martin Kelly and Lord Ballandine (Frank) were GREAT heroes. I really enjoyed spending time with these two. I didn't prefer one story to the other really. Both were compelling.

I really enjoyed Trollope's writing. He sketches scenes and characters very well! Here's a description of Sally, one of Mrs. Kelly's servants.

Mrs. Kelly kept two ordinary in-door servants to assist in the work of the house; one, an antiquated female named Sally, who was more devoted to her tea-pot than ever was any bacchanalian to his glass. Were there four different teas in the inn in one evening, she would have drained the pot after each, though she burst in the effort. Sally was, in all, an honest woman, and certainly a religious one; — she never neglected her devotional duties, confessed with most scrupulous accuracy the various peccadillos of which she might consider herself guilty; and it was thought, with reason, by those who knew her best, that all the extra prayers she said, — and they were very many, — were in atonement for commissions of continual petty larceny with regard to sugar.
On this subject did her old mistress quarrel with her, her young mistress ridicule her; of this sin did her fellow-servant accuse her; and, doubtless, for this sin did her Priest continually reprove her; but in vain. Though she would not own it, there was always sugar in her pocket, and though she declared that she usually drank her tea unsweetened, those who had come upon her unawares had seen her extracting the pinches of moist brown saccharine from the huge slit in her petticoat, and could not believe her.

Favorite quotes:

Time and the hour run through the longest day.

It’s difficult to make an Irishman handy, but it’s the very devil to make him quiet.

“But the great trial in this world is to behave well and becomingly in spite of oppressive thoughts: and it always takes a struggle to do that, and that struggle you’ve made. I hope it may lead you to feel that you may be contented and in comfort without having everything which you think necessary to your happiness. I’m sure I looked forward to this week as one of unmixed trouble and torment; but I was very wrong to do so. It has given me a great deal of unmixed satisfaction.”

I tell you plainly, Selina, I will not forget myself, nor will I be forgotten. Nor will I submit to whatever fate cold, unfeeling people may doom me, merely because I am a woman and alone. I will not give up Lord Ballindine, if I have to walk to his door and tell him so. And were I to do so, I should never think that I had forgotten myself.” “Listen to me, Fanny,” said Selina. “Wait a moment,” continued Fanny, “I have listened enough: it is my turn to speak now. For one thing I have to thank you: you have dispelled the idea that I could look for help to anyone in this family.

[Christina Dudley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me about 20% to get into this book of Trollope's, and, if he hadn't been an author I knew I liked, I probably wouldn't have bothered. However, once they were done talking boring politics and I had everyone straight in my head, it was a good read!

Two engagement stories parallel each other, one among the titled, and one among the tenant/innkeeper class. In each case the gentleman hopes to profit by marrying the woman of his choice and faces obstacles. In the titled case it's a guardian who wants to keep the heiress for his own son. In the untitled, it's a drunken, murderous brother!

As frequently appears in Trollope, there are some men making bad decisions and women vowing undying love, but I appreciated how each character had depth and growth (except maybe the murderous brother, who wishes his sister dead even more often than Mr. Proudie in the Barchester books dreams of being delivered of his wife).

If you like Trollope, don't skip this one!

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this early work. Mr. Trollope was only 33 when he wrote this. It sold 140 copies at the time, but I think it is one of his best. It is more tightly written (more self-edited perhaps?) than many of the bigger works, and all of the elements I enjoy are there--character development, setting, suspense, romance, humour.

[Pgchuis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* rounded down.

At first you think this is going to be a book about the Repealers' trial of 1844, but as soon as you have read the explanatory notes and worked out what the Repeal movement was all about, Trollope largely abandons the poor repealers and settles down to the love lives of Martin Kelly, a Catholic farmer, and Lord Ballandine, Martin's Protestant landlord (and the O'Kelly of the title). Martin is courting Anastasia Lynch, who is older than him and has unexpectedly inherited some money from her father on his death. This makes Anastasia's brother Barry furious (he expected to inherit everything) and she escapes from his abuse to move in with Martin's mother and sisters. The plot line concerning Barry's evil and unscrupulous scheming is fairly entertaining, but Anastasia herself is a strangely insubstantial character. She is at times a) petrified of her brother believing whatever he tells her, b) wise enough to keep hold of her inheritance, c) loving to her brother and concerned for his salvation, d) determined to leave him all her money after he scares her (almost literally) to death. I did not feel that her character was consistent and fully drawn. Martin's mother, on the other hand, was excellent and very believable.

Lord Ballandine does not see his fiancee (Fanny) at all until the final chapters as her guardian keeps them apart. While Fanny is fairly well fleshed out, I found Frank also to be a bit shadowy and inconsistent. The plot by her guardian to have his dissolute son court Fanny was one of the most successful parts of the story for me. The two strands (Martin and Frank) were only loosely connected and the switches between the two parts of the story were somewhat abrupt - I tended to forget what had happened in the other half by the time we returned to it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Trollope's second novel. It is better than his first novel, The Macdermots of Ballycloran, and, like it, is set in Ireland, where Trollope lived for several years while working for the British post office. (Important trivia: Trollope is the inventor of the mailbox. Not the one at your door, but the one on the street where anyone can deposit mail to be sent.)

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite Lucky Luke comics is Les Rivaux de Painful Gulch which tells the fascinating story of the conflict between the O'Timmins and the O'Haras. The title of this Trollope makes me think about that. Only there is no conflict between the Kelly’s and the O'Kelly’s. In fact the heroes of our tale Martin Kelly and Frank O'Kelly are sort of friends. Not really friend of course, because Frank is a Lord and Martin just the son of a shop owner. There is a social gap and so we get stories of two different worlds.

Now, both have one thing in common. They are inclined to marry a woman with a lot of money.
Frank’s love, Fanny just inherited a fortune because her dear brother just passed away. Not surprisingly the money would be welcome. Frank is in debt. And he tends to loose money with gambling. And keeping race horses does not help. In fact Fanny does not like it. She is not happy and she lets her Guardian announce that the engagement is off. It is clear though that in the end they will be united. There is not much of a conflict. In fact the story line would have been kind of boring but for the genius of Trollope. The way the Guardian tries to get his son, Lord Killcullen, (who is even more of a gambler but will be an Earl some day and could be regarded as a better match because of this) to go for his cousin is just magnificent.

The subplot is much more exciting. Martin toys with the idea of making poor Anty his wife. She is wealthy because her father (who had worked for Frank’s father and made the fortune by ripping him off) left her half his money. There is no love involved, not really. Anty likes his honesty though.
We are not sure what will happen.

Anty’s brother, Barry Lynch, is the evil guy of the tale. He thinks he should have received all the money. And in his evil way he thinks about killing her sister. Or let her be killed. He beats her. She flees to the house of the Kelly’s. The stress is too much for her and conveniently she gets sick and is about to die. I really thought she would not make it. But she did.

Evil brother now tries to bribe her doctor into murdering her. And now, I will not spoil it. (The book did spoil it for me by the way, because there is an illustration just before the little chat showing the good doctor’s reaction.)

Anyway. Everything comes to a happy conclusion. The main characters are all sort of boring (with Barry a bit too evil and Anty too good) but Trollope can create really strong lively supporting characters. There is Martin’s widow mother, Frank’s friend Dot Blake and Killcullen’s sister and a lawyer who gets hired by Barry. All of them would deserve a little doctoral thesis.

Final remark. I like the title but even better would have been: The Kelly’s and the O'Kealy's. Sounds so much better.

9/10

[Helen Meads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed parts of it more than The Warden. This novel is two parallel stories, one aristocratic the other middle class, of love all but thwarted by mean money grabbers (who in turn convince themselves of their righteous position).

We chose it for reading group because we thought it was short, but we were mistaken: it’s long and a bit boring in the middle, especially the parts about horse racing. Some of the characters are, however, beautifully drawn and Trollope does grace his pages with determined women who never cede their power (Mrs Kelly and Fanny Wyndham).

Themes of dissipation abound, but Trollope was an Englishman in Ireland. Having said that, the Orange clergyman (portrayed most unflatteringly and with mockery) seems horrifyingly familiar to those of us who remember the Province in the 1970s.

Trollope comes closer to Dickens in comic portrayal generally with this work, but Dickens still holds the crown for me.

William Trevor’s introduction opines Trollope caught the flavour of Irish discourse skilfully, but it took me a long time to cast ‘av’ as ‘if’ and ‘thin’ as ‘then’ in my mind.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have fatigued the reader with the long history of past affairs...

You got that right, Mr. Trollope.

I read Trollope for his character descriptions and his knowledge of human nature. Not for nineteenth century Irish politics.

But once he left politics behind, the story intrigued. Doubling is one of Trollope's literary strengths. Two men, one of the gentry and one a farmer -- each want to marry an heiress (there are two) mainly for her money. Even the names are a form of doubling.

Some quotes:

Though fond of her children, she was an autocrat in her house, and accustomed, as autocrats usually are, to scold a good deal.

...though they were, or thought themselves friends, they did not pull well together; in fact, they bored each other terribly.

He had run away with no man's wife, and, since his marriage, had seduced no man's daughter; he was, therefore, considered a moral man.

...he was not comfortable, he did not amalgamated well with the family.

[Matthew Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure why Horace Walpole rated this one quite so highly but it certainly is a treat. Anty (or rather Anastasia - nomen omen) Lynch is not very well developed as a personality in her own right, but there is something chilling in the way that she is treated: scheming lovers, a brutal brother, a doctor who cures her but shaves her hair off in the process (that last detail may have been routine to Trollope's contemporaries but it's unusual in my experience of his novels). There's more fun to be had with Fanny Wyndham, her rival suitors, and her ponderous guardian Lord Cashel, and at the very end the Rev. O'Joscelyn emerges as a properly comic character. The novel is set in 1843-44 but was published in 1848, I think; there is no word of the famine but plenty of description of poor quality agricultural land.

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my favourite Anthony Trollope. There were some elements I really enjoyed and the last quarter was great, but it had a slow start and slightly odd pacing. I definitely enjoyed the O'Kelly/Lord Ballentine plotline more than the Martin Kelly plotline.

[Lauretta · Rating 2 out of 5]

not his best. Trollope is a wonderful author with incredible insight into the human character. This was his first book. He only improved with time!

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters and a wry sense of humour made this book very enjoyable although I did feel that the plot was overly predictable.

[Peggy Lesko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It showed how the love of money corrupted several relatives.
The narrator was good. I liked her accent.

[Rayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome. Classic Trollope.

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title indicates, this is a bifurcated tale of two distantly related Irish families, the Kellys being merchant class and the O'Kellys minor Irish aristocrats. In each case there is a threatened love affair with an unattractive male antagonist. For Anty Lynch and Martin Kelly it is Anty's abusive brother, a nasty piece of work determined to possess himself of his sister's half of the inheritance, no matter the means. For Frank O'Kelly, Lord Ballindine, and his beloved Fanny Wyndham, the antagonist is her guardian, Lord Cashel, along with Cashel's wastrel son who pretends to her hand, and once again the primary motive for the villains is money. Trollope amuses himself by juxtaposing the similar bad behaviour of both classes over drastically different amounts of money, and even injects a satiric note at one point by having "the O'Kelly" approach Martin Kelly for a small loan.

Trollope opens this novel with the trial of O'Connell, but is not really a political tale. It delights in distinctive characters (Martin's dominant innkeeper mother, the sinister gambling and horse-racing professional, "Dot" Blake, or self-deluding, inhibited Selina, daughter of Lord Cashel, and nearest complementary female to Fanny.) Trollope also brings in his favourite set piece of a hunt - he points out in his autobiography that he would use any excuse to have a hunting chapter (a personal obsession in his non-writing life).

I found the "Anty" story a bit more compelling than the "Fanny" story - the woman is more vulnerable and less perfect - but the whole was reasonably well integrated and a fun read. Surprised that it sank without a trace, by Trollope's own account.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tale of two men, Kelly & O'Kelly, in their noble quest to get hitched with women who just happen to have inherited largish amounts of money, and the ensuing problems that occur with relatives.

I had hoped this would have more in it about O'Connell & repealers, but we only get glances of this history. Otherwise, enjoyable enough twisted pair of parallel tales with some charming, vilainous, and suitably absurd characters like the cousin who advises Fanny to get over her heartbreak by reading another volume of Gibbon. Armstrong the parson, and Mrs Kelly were among my favourites. I quite like the way Trollope signposts that some impending disaster is not going to happen before he describes how it doesn't occur - saves lots of stress during the reading.

Quite a lot of Irish English dialect in dialogue rendered through spelling eg. "Faix - we wouldn't be afther spiling your honer's divarsion" and so on.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I hadn't been determined to read all of Trollope's novels, I might well have abandoned this one. The opening, dealing as it does with Irish politics of the mid nineteenth century, is tedious in the extreme. Trollope can often be a bit slow to get going, and this novel is as bad as any in that regard. But I persevered, and there is a lot to interest the Trollope enthusiast. Really, this is two separate novels - the strands of the landlord and tenant do not weave together in any meaningful sense, though taken as a whole they fill out the picture of life in Ireland at the time. The characterisations do improve as the novel progresses, though the picky reader may claim that actually they change rather than develop - Martin is nicer than we are led to believe at the outset, Fanny is a stronger character - and I think that it's the author changing his mind rather than plot development. So the main interest of this novel is in its author's future - if you are new to him, don't start here.

[Tom James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of two Irish families, one aristocratic (the O'Kellys) and one middle class (the Kellys) who each have an elder son seeking marriage. Set in 1844, prior to the potato famine (the book was written in 1848), the book does not deal with that matter at all. While the novel touches some of the political/religious turmoil of the day, the main thrust of the story is that of two young men who desire to marry heiresses and the obstacles that are in their way. This is Trollope's second novel and it did not sell well when it was first published. It is, nevertheless, a beautifully crafted story with characters that seem real, many of whom you would like to know. Typical Trollope fare, the novel deals with character, money, domestic injustice, and tests of integrity. Not-so-typical of Trollope is that he deals with the issue of family domestic abuse as well. If you like the novels of Trollope or of Jane Austen, or you enjoyed "Downton Abbey", by all means, read this book.

[Duckpondwithoutducks · Rating 3 out of 5]

In most Anthony Trollope novels, there are quite a few characters, and you would think from the title of this book that the main characters last names would be Kelly and O'Kelly (which is a euphonious title). But to me the main characters didn't seem to be the Kellys and the O'Kellys, but rather Lord Cashel's family and their cousin Fanny Wyndham, and the Lynches. Lord Cashel's son is a prodigal wastrel, and he hopes for him to marry his cousin, Fanny, who happens to be an heiress. But, Fanny is in love with Francis O'Kelly, Lord Ballindine. Another main plot line is of Barry Lynch and his sister Anty, from whom he wishes to wrest her inheritance, by means fair or foul! But she wishes to marry Martin Kelly and share her money with his family. This is still one of Trollope's early novels, and doesn't have quite the same appeal as his more mature works, but it was interesting.

[Janine Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Trollope's second book and certainly not his best. But I was interested in how the author included the political events of the time, the Repeal movement in Ireland and the trial of Daniel O'Connor, as a backdrop to the main plot. Unfortunately he is assuming some familiarity with these events, so I had to resort to Wikipedia. There was a scene where one Protestant minister describes a pro-Repeal Catholic crowd as if they were dangerous maniacs who were a threat to the lives of his family, although there was clearly little reason for his fear, while another Protestant minister attempted to get him to see how unrealistic and unfounded his fears were, to no avail. This kind of demonizing of one's opponents seemed all too familiar.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

The O'Kellys are the tenants of the Kellys in the semi-feudal society of early-Victorian, pre-Famine Ireland. This is a multi-layered story of manners and morals among various social strata; while frequently quite humorous, it doesn't shy away from noting the political upheaval on the horizon which would define Anglo-Hibernian relations for the next century-and-a-half. William Trevor, in his introduction to the Oxford Classics edition wrote, "Early as its place is in Trollope's canon [1848:], this novel is one of the best he ever wrote".

My personal favorite line (because Trollope seems to have known us so well): "the race of O'Kellys had never been great gardeners."

[Barry Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in The Complete Works of Anthony Trollope, by Delphi Classics.
Interesting early work by Trollope. Some interesting local color, well drawn engaging characters. A little plodding. No unexpected plot twists. Indeed the narrator provides enough spoilers along the way to assure the reader that the ending will be happy.

[rr]

Oh, what a pleasure to return to Trollope! I enjoyed the character of Anastasia Lynch, and I was so pleased, relieved, and downright happy when Trollope *didn't* have her die after all!

[Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance in Ireland. Verry Irish

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. It was not too long winded

[Kathleen Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Anthony Trollope so much.

[Theresa Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the Mc Dermots.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for his second novel! Not my favorite but it hints of Trollope's future brilliance at plotting.