of Mrs. Proudie, the virago wife of the Bishop of Barchester, and his subsequent grief and collapse. Mrs. Proudie, upon her arrival in Barchester in Barchester Towers, had increased the tribulations of the gentle Mr. Harding, title character of The Warden; he dies of a peaceful old age, mourned by his family and the old men he loved and looked after as Warden. Context American scholars like James Kincaid have stated that although Trollope's The Last Chronicle of Barset is a work of fiction, it provides an insight into the Victorian era. Robert Polhemus has argued that Trollope was particularly concerned with the social changes that were emerging. Polhemus believed that such changes, including the changing ethical standards, the loss of morality, the emergence of materialism and the rise of bureaucracy had provoked fear in Trollope, thus influencing him to write the novel. Trollope perceived these changes as something dangerous because such factors prevented the growth of individualism. This was of concern to Trollope because without individualism, tradition could not be shaped. Hannah Rogers has argued that Trollope was also fascinated by the history of moral philosophy, a concept that is concerned with human ethics and the way humans react in certain situations. She draws this conclusion from how Trollope's novel features plots that centre on human morality. The impoverished Reverend is targeted by the powerful Mrs. Proudie for an alleged theft while the wealthy stockbrokers can manipulate their way through unfaithful dealings, taking their customers' money. Scholars such as Geoffrey Harvey have interpreted Trollope's novel as a reflection of the prevailing social concerns of the late Victorian period, such as the loss of ethics as materialism began to emerge. Writing style influences Rogers states that Trollope's writing style was influenced by Roman orator Cicero and his concept of honestum in which he dictates "all that is manly, honourable, graceful, honest and decorus". Rogers drew this conclusion from Trollope's acclamation of Cicero for this concept in his novel, The Life of Cicero. In 1877, Trollope wrote to Henry Merivale that "No doubt many a literary artist so conceals his art that readers do not know there is much art". Rogers has argued that Trollope's honest literary style involved "concealing his artistry". She interprets this as writing in a manner that did not utilise his full potential, as doing so would prevent him from creating a plot that was far-fetched and