Some Critical Opinions of Is He Popenjoy? and Ayala's Angel

Ellen Moody

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[This document is a note to the author's Trollope's Comfort Romances for Men: Heterosexual Male Heroism in his Work — GPL.]

Sadleir's comment that Is He Popenjoy? is "a first rate second rate book" is quoted as accurate by John Sutherland in his introduction to the novel (see viii). The very cheerfulness and romance of Ayala's Angel (as well as the conventionally virginal young heroines) has led to its dismissal. Numerous books on Trollope simply omit it beyond the barest mention. Christopher Herbert is unusual because he not only openly values of comic pleasure, but treats it seriously. His a rare text to devote a lengthy discussion to it.

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Last modified 9 August 2006