The Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
The Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds is a novel by G.K. Chesterton that follows the story of a young man named John Hampden who inherits a large estate in England and becomes involved in local politics. The book explores themes of social justice, class conflict, and the role of government in society.
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1904 · Genre: Satire, Political Fiction, Essay · 1,157 words
First lines
The other day on a stray spur of the Chiltern Hills I climbed up upon one of those high, abrupt, windy churchyards from which the dead seem to look down upon all the living. It was a mountain of ghosts as Olympus was a mountain of gods. In that church lay the bones of great Puritan lords, of a time when most of the power of England was Puritan, even of the Established Church. And below these uplifted bones lay the huge and hollow valleys of the English countryside, where the motors went by every now and then like meteors, where stood out in white squares and oblongs in the chequered forest many of the country seats even of those same families now dulled with wealth or decayed with Toryism. And looking over that deep green prospect on that luminous yellow evening, a lovely and austere thought came into my mind, a thought as beautiful as the green wood and as grave as the tombs.
What this Textopian page supports
The Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds is listed on Textopian as a short story by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1904 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Political Fiction, Essay, Social Commentary, Humor
- Length: 1,157 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds by G.K. Chesterton
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Wrong Horse by G. K. Chesterton
- The Silver Goblets by G. K. Chesterton
- Some Policemen And A Moral by G. K. Chesterton
- A Real Danger by G. K. Chesterton
- The New Raid by G. K. Chesterton
- The Irishman by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Satire — The narrative employs humor and irony to critique political and social systems, particularly the absurdities of British parliamentary procedures.
- Political Fiction — The story revolves around political themes, focusing on the intricacies and peculiarities of parliamentary roles and responsibilities.
- Essay — The work presents a reflective and analytical exploration of political and social issues, resembling an essay in its structure and approach.
- Social Commentary — The text provides insights and critiques on societal norms and the behavior of the ruling class, highlighting issues of governance and justice.
Tags
mystery · detective · crime · humor · satire · politics · social commentary · English countryside · character study · whodunit · plot twist · dialogue