Ambition
Strachey presents Cardinal Manning as a figure singularly driven by ambition. While the public perceived him as devout and virtuous, Manning was, in reality, propelled by an unyielding ambition. He carefully maneuvered to advance his own career goals. Strachey argues that this trait was evident from Manning's early years and remained a constant throughout his life. A subtle early indication of this ambition is seen when, as a schoolboy, Manning was caught outside the designated area by a teacher. Through clever maneuvering, he temporarily evaded the teacher, showcasing "a certain dexterity of conduct which deserved to be remembered." This skill in managing situations was how Manning continually found ways to further his own interests.
After his political ambitions were derailed by his father's financial collapse, Manning redirected his aspirations toward the religious sphere. He was always alert to opportunities. For example, while serving as a country curate, he married the rector's daughter. Strachey implies this was a calculated decision to improve his standing within the Church of England, even though he was genuinely in love with another woman.
With a promising future in the Anglican Church, Manning chose to distance himself from the Oxford Movement. This decision was not due to theological differences but because his association with the Movement might have limited his advancement beyond the position of Archdeacon of Chichester. After all, "Nobody could wish to live and die a mere Archdeacon."
Strachey encounters a challenge to his thesis when discussing Manning's departure from the Church of England at a time when his career was flourishing, to convert to Catholicism. This decision appears to contradict the image of a man driven by worldly ambition. Strachey acknowledges this by cautiously suggesting, "it is difficult to feel quite sure that Manning's plunge was as hazardous as it appeared." He hints that Manning might have already secured a promise from the pope, guaranteeing his future within the Catholic Church.
Manning's ambition reaches its peak when he becomes the Archbishop of Westminster, taking the helm of the Catholic Church in England. Strachey describes this moment:
Power had come to him at last; and he seized it with all the avidity of a born autocrat . . . . He was the ruler of Roman Catholic England, and he would rule.
Even with such absolute power, Strachey's portrayal of Manning reveals a man still not satisfied. There was "something that irked him still." That something was Newman, the only individual capable of challenging Manning's authority. From his powerful position, Manning obstructed Newman's efforts to return to Oxford and establish an oratory there.
Despite his thirst for power, Manning also exhibited a contrasting trait of self-denial. While he often acted strategically to advance his own interests, he also felt compelled to submit to a higher, divine authority. He was skeptical of worldly ambitions and accepted life as it unfolded. According to Strachey, this tendency was driven not by Manning's devotion to God, but by his fear of damnation. Throughout his life, Manning wrestled with this self-denying aspect of his character, yet his ambitious nature, often disguised as a call to service, ultimately prevailed.
Sexuality and Femininity
In his essay about Florence Nightingale, Strachey suggests that Nightingale's accomplishments came at the expense of her femininity, including the fulfillment of her romantic aspirations. He describes a moment when a young Nightingale met a man who could have been a potential husband:
The deepest and most powerful instincts of humanity called to her. However, it appeared before her wrapped in the unavoidable constraints of a Victorian marriage, and she had the strength to suppress it.
The energies she restrained were redirected into furthering her...
(This entire section contains 330 words.)
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humanitarian mission. Strachey implies that the driving force behind her personality, which he compares to being possessed by a demon, was more masculine than feminine. To thrive in her chosen field within a male-dominated society, she essentially had to embrace a masculine role. Therefore, the real Florence Nightingale was quite different from the gentle, saintly "Lady with the Lamp" that generations of schoolchildren have been taught about.
Nightingale's masculine nature is evident in her influence over the men around her, particularly Sidney Herbert. In their relationship, the conventional gender roles, especially in Victorian England, were reversed. Nightingale was the proactive force, bringing energy and vision, while Herbert was the compliant supporter, dedicated to advancing her goals, ultimately sacrificing his own well-being to meet her needs.
The strong, commanding aspect of Nightingale's character is also emphasized in Strachey’s depiction of her work at the Scutari hospital. Her success was not due to "womanly self-abnegation," but rather to discipline, hard work, and "the unwavering resolve of an indomitable will. Beneath her composed and serene exterior burned fierce and passionate fires."
Common sense agrees with Strachey in suggesting that the gentle lady of legend could never have accomplished all she did within the chaotic bureaucratic maze of England’s War Office without possessing a steely resolve. However, Strachey, attentive to the hidden motivations and abnormal elements in human behavior, makes it clear that in Florence Nightingale, her obsessions drove her further into neurotic, compulsive, and domineering behavior.
Education
The essay on Thomas Arnold centers around the theme of education. Strachey’s own negative experiences during his school years may have shaped his critical perspective of Arnold, whom he blames for influencing the prevailing culture of English public schools. (In England, a public school is similar to what is known as a private school in the United States.) Strachey targets Arnold not just for his pompous and self-righteous attitude, but also for his inability to introduce necessary reforms in a period of transition. Arnold’s strong focus on moral and religious matters hindered him from creating a curriculum suitable for the evolving needs of the Victorian Era. Instead, he continued to prioritize a classical education.
Religion
Religion frequently emerges as a theme and target in Strachey's satirical work. He uses his sharp humor to critique various elements of religious belief, such as the doctrinal disputes within the Church of England, the reformist zeal of the Oxford Movement, the concept of Papal Infallibility, and the religious writings of Nightingale and Arnold. Strachey finds particular amusement in Arnold’s musings on the interplay between church and state and his interpretations of the New Testament. Across these subjects, Strachey writes with humor and minimal empathy, as though observing the bizarre and irrational beliefs of a distant tribe that no modern individual could take seriously.
When it comes to General Gordon's religious beliefs, Strachey is both mocking and puzzled. He portrays Gordon as an odd character with a distinctive approach to faith. From the outset, Strachey depicts him roaming the Holy Land with a Bible, searching for the Garden of Eden and claiming to know the exact spot where Noah's Ark landed. Strachey notes that Gordon often spent time alone, during which he "pondered the mysteries of the universe"; his religious leanings "became a fixed and dominating factor in his life." As Gordon devoted himself solely to reading the Bible, he developed a mystical and fatalistic perspective, interpreting every event and emotion as a manifestation of God's will. Strachey argues that this religious fatalism contributed to the series of events leading to the tragic outcome at Khartoum.
