Ambition and Worldly Success

The narratives of Manning and others explore the psychological conflict between personal ambition, desire for power and status, and the spiritual or moral ideals that supposedly governed Victorian public life.

Manning's career is portrayed as a triumph of practical ability and ambition, allowing him to navigate and succeed in a modern, progressive society while embodying ancient ecclesiastical traditions.

Manning's relentless ambition is a central theme, from his early political dreams to his eventual acceptance of a clerical career.

Manning's diary reveals his intense conflict between worldly ambition (honour, preferment, society) and his spiritual ideals, a key theme in his personal crisis.

Manning's rapid rise from a middle-aged neophyte to Archbishop of Westminster is depicted as a result of his ambition and strategic maneuvering.