# Eleanor Harding — The Warden character guide > Eleanor Harding in The Warden by Anthony Trollope. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Eleanor, Poor Eleanor, Nelly, Miss Eleanor **First appearance:** 0000-i-hiram-s-hospital ## Snapshot Mr. Harding's devoted daughter, quietly in love with the man suing her father, who resolves to save her parent at any cost to herself. ## Who they are Eleanor Harding is the warden's younger daughter, living within the cathedral close and moving between her father's household and her sister's grander one at Plumstead. She loves John Bold but cannot defend him against her formidable brother-in-law, and she dreads the rupture his lawsuit will bring. When the crisis deepens, she takes the remarkable step of going to Bold herself to plead for her father, revealing a will and a tenderness that make her far more than a passive romantic prize. ## Relationships ### [John Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/john_bold) _romantic_ Eleanor and John are lovers whose romance is complicated by Bold's crusade against the hospital, causing emotional conflict. ### [Mr. Harding](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mr_harding) _family_ Eleanor is Mr. Harding's devoted daughter, and their bond is deeply affectionate and protective. ### [Mary Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mary_bold) _friendship_ Eleanor and Mary are close friends and confidantes, with Mary supporting Eleanor through her romantic and family troubles. ### [Dr. Grantly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/dr_grantly) _family_ Dr. Grantly is Eleanor's brother-in-law, and their relationship is strained by his disapproval of her romance with John Bold. ### [Mary Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mary_bold) _friendship_ Eleanor and Mary are close friends and confidantes, with Mary supporting Eleanor through her romantic and family troubles. ### [Mr. Harding](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mr_harding) _family_ Eleanor is Mr. Harding's devoted daughter, and their bond is deeply affectionate and protective. ### [Mary Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mary_bold) _friendship_ Eleanor and Mary are close friends and confidantes, with Mary supporting Eleanor through her romantic and family troubles. ### [John Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/john_bold) _romantic_ Eleanor and John are lovers whose romance is complicated by Bold's crusade against the hospital, causing emotional conflict. ### [John Bold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/john_bold) _romantic_ Eleanor and John are lovers whose romance is complicated by Bold's crusade against the hospital, causing emotional conflict. ### [Mr. Harding](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/mr_harding) _family_ Eleanor is Mr. Harding's devoted daughter, and their bond is deeply affectionate and protective. ### [Dr. Grantly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/dr_grantly) _family_ Dr. Grantly is Eleanor's brother-in-law, and their relationship is strained by his disapproval of her romance with John Bold. ### [Dr. Grantly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/dr_grantly) _family_ Dr. Grantly is Eleanor's brother-in-law, and their relationship is strained by his disapproval of her romance with John Bold. ## In the story ### [Hiram's Hospital](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/i-hiram-s-hospital) Mr. Harding's younger daughter, aged twenty-four, who lives with him at the hospital. ### [The Barchester Reformer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/ii-the-barchester-reformer) Mr. Harding's daughter, who is in love with John Bold and defends him against Dr. Grantly's criticisms. ### [The Bishop of Barchester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/iii-the-bishop-of-barchester) Mentioned as being fond of John Bold, with no engagement yet, but her name is to be kept out of discussions about the hospital. ### [Dr. Grantly Visits the Hospital](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/v-dr-grantly-visits-the-hospital) Briefly appears, fetching spectacles for her father; her father tries to shield her from talk of John Bold. ### [VI: The Warden's Tea Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/vi-the-warden-s-tea-party) Disappointed by Bold's absence at the party, which she had looked forward to. ### [VII: The Jupiter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/vii-the-jupiter) Eleanor rides off from Bold in pride, but internally regrets her harshness and struggles with her feelings, wishing she could persuade him to abandon his campaign. ### [Plumstead Episcopi](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/viii-plumstead-episcopi) Mentioned by Mrs. Grantly as the one who might have married John Bold if not for the archdeacon's interference. ### [X: Tribulation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/x-tribulation) Watches over her father, comforts him, and confesses her love for John Bold while vowing to reject him for opposing her father. ### [XI: Iphigenia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xi-iphigenia) Resolves to sacrifice herself for her father by pleading with John Bold; visits Bold and passionately argues for her father's sake; initially rejects Bold's romantic advances but is ultimately won over. ### [Mr. Bold's Visit to Plumstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xii-mr-bold-s-visit-to-plumstead) Reflected upon as the cause of Bold's change of heart; she returns home with news of her engagement, unaware of new complications. ### [The Warden's Decision](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xiii-the-warden-s-decision) Returns from Bold's house with news of the lawsuit's abandonment, but is hurt that her father is not grateful; ultimately supports his decision to resign. ### [Mount Olympus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xiv-mount-olympus) Referenced as the reason for Bold's pledge to stop the campaign. ### [Tom Towers, Dr. Anticant, and Mr. Sentiment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xv-tom-towers-dr-anticant-and-mr-sentiment) Bold's motivation for intervening is his love for her. ### [A Long Day in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xvi-a-long-day-in-london) She is entrusted with delivering Harding's note to Dr. Grantly, and she heartily concurs with her father's decision to resign. ### [Sir Abraham Haphazard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xvii-sir-abraham-haphazard) Mentioned as Mr. Harding's unmarried daughter; Sir Abraham warns Harding to be prudent on her behalf, but Harding believes she fully supports his decision. ### [XVIII: The Warden Is Very Obstinate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xviii-the-warden-is-very-obstinate) Mentioned as waiting at home for her father, and as a reason for him to reconsider his decision. ### [The Warden Resigns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xix-the-warden-resigns) Meets her father at the station, discusses their future plans, and supports him in his decision. ### [Farewell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xx-farewell) Resists living at Plumstead Rectory and instead takes lodgings with her father in Barchester. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/chapters/xxi-conclusion) Marries John Bold three months after leaving the hospital, moves to her husband's house. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters/eleanor_harding - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_warden_se/characters