The Statesman Who Shaped an Era: William Ewart Gladstone

No figure is more emblematic of the Victorian era than Queen Victoria herself, whose reign from 1837 to 1901 gave the period its name. Yet this epoch is also synonymous with other towering figures of history—none more so than its most quintessential statesman, William Ewart Gladstone. Serving four non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister and leaving office in 1894 at the age of 84, Gladstone’s political life was marked by extraordinary achievements and striking contradictions. His electrifying yet often dogmatic character ensured his lasting place in the annals of history. 

Gladstone's eventful career began shortly after his time at Oxford University, when he was elected as a Tory MP for Newark in 1832 at the age of 23. It would be 36 years before he assumed the premiership for the first time—and by then, he had made the dramatic shift from Conservative to Liberal, underlining the ideological journey of those intervening decades. During that period, Gladstone broke away from the Conservatives, was instrumental in founding the Liberal Party, and became embroiled in one of the most famous rivalries in British politics—with Benjamin Disraeli (later Lord Beaconsfield). 

Their political duel arguably began in 1846, when Disraeli fiercely opposed Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel’s repeal of the Corn Laws—a decision supported by Gladstone, who saw Peel as a mentor. Though the repeal succeeded, it cost Peel his career and led to the formation of the Peelite faction, with Gladstone as a leading member. The Peelites would later merge with the Whigs, Radicals, and Irish MPs to form the new Liberal Party. 

The rivalry intensified in 1852 when Disraeli, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced a budget which Gladstone masterfully dismantled with his celebrated oratory. The government collapsed shortly thereafter. Though Disraeli reached the premiership first in 1868, his tenure lasted less than a year, as Gladstone triumphed in the general election that followed. As leaders of their respective parties, their mutual enmity only deepened. This culminated in Gladstone’s famed Midlothian Campaign—a pioneering effort in modern political communication—which contributed to the fall of Disraeli’s government and Gladstone’s second term as Prime Minister. Disraeli died a year later. 

Beyond politics, Gladstone’s personal life was equally complex and often controversial. He was a prolific writer; his first major work, The State in Its Relations with the Church (1838), stirred considerable debate for its bold claims about church-state relations. He was also known for his travels, including a peculiar solo trip to Italy in a failed attempt to persuade a friend’s estranged wife to return. 

Perhaps most contentious were his late-night missions to ‘rescue’ what he called ‘fallen women’—prostitutes whom he tried to convince to abandon their lifestyle. These efforts, which Gladstone documented in his diary, were intertwined with feelings of guilt and religious fervour; he reportedly practised self-flagellation as a form of penance. One incident brought this to wider attention when a man who recognised him during one such outing attempted blackmail. Gladstone reported the man, who was subsequently arrested. Nonetheless, the episode prompted concern among his colleagues, who feared electoral repercussions. Gladstone ignored their advice and continued his efforts well into old age. 

His relationships were often strained—not just with Disraeli, but with Queen Victoria herself, who favoured his rival and clashed with Gladstone on numerous political matters. 

What has been outlined here barely scratches the surface of Gladstone’s remarkable life. His dedication to resolving the Irish Question, his love of tree-felling, and many other aspects of his legacy warrant their own exploration. To reduce such a life to a summary would be, indeed, a great injustice. Nevertheless, Gladstone stands as a symbol of a bygone era—one of conviction, of grand ideals, and of a brand of politics now all but lost to time. 

Bibliography 

Gladstone, W. E., The State in Its Relations with the Church, 4th, rev. and enl. (J. Murray, 1841) 

Jenkins, Roy, Gladstone (Macmillan, 1995)