"He Knew He Was Right" is a novel by Anthony Trollope, published in 1869 in two volumes. Regarded as one of Trollope's most
successful novels, it deals with marriage,
sexual relationships and the issue of the rights of women.
The story revolves around Louis
Trevelyan, educated and well-off but emotionally unstable and overtly a jealous husband. He marries Emily Rowley, eldest of eight daughters of a colonial administrator, governor of Mandarin Islands.
Trevelyan becomes unreasonably jealous of the frequent visits to their house by the aging Colonel Osborne, a friend of her father with the reputation of being a Casanova. He strictly forbids Emily to receive him or entertain him. Trevelyan's jealousy becomes so obsessive. This caused great rift between the couple that they had to separate. Emily leaves him, taking their young son with her. Trevelyan thinks that his suspicions are right.
Trevelyan hires a private detective to watch Emily. With his help, Trevelyan abducts their son and takes him to Italy. Trevelyan's health declines and suffers from emotional and mental breakdown. Emily goes to Italy and persuades him to return to England, where he shortly dies.
Anthony Trollope further reflects the issue of the rights of women, marriage and relationships in his other sub-plots, including the hostile portrait of an American feminist, Wallachia Petrie, and Emily's sister, Nora, who falls in love with Hugh Stanbury, Trevelyan's friend. She chose him over a wealthy aristocratic suitor, Mr Glascock.