WINIELYN C. DILOY DEC. 07, 2015
LIT 21B FINAL PAPER
Brideshead Revisited -The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
By Evelyn Waugh The novel tells of a story of a middle- aged artist and a Second World War army Captain, Charles Ryder of his involvement with the Flyte family.
The story started when Charles Ryder, an undergraduate of Hertford College, University of Oxford was befriended by Sebastian Flyte, the younger son of an aristocratic Lord Marchmain. Having been friends with Sebastian, he has also lived in glamour and depravity with the latters’ social circle. He had come to know Sebastian’s family; Lady Marchmain, the pious matriarch; Bridey, the awkward, ponderous elder son; Sebastian’s beautiful sister, Julia, …show more content…
Charles Ryder’s friendship with Sebastian Flyte to me was very puzzling. I had been wondering if the connection between them were more than just friendship of two men. There were instances that suggests the homosexuality of both men. Charles found "that low door in the wall ... which opened on an enclosed and enchanted garden". Maybe, the enclosed and enchanted garden to which Charles had found could be the sexual tension between him and Sebastian. It could mean their rendezvous while they were at Oxford. Considering the religion of the Flyte family which was Catholicism, it would not have been accepted if indeed the two men’s relationship was more than just friends. If indeed Charles and Sebastian had a relationship, it could be supported by the statement of Charles saying "our naughtiness [was] high on the catalogue of grave sins". The naughtiness he had been talking about could be the non-platonic relationship they have which is not acceptable or is considered a profanity in Roman …show more content…
Most of the characters, the major ones had undergone conversions in a way. Lord Marchmain who have resented Catholicism had embraced it in his deathbed; Julia who lived a married life but was not valid for the church had an extramarital affair but at the end chose to separate from Charles for she realized that it was not right and is immoral. Sebastian who had felt the strong constraints of the Catholic faith in his life, lived in addiction to alcohol but soon finds himself in service to a monastery. The great impact of the Roman Catholic faith was seen in the character of Charles Ryder. He had been an agnostic all his life but upon witnessing the happenings on Lord Marchain’s death, he converted himself into
LIT 21B FINAL PAPER
Brideshead Revisited -The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
By Evelyn Waugh The novel tells of a story of a middle- aged artist and a Second World War army Captain, Charles Ryder of his involvement with the Flyte family.
The story started when Charles Ryder, an undergraduate of Hertford College, University of Oxford was befriended by Sebastian Flyte, the younger son of an aristocratic Lord Marchmain. Having been friends with Sebastian, he has also lived in glamour and depravity with the latters’ social circle. He had come to know Sebastian’s family; Lady Marchmain, the pious matriarch; Bridey, the awkward, ponderous elder son; Sebastian’s beautiful sister, Julia, …show more content…
Charles Ryder’s friendship with Sebastian Flyte to me was very puzzling. I had been wondering if the connection between them were more than just friendship of two men. There were instances that suggests the homosexuality of both men. Charles found "that low door in the wall ... which opened on an enclosed and enchanted garden". Maybe, the enclosed and enchanted garden to which Charles had found could be the sexual tension between him and Sebastian. It could mean their rendezvous while they were at Oxford. Considering the religion of the Flyte family which was Catholicism, it would not have been accepted if indeed the two men’s relationship was more than just friends. If indeed Charles and Sebastian had a relationship, it could be supported by the statement of Charles saying "our naughtiness [was] high on the catalogue of grave sins". The naughtiness he had been talking about could be the non-platonic relationship they have which is not acceptable or is considered a profanity in Roman …show more content…
Most of the characters, the major ones had undergone conversions in a way. Lord Marchmain who have resented Catholicism had embraced it in his deathbed; Julia who lived a married life but was not valid for the church had an extramarital affair but at the end chose to separate from Charles for she realized that it was not right and is immoral. Sebastian who had felt the strong constraints of the Catholic faith in his life, lived in addiction to alcohol but soon finds himself in service to a monastery. The great impact of the Roman Catholic faith was seen in the character of Charles Ryder. He had been an agnostic all his life but upon witnessing the happenings on Lord Marchain’s death, he converted himself into