... marry Charles after his conversion? Surely God would approve their love?
Is it because she can't remarry as a Catholic? But you can't divorce as a Catholic eihter, no? Maybe she left Charles as some sort of punishment for herself?
Her marriage to Rex isn't valid, in the Catholic church, because he had already been married. There was no problem with J's divorcing him to tie up the legal side of things, since she wasn't, in Catholic doctrine, his real wife. But Charles was married in an Anglican service to Celia, and while he might get an annulment, he might not. The RC Church does recognise Anglican marriages as valid Christian ones, so Charles was the one who was not in Catholic doctrine free to marry.
sharejoyfarrah on Thu Jun 7 2012 08:47:12
Thank you for the explanation. I wish the film had made the situation clearer. As things stand, Julia implies that SHE is the one who is not free to marry. Perhaps that was true at the time Waugh wrote the book.
@ Ziyi on Thu Jun 7 2012
One reason they do not marry is that Julia is no longer around. According to Nanny Hawkins, Julia and Cordelia are overseas during WW II.
I suspect Julia's emotional and psychological reasons are complex. I think the best thing is to review their dialogue on the stairs--the "broken sentences" as Charles remembers them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4xdBVGhGE8
is it because she can't remarry as a Catholic? But you can't divorce as a Catholic eihter, no?
If memory serves me, she gave up Charles to return to God. After her father's deathbed return to his faith, her faith is also restored. She realizes that she must return to the Church, and that giving up Charles is part of her atonement. She said something to him about how he is what she wants most in the world and that God will think less harshly of her if she gives him up. It is an act of self-denial. I am not a Catholic, but I guess self-denial is important.
shareHaven't read the book, but have watched series often. I don't get Julia's response to the red roses forwarded by Charles on shipboard.
shareyou can get divorced. You just can't remarry without an annullment.
suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008