Cara is a middle-aged Italian woman and Lord Marchmain’s mistress, for whom he left Lady Marchmain and his children. When Charles meets Cara in Venice, when he and Sebastian go to stay with Lord Marchmain, Charles is surprised to find that Cara is a respectable, mature, and kindly woman: not at all the wanton temptress he has imagined. Cara is perfectly realistic about her situation with Lord Marchmain. She accepts that she will never be his wife, because Lady Marchmain will not get a divorce, and, although she is a Catholic, seems to have made her peace with the idea that, by living with a married man, she is “living in sin.” Cara understands that Lord Marchmain does not love her (she says that he used up all his love on Lady Marchmain, who he loved passionately and now despises because their relationship did not work out) and is happy to be his companion. She feels sorry for Lady Marchmain, who she feels has been “loved in the wrong way,” but does not feel guilty about her own role in the breakdown of the relationship. Cara is kind to Charles and Sebastian during their stay, but hints that she disapproves of their relationship. She subtly warns Charles that his attachment to Sebastian should not “go on too long.” This suggests that Cara disapproves of homosexual relationships—she believes that it is alright for men to have romantic or platonic relationships, but not for them to have sexual ones or to share their lives with other men. Cara also warns Charles about Sebastian’s drinking and tells him that she recognizes the signs of alcoholism in him because she has seen them in Lord Marchmain. It is implied that Cara has saved Lord Marchmain from his self-destructive tendencies, and that Sebastian needs someone to do the same for him.
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Cara Character Timeline in Brideshead Revisited
The timeline below shows where the character Cara appears in Brideshead Revisited. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 4
...he would like to see the sites, and Lord Marchmain is pleased and says that Cara, his mistress, will take them. Charles is surprised that he talks about her so casually.
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Cara arrives the next day and Charles, who knows nothing about women, is secretly fascinated by...
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...manage, Sebastian goes to play tennis with his father, and Charles finds himself alone with Cara.
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Cara asks him if he is fond of Sebastian and Charles replies that, of course, he...
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Charles says that Lady Marchmain drove Lord Marchmain out of society, but Cara says that it is not possible for a woman to do that to a wealthy,...
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Cara says that women love in more straightforward ways than men. She says that Sebastian is...
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Part 3, Chapter 5
...that he has aged drastically and is very unwell. He walks with a stick, and Cara, who is with him, carries his medicine. He has been unwell, but they did not...
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...the war as an artist. Charles finds that Lord Marchmain’s bad temper is “new.” Later, Cara tells Charles that Lord Marchmain has “come home to die” and that he has a...
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Cordelia and Cara side with Brideshead, but Charles still strongly objects. Julia becomes irritated when he complains about...
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...mind. Charles says that Brideshead is nitpicking and that Lord Marchmain made himself clear, but Cara and Cordelia still hold out hope. Charles asks them to explain exactly why a priest...
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...Marchmain truly repents. Brideshead says this is true, but still feels the priest is important. Cara says that when she dies, she will have a priest, and Cordelia says this is...
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...will send for the priest, and Charles knows that she has wanted this all along. Cara says that she wants Lord Marchmain to be happy when he dies and does not...
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