The Best Option

I did not find Charity’s marriage to Mr. Royall that depressing of an ending.  Granted, Charity does not get to escape North Dormer, but her marriage to Mr. Royall seems to be a pretty happy ending considering that she was pregnant. 

Whether Lucius Harney loved Charity or not, he never appeared serious about marrying her.  He does not bring up marriage until after Mr. Royall asks him his intentions, and he will not set a date but claims he needs “time to ‘settle things’” (206).  If he knew about the child, he probably would marry her, but that marriage would likely be filled with resentment.  Charity knows this because she knows that the two of them are not meant to be married; she “had never been able to picture herself as his wife” (209). 

Mr. Royall, at least, seems to care genuinely for Charity, and while she doesn’t get away from North Dormer, she can hold her head high and live a life of relative comfort – or at least, one that is far superior to life on the Mountain.  Mr. Royall may have had a few moments of weakness in the past, but Charity trusted him not to take advantage of her as she continued to stay in that house with him.  Also, the fact that on their wedding night, he sleeps in a chair, relieves Charity and demonstrates that he cares for her and won’t hurt her.  Watching him, Charity realizes that he knows she’s pregnant and that was the reason “he had married her, and that he sat there in the darkness to show her she was safe with him” (240).  He knew she was pregnant, so that revelation won’t cause a problem later between the newlyweds.  He also married her to protect her honor and to keep her safe.  And, he does not take advantage of her in her vulnerable state.  He cares about her, so in the very least, he will treat her right and not resent her.  This marriage has the makings of being happier than she would be with Harney. 

And, there’s still a chance she could get away from North Dormer.  In one of his earlier proposals of marriage, he promises to take her away to “some big town” (156).  While he says nothing of leaving North Dormer in the end when he marries her, he still may take her away. 

Finally, the reservations over Mr. Royall marrying Charity because he’s like her father do not really bother me.  Yes, she was raised in his house, but she always called him Mr. Royall, never father.  He had never “legally adopted her” (108).  He also did not seem like he was ever real involved in raising her.  She seemed like she had likely raised herself; for instance, she made her own decisions regarding her education.  They lived in the same house, but he did not seem to act in a fatherly manner to her.

Works Cited

Wharton, Edith.  Ethan Frome & Summer.  New York: The Modern Library, 2001.