The Earl of Brideshead Timeline and Summary

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• Anthony describes Brideshead as "archaic" and a "learned bigot."
• While staying at Brideshead with Sebastian, Charles meets Bridey. He finds him to be particularly grave and stuffy. Brideshead is very religious and debates the ins and outs of the value of Catholicism with Charles over dinner. Charles concludes that they will never see the world from each other’s point of view.
• Brideshead doesn’t so much to help with Sebastian’s alcoholism – he simply says that you can’t stop people from doing what they want to do.
• Brideshead is present at the estate over Christmas. He takes Sebastian out hunting only to have him ditch the party to go drinking at hotel bar.
• While the family tries to figure out what to do about Sebastian’s alcoholism, Charles talks with Brideshead and concludes that no one could ever want to be a Catholic after hearing what Bridey has to say.
• Bridey is the one to find out about Rex’s first marriage. He declares that Julia’s wedding is off.
• When Charles comes back from visiting a sick Sebastian in French Morocco, he meets with Brideshead and the two of them devise a plan for Sebastian to get living money while abroad.
• Cordelia later tells Charles that Brideshead always wished he had a vocation but never did.
• Brideshead reports to Charles and Julia that he met a wife through his new match-box collecting hobby. Her name is Beryl Muspratt and she is an unattractive, large widow with three children.
• He then wildly insults Julia and her decision to "live in sin" with Charles. Brideshead is unfazed when Charles calls him on being a jerk.
• Bridey tells Julia that he and Beryl want to move into Brideshead, which means she and Rex will have to move out.
• When Lord Marchmain comes to Brideshead castle to die, Brideshead is there to greet to him.
• Lord Marchmain reports that after meeting Beryl, he so disliked his son’s choice of wife that he plans to leave his rightful inheritance – Brideshead Castle – to Julia instead.
• Brideshead soon realizes he isn’t wanted and leaves, but he comes back when Lord Marchmain gets worse.
• Bridey is adamant that is father have a priest perform the Last Rites before he dies. After some heated debate he brings a priest, whom Lord Marchmain refuses. However, when he brings the priest back later, when Lord Marchmain is really ill, the old man accepts him and even gives a sign of the cross.