Issues of faith in the conclusion of Brideshead Revisited

Brideshead Revisited (Evelyn Waugh, 1945) concludes w another chapter devoted to a character who'd been peripheral to the narrative up to this point, Lord Marchmain, titular owner of the estate (through this whole novel I've assumed the estate was called beidesh but now I'm not sure somthe hell w it). Marchmain was estranged from his wife and uninvolved w the lives of his children , each of whom screwed up in his or her own way. Now he comes back to the estate (he'd been living in Germany I think - it's now the eve of WWII and not a time to hang around in Europe) to, as we son see, live out his last days. He comes in giving about a million orders to the many servants - any american reader will or at least should be appalled by the deference everyone gives to the so-called nobility of England - what did Lord M ever do in his life to merit such deference and servitude? - but in any event he is nobly ensconced in the manor and proceeds to share his low opinions about his children as he decides who will inherit the estate. The narrative focuses on a long debate among the offspring as to whether a priest should come i. To administer last rites, which Marchmain strongly opposes. At the end lord M accepts last rites and all the children are happy - but this leads daughter a Julia to recognize that she could never marry the narrator, as he is a nonbeliever - and they go their separate ways. So I. The end what is Waugh' point, or point of view? Evident,y he was a man of faith, but is it really credible that all will be well for a nasty character like lord M if he passively accepts his last rites? Sure Julia has a reaffirmation of her faith at the end but that doesn't lead her to any positive,charitable action. The hero to the extent there is one , for me, is youngest child Cordelia (the name is too significant) who has devoted her life to helping others at the cost of some sacrifice of her own potential happiness and comfort. The novel poignantly ends w the narrator now in the British army helps prepare the estate for troop occupation during the war - things have changed.