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Why did Miriam take advantage of Oscar? Did she rape him?

posted 8 years ago by roraio
2 replies | jump to latest

Why did Miriam Chadwick (Josephine Byrnes) take advantage of Oscar Hopkins (Ralph Fiennes) when he returned with the glass church? She took him inside with a view to look after him but ended up having intercourse with him without asking for his permission. He seemed very impaired, so was it actually rape? What do you think?

[–] resurgence27 7 years ago

I've always read the scene as rape, yes.

[–] Flora_Poste 7 years ago

As for the why, Miriam wants to escape her position as a common governess. She's stranded in the back of beyond, so manipulating Oscar into marrying her is her only present opportunity to be a respectable wife, not a servant.