MBTI Type: ISFJ

Charles is an expert on sheep, so much so that his daughter, using the cards her mother painted for her, rearranges them to say he “loves” them since he spends all his time thinking, talking about, and with them. He has, over many years, patiently bred them into strong bloodlines – and using that same technique, chose the woman to bear him a surrogate child. He asked her detailed questions about herself, her personality, and why she was willing to do this rather than get married to someone else, to determine her character and decide whether she was worthy to mother a child for himself to love. Charles forms such a strong, self-based sensory connection with Elisabeth during their brief sexual affair that many years later, when reunited with her, all the same feelings and sexual urges come rushing back to him. He has a strong sense of what is morally appropriate and inappropriate, and judges his father for behaviors at the time considered normal but inappropriate (him making known his sexual affairs). Charles is frank and forthcoming in all his opinions and on expressing his emotions, both those of a more tender nature (for Elisabeth, his wife, and his daughter) and of his anxiety when she enters the house. He cares so much about what she, a total stranger, thinks of him that he risks breaking his own rule not to be seen in public together, to make sure she does not think him an immoral person. Charles’ desire to be understood and forgiven drives him to confess all his sins to his wife, who is unable to respond to him; knowing she has heard him comforts him. Because of his marital obligations, Charles feels guilt in having a mistress, even though she brings him happiness. He is so soft-hearted, he cannot bear to listen to his daughter have tantrums or to leave her locked in the school room. His way to obtain a child to love him is creative but practical — hire a woman, sleep with her, then ‘adopt’ a child who was ‘abandoned.’ He is rational enough, once his home is threatened by his father’s debts, to know it is time to let his wife die. His inferior Ne is prone to panicking under stress. Once Elisabeth turns up unexpectedly on his doorstep, Charles anticipates the many ways this could go wrong (his daughter finds out the truth, a scandal is unleashed, his name tarnished, etc), but after a trial period of a month, lets her stay on. He is reckless in his decision to pursue a relationship with Elisabeth under the nose of his sister in law and all the servants, and fantasizes about them running away from all his responsibilities at home.

Enneagram: 2w1 sp/so

Charles is too permissive of his child, allowing her to run rampant out of a desire to avoid losing her love. He finds it difficult to employ punishment or make her behave herself, and is distraught at the thought of leaving her to pitch tantrums. He only allows Elisabeth to discipline her if she promises to do the same thing to herself. He feels tremendous guilt and shame over his actions, and only feels reassured when he believes them to be ‘in the right.’ Her presence in the house terrifies him, because he might get ‘found out.’ But over time, his desperate need to love and be loved wins out, and he takes her as his mistress – in secret, to avoid public shame and guilt. He is too indulgent of his child’s tantrums, out of a desire for her only to love him and never feel chastised. Charles almost obsessively focused on two things in his life – his reputation and being moral. His preference for the latter shows in his desperate need for reassurances to believe Elisabeth does not consider him to be callous, pleasure-seeking, unfaithful to his wife out of any personal sense of ‘lacking’ even though they have only just met, and his sheer panic when he thinks their affair and child may become public knowledge. He is obsessed with ‘doing the right thing.’ He hated his hedonistic 8 father’s careless, scandalous affairs and avoided them himself; he judged him for his behavior (running them into debt, cheating on his mother, etc).