Abhiroop Das
Created by Steven Knight, Netflix’s ‘House of Guinness‘ is as much a story about ambition as it is about love, and at the interstice of these two potent subjects, the characters’ interpersonal dynamics thrive. Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Benjamin are the heirs to one of the largest businesses in Ireland. When the shoes feel too enormous to step into, they realize that they need allies. However, with too many secrets and shades at hand, finding their perfect match for the siblings becomes a challenge in itself. Things are complicated further due to the political climate at this period, which forces the eldest sons, as the face of the company, to strengthen their social positioning as quickly as ever. In such trying circumstances, Edward’s budding relationship with his distant cousin, Adelaide Maria, transcends their personal boundaries and becomes a subject of both public and narrative interest. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Edward and Adelaide End up in an Awkward Marriage
While Arthur is not the first in the Guinness family to float the possibility of Adelaide marrying Edward, he is the most significant contributor to the idea, eventually turning it into a reality. The eldest sibling’s reasoning is rooted in his lived experiences, as marriage in such a scenario is often one of convenience more than love. As such, while Edward and Adelaide tie the knot in 1873, the foundations of their relationship are not romantic in nature. Nonetheless, the two share an intense feeling of respect and care for one another, in large part due to their interest in restoring the living standards of people associated with the Guinness company. As the couple spends more time together, they develop a unique friendship, one that is driven by transparency and commitment to a higher cause. While their marriage begins as one of social maintenance, it ultimately transforms into one of the healthiest pairings in the story.
Although Edward and Adelaide never have a proper sexual relationship, they do come close to being physically intimate on more than one occasion. During one of their date nights, the sequence includes images of both Arthur and Olivia’s respective moments of passion, which hints at a thematic tie-in to Edward’s end of things. However, instead of continuing on that motif, his and Adelaide’s night seems to subvert it, as despite having all the usual ingredients, the night ends with neither of them making a move. Later on, we learn in an offhanded conversation between Adelaide and Anne that the former has kissed Edward once. While that doesn’t speak much to their sexual proximity, it points to the relationship gradually warming, with a potentially deeper bond waiting on the horizon. Across the board, Edward and Adelaide make a stellar fit, not just complementing each other in their positive attributes, but also cancelling out their negatives.
Ellen Cochrane Remains Edward’s One True Love
Edward and Adelaide’s marriage does not really put a dent in the former’s mental position, as he has long since admitted to being in love with Ellen Cochrane. While the feeling appears to be mutual, their social and ideological differences, at least in the public eye, erase any potential of the couple ending up together. As such, Edward is forced to exit that dynamic early on and marry Adelaide shortly after. At no point in their marriage, however, does Adelaide seem to serve as a dividing force between the two lovers, and it is her husband who voluntarily cuts off all contact with Ellen, even when that means bidding goodbye to his feelings. Towards the end of the show, Edward has to make contact with his former Fenian ally once again, but a follow-up conversation with his wife confirms that they are not in a marriage just for appearances, as his emotional proximity to Ellen truly matters to Adelaide.
At the start of the story, Adelaide is approached as one of the best suitors for the Guinness brothers, but she quickly estabilishes herself as an independent figure who is not in want of a husband in particular. However, her marriage to Edward also serves her personal interests, with the most notable one being her public welfare endeavours. Along with her Guinness husband comes a significant amount of funding, which she makes use of to fulfill both her architectural and humanitarian ambitions in one go. Notably, that is precisely the pulse on which Arthur taps into, eventually making the relationship a success. Thus, while the marriage begins as a way for Edward to create a social persona, it is not a one-way street, and Adelaide finds her own balance between genuine care, affection, and material interests.
Read More: Was Arthur Guinness Gay in Real Life? Was He in a Lavender Marriage?
