Ennis Del Mar

Ennis Del Mar
Ennis Del Mar as portrayed by Heath Ledger in the 2005 film adaptation of the short story.
First appearance	"Brokeback Mountain"
Created by	Annie Proulx
Portrayed by	Heath Ledger
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Sheep herder, ranch hand
Spouse(s)	Alma Beers
Children	Alma Jr. Francine
Relatives	K.E.

Ennis del Mar (Del Mar in the film) is the fictional main character of the short story "Brokeback Mountain" by Annie Proulx and the 2005 Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the same name directed by Ang Lee. Ennis's story is depicted by his complex sexual and romantic relationship with Jack Twist in the American West, over two decades from 1963 to 1983. In the film, he is portrayed by Heath Ledger, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.

"Ennis del Mar" literally translates as "Island of the Sea". Ennis is a corruption of the Irish inis for island and del mar is Spanish for "of the sea".

In an interview about her work, and "Brokeback Mountain" in particular, Proulx stated Ennis Del Mar was a "confused Wyoming ranch [kid]" who finds himself in a personal sexual situation he did not foresee, nor can understand. She said both men were "beguiled by the cowboy myth," and "Ennis tries to be one but never gets beyond ranch hand work." Ennis is also the more closed-down party of his and Jack's relationship, being more reluctant to show affection towards Jack. When Jack brings up suggestions about them living together, or even just Ennis moving to Texas, which is his home state, Ennis always declines, sometimes in a very harsh way.

One mystery surrounding Ennis Del Mar (as well as Jack Twist) is his sexual orientation. He has sexual and emotional relationships, of varying and fluctuating degrees, with Jack, his wife Alma, and his girlfriend Cassie.

Some film critics identified Ennis as bisexual rather than strictly homosexual. Sex researcher Fritz Klein stated he felt Ennis to be "a bit more toward the straight side of being bisexual." Ledger himself was quoted as stating in Time: "I don't think Ennis could be labeled as gay. Without Jack Twist, I don't know that he ever would have come out... I think the whole point was that it was two souls that fell in love with each other." The film's producer, James Schamus, and LGBT-related non-fiction author Eric Marcus, opined that the characters were both gay.