I believe Alma would want to resist divorce for a number of reasons, as mentioned above & also including the simple fact she loved Ennis, but I also think of the taboo surrounding homosexuality in those times, that gay men could be seen as monsters & perverts. If someone was to find out she was "harbouring" a homosexual, they would turn on her. Plus if she was quite ignorant about homosexuality, she might have thoughts of him as a monster & potentially some kind of threat to the children. These factors point me to thinking an earlier divorce would have been on the cards.
Or it could have worked conversely, in that she wouldn't have had a valid enough reason for divorce, as she wouldn't want to openly cite a homosexual partner as the reason for divorce. Thus she had to build up a case of Ennis neglecting his husbandly duties etc over some years. This is quite plausible, as it also gives her time to try to master her own feelings about Ennis.
....With all the ignorance surrounding homosexuality, that's a good possibility Nic. Have you ever seen Far From Heaven? If not, rent it! It's really pertinent and a fine film too...
I have seen it, & remember it had some fine performances but not much else. I'll try to check it out again. Alma didn't appear to buck up her game in any other arena. I thought she might try to keep their house more in order, make herself less dowdy-looking etc in an attempt to persuade Ennis to stick fully to a conventional lifestyle. Maybe she didn't because she was flat out as it was. I was pleased she took the job at the store, as it was something she could do off her own back, even if the prime reason was needing the income. I found Ennis lumbering her with the kids at work in the film very hard to take at first veiwing!
She must have felt her own sexuality was brought into question, in the sense of why wasn't her feminine sexuality enough for Ennis? Monroe is obviously second choice, & convenient. Again, looking with today's eyes, she would be expected to effectively take her pick of a second partner. I see her becoming pregnant with Monroe's child as her completely having no choice but to follow the societal convention at the time. She seems quite plucky so I could have seen her as taking a more pro-active role in managing the store with Monroe, but no - she is relegated to the kitchen sink & I imagine becoming a stay-at-home mum for many more years. This may have been ok with her of course, but I interpret the fact she stood up for herself getting the job & then the divorce as indicators she became more independent & naturally would have liked to continue in that vein if it had been possible at the time. Especially as she had settled for Monroe - she would want something to "balance out" her compromise of accepting second best.
I seem to have a lot to say on this, whether completely OT or not. Apologies for rambling along