Maurice (novel)

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E. M. Forster's Maurice

Maurice is a novel by E. M. Forster. A tale of homosexual love in early 20th century England, it follows Maurice Hall from his schooldays, through university and beyond. It was written from 1913 onwards. Although it was shown to selected friends, such as Christopher Isherwood, it was only published in 1971 after Forster's death.

The novel is remarkable for its time in describing same-sex love in a non-condemnatory way. Forster resisted publication because of public and legal attitudes to homosexuality — a note found on the manuscript read: "Publishable, but worth it?". Forster was particularly keen that his novel should have a happy ending, but knew that this would make the book too controversial.^[1] However, by the time he died, British attitudes and law had changed.

The novel was made into a film Maurice (1987), directed by James Ivory and starring James Wilby as Maurice, Hugh Grant as Clive and Rupert Graves as Alec.

[edit] Plot summary

Maurice Hall (pronounced "Morris") is first met age 14 when a discussion about sex and women between him and his prep-school teacher takes place just before he progresses to his public school. This sets the tone for the rest of the novel, as Maurice feels isolated and removed from the adult's depiction of marriage with a woman as the goal in life. Moreover, his deep-seated contempt for his own (middle) class takes root here, as he perceives that his teacher does not have the capacity to see beyond the social norm to whatever may lie behind it.

When Maurice enters a university, he soon makes friends with fellow student Clive Durham, who introduces him to the ancient Greek writings about homosexual love. For two years they have a committed if exceedingly chaste romance, which they must keep hidden from everyone they know. It is obvious that Maurice hopes for more of their only platonic attachment, but slowly it becomes clear that Clive is basically equally attached to society's view of what is right and wrong. Clive intends to marry, even though Forster's prose leaves no doubts that his marriage will probably entail a mostly joyless sex life. Disappointed and hurt by Clive's rejection, Maurice seeks psychiatric counselling in a scene executed by Forster with glee, again mercilessly exposing the emotional limitedness and helplessness of society, as personified by Dr. Barry, who cannot even comprehend Maurice's situation. At the time the only literature published on homosexuality was in German, and thus not easily accessible to English doctors. Having no real knowledge of homosexuality, Dr. Barry simply dismissed Maurice's feelings as "rubbish."

Maurice grows older, leaves the university without taking his degree, adopts a gentleman's habits and dress, and gets a good job as a stockbroker. In his spare time, he helps run a Christian mission's boxing gym for working class boys in the East End.

At one point Maurice makes an appointment with a hypnotist, Mr. Lasker-Jones, to attempt to "cure" himself. Lasker-Jones refers to his condition as "congenital homosexuality" and claims a 50% success rate in "curing" gay men. He does note that 25% were not cured. After the first appointment it is clear that the therapy has failed.

Maurice's unfulfilled emotional longings get closer to being resolved when he is invited to stay at Penge at the Durhams'. There, at first unnoticed by him, lurks the young under-gamekeeper Alec Scudder (just called Scudder for large passages of the book, to emphasize the class difference even more), who has noticed Maurice very well. He is spotted in the book at continually shorter intervals, as if furtively circling his prey, until one night the lad simply uses a ladder to climb to Maurice's bedroom, answering Maurice's call unheard by everyone else.

After their first night together, Scudder panics and pretends that he wants to blackmail Maurice. Maurice also panics and goes to Lasker-Jones one more time for help, and the hypnotist now seems a little more affirming. Knowing that the therapy is failing, he tells Maurice to consider relocating to a country that has adopted the Code of Napoleon, meaning one in which homosexual conduct is no longer criminal, such as France or Italy. Maurice wonders if homosexuality will ever be acceptable in England, to which Lasker-Jones replies "I doubt it. England has always been disinclined to accept human nature." He shows Lasker-Jones a letter from Scudder and asks if he'd have a case in court against Alec, fearing that Alec will tell others of his condition, but Lasker-Jones is unsure. Maurice has to figure this out on his own.

Maurice and Alec meet at the British Museum in London to discuss this issue. In a moving scene, they find out that they both are in love with each other, after Maurice calls himself Scudder when asked for his name. This transgression of class differences fortifies the bond between the two males instantly.

After another night of lying arm in arm together it becomes clear that Alec has a ticket for a trip to Argentina, from which he will not return. After initial resentment Maurice gives in and decides to at least give Alec a sendoff. He is taken aback when Alec is not there. In a hurry, he makes it for Penge, where the two lovers were supposed to have met before at the boathouse. He finds Alec there, who tells him that he sent a telegram to Maurice stating that he was to come to the boathouse. Alec intends to stay with Maurice, telling him that they "shan't be parted no more" and indeed the two are reunited there and "live happily ever after".

Maurice visits Clive one more time, for closure on their relationship, and outlines his vision of his future with Alec. Clive's helplessness at hearing what has transpired between Maurice and Alec leaves him speechless and unable to comprehend. The novel ends with an open ending in that it is left to the individual reader to determine whether Alec and Maurice's relationship endures in the long term.

[edit] Original Ending

In the original manuscripts, E. M. Forster wrote an epilogue concerning the post-novel fate of Maurice and Alec that he later discarded as being unpopular. This epilogue can still be found in the Abinger edition of the novel. The Abinger edition also contains a detailed summary of the differences between various versions of the novel.

The Abinger reprint of the Epilogue retains Maurice's original surname of Hill throughout. The epilogue contains a meeting between Maurice and his sister Kitty some years later. Alec and Maurice have by now become woodcutters. The exact reason why Maurice failed to return home has not been revealed to the female members of the Hill family. However, it dawns upon Kitty why her brother disappeared. This portion of the novel underlines the extreme dislike that Kitty feels for her brother. The epilogue ends with Maurice and Alec in each other's arms at the end of the day discussing seeing Kitty and resolving that they must move on in order to avoid detection or a further meeting.