Maurice follows young Englishman Maurice Hall as he matures from an adolescent oblivious to sex and sexuality to an undergrad at Cambridge just beginning to settle into his sexuality and finally to a thoughtful man willing to work and devote himself to a relationship condemned by society.
Maurice is an unremarkable young man. He was born into a wealthy family, is more or less attractive, and doesn't think much of the lower classes (doesn't think too much at all, really). He does reasonably well in primary school and continues that trend at Cambridge - until he meets Clive Durham, a fellow student who introduces Maurice to ancient Greek writings on same-sex love. Although Maurice isn't as enthralled as Clive is by the writings, they quickly become fast friends and, after some brief internal conflict on Maurice's end, lovers.
Although Forster wrote Maurice in 1914, he felt it unpublishable owing to the homophobia of the time and the happy ending he insisted on. Any books with homosexual characters, especially men, were expected to end unhappily, so as to not promote a gay lifestyle. Interestingly, when Forster wrote this there wasn't even really a word for homosexuality; Maurice ends up referring to himself as "an unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde sort." The book is a great portrayal of homosexual lifestyle among upper class Englishmen.
Although Forster wrote Maurice in 1914, he felt it unpublishable owing to the homophobia of the time and the happy ending he insisted on. Any books with homosexual characters, especially men, were expected to end unhappily, so as to not promote a gay lifestyle. Interestingly, when Forster wrote this there wasn't even really a word for homosexuality; Maurice ends up referring to himself as "an unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde sort." The book is a great portrayal of homosexual lifestyle among upper class Englishmen.
I really liked this book. Maurice by himself isn't all that lovable, but watching him grow endeared him to me. And yes, the ending is an unrealistic "Happily Ever After," but after reading about so many troubled and painful lives and relationships, it made me so excited to read about Maurice's happiness with his partner (and this book I really don't want to give away too many details about the ending because I was a little surprised and you should all read it and it's a really nice happy book).
Some other reviews you might like:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/05/rereading-maurice-e-m-forster
https://thechicagolibrary.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/e-m-forsters-maurice-a-review/
http://www.polarimagazine.com/classicbooks/maurice-em-forster-extended-review/
A lovely review. I think you're right Maurice was a bit bland, but that was the point: he was an everyman. I liked this one much more than Howards End.
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