E.M. Forster's Howards End: An Intellectual's Concerns

Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) was a famous British novelist in the first half of the 20th century. As a writer, Forster had his own distinctive features. His living times, middle class family background, educational experience and traveling activities were all contributory to the particularity of his works. He cannot be classified into the Edwardian Realists, nor into the Georgian Modernists. He stands alone, but extends his antennae to every aspect of the art of literature.As a typical representative of the English middle class,Forster intimately knew the limitations of his class and endeavored to search for the way to save them out. However, he was not an ordinary middle class man because his mind shared many of the most important characteristics of the English intellectuals. He published six long novels altogether, among which Howards End is generally regarded as his masterpiece and has always been the most controversial of his novels. Howards End not only reflects Forster's criticism of the Edwardian values of the middle class but also enlightens us on how to redress the problem of spiritual chaos and emptiness in modern society. Most of the studies of Howards End are aimed at the predicaments of the female characters and they tend to be undertaken from the perspective of feminism. Therefore, scarce study was made directly on uncovering Forster's presentation of the English intellectuals as well as his concerns and worries about English society at that time in Howards End.This thesis intends to focus on Howards End by analyzing the characteristics of the English intellectuals, presenting the ideals and thoughts of Forster as a typical English intellectual and then looking at the conflicts and problems that he raised in the novel and his solutions that he suggested under his identity as an intellectual belonging to the middle class. Those characters in Howards End seem to have no other possible ways to choose in order to solve their problems according to Forster's ideals, which shows E. M. Foster's personal thoughts about these characters and the status quo of that period of history.The present thesis consists of seven chapters. Chapter One starts with a brief introduction to E.M. Forster and his literary career, provides a short review of his works and his position in the history of English literature and then moves to discuss the guiding perspective of Foster, that is, the ideals of a typical English intellectual with a middle class background, in writing Howards End. Chapter Two provides the background information about the most important characteristics of the English intellectuals, especially those shared by Forster himself, and then an introduction to Bloomsbury group in which Forster took an active role. The chapter ends with showing Forster's unique ideals as a member of the group.Chapter Three discusses the detailed conflicts and problems faced by those characters in Howards End, which are the authentic reflections of the social issues that Forster paid attention to and the worries and confusions shared by the English intellectuals at that time.Chapter Four focuses on the puzzles of the middle class in the novel and reveals the connection theme of the middle class expressed by Forster.Chapter Five pays attention to the intellectual theme of the novel and discusses the ideals of Forster.Chapter Six discusses the happy ending which seems to be the fulfillment of the ultimate and all-inclusive "connection," and by which Forster decides, literarily, of course, the Fate of England. But some forces are excluded from the great "connection," which does not turn out as one may expect.In the last chapter, a conclusion is provided, discussing the suggested solution of Forster to those problems and the middle class limitations of his solutions.