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Maurice

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 8,662 ratings · 380 reviews

The work of an exceptional artist working close to the peak of his powers." —Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, New York Times

Set in the elegant Edwardian world of Cambridge undergraduate life, this story by a master novelist introduces us to Maurice Hall when he is fourteen. We follow him through public school and Cambridge, and on into his father's firm, Hill and Hall, Stock Br...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published December 17th 2005 by W. W. Norton & Company (first published 1971)

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Feb 17, 2013 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-fiction, classics, absolutely-fabulous

Perfect! There is probably nothing I can write that hasn't been written before about this work from one of our great English authors. It has no doubt been criticised, scrutinised, analysed, investigated, praised and acclaimed, I will just write about how the book made me feel.

The style of English was so refreshing to read. A style and mastery that has been long since forgotten. It has a beauty to it that flows and melts coming from an era where conversation really was an art. Where every word w...more Perfect! There is probably nothing I can write that hasn't been written before about this work from one of our great English authors. It has no doubt been criticised, scrutinised, analysed, investigated, praised and acclaimed, I will just write about how the book made me feel.

The style of English was so refreshing to read. A style and mastery that has been long since forgotten. It has a beauty to it that flows and melts coming from an era where conversation really was an art. Where every word was carefully picked and every sentence construction built to hold, last and sit precisely. A rare treat. Forster manages to describe the emotions of gay love by eluding to it but never the vulgar. I ask myself what would he think about our modern romances and language if he could read them today.

The book itself was like having my own personal time portal, swept back to a time, though noble also ignorant. A look into, class, social etiquette, traditions, and values of an era gone by. Into this was born Maurice and his fight for happiness begins. He goes through a personal hell and back, jilted by Clive who turns to women, here I reckon Clive was probably what we know to be bi today and was easier for him to bow to the pressures of society although quite possibly a sexless marriage to Anne. Maurice finds his absolution and love in the arms of Scudder the game keeper. An unlikely combination but Scudder's naive acceptance of his homosexuality is refreshing in it's nature. A character that creeps out of the background and has a more profound effect on Maurice than originally anticipated. Maurice goes through an emotional hell and back, looking at his sexual orientation as an abomination, a disease that has no cure, though treatments are sought the internal struggle remains until it nearly drives him to suicidal feelings. This would be all quite normal for this day and age and attitudes from society, you would have no other choice but to stay firmly in the closet and remain there! An extremely lonely feeling.

This book was far ahead of its time, therefore the publication after the death of the author in 1971, when society was ready to embrace its message. All I can say for anyone who wishes to read a classic from a master then READ THIS BOOK! It was a pioneering work of its day and anyone who takes their m/m romance literature seriously should read it as a shining example of how we've got to where we are today. (less)

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Oct 25, 2007 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: the gays, the classicists, admirers of the gays and classicists

Shelves: happyendings, hagging-out

A beloved college professor used this novel as his starting point for a glorious Humanities lecture on "The Unspeakable Vice of the Greeks." Except for the time I fell down the stairs of the lecture hall and dislocated my shoulder, that's pretty much the only morning I remember from my freshman year.

I love Forster's attitude toward his characters, which is similar to one a social worker might have towards his clients: he doesn't romanticize them and sees all of their faults, even emphasizing imp...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Mike Puma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt-fic, 2009, read-and-watched, 2010, english-author

I took the damned "Spoiler Alert" alert out--I think it keeps people from reading the actual review. That said, some of the following comments might be considered Spoiler, but I prefer to think of these comments as what Forster could have done better, should have done better, and any image of Hugh Grant spread-eagled on a table deserves to be noticed, IMHO.

At first, I thought rereading Forster’s gay novel for a group discussion would be fun. I liked it first time around and expected to like it a

...more I took the damned "Spoiler Alert" alert out--I think it keeps people from reading the actual review. That said, some of the following comments might be considered Spoiler, but I prefer to think of these comments as what Forster could have done better, should have done better, and any image of Hugh Grant spread-eagled on a table deserves to be noticed, IMHO.

At first, I thought rereading Forster’s gay novel for a group discussion would be fun. I liked it first time around and expected to like it as much this time. Perhaps it was having watched the film since the first reading. Maybe I couldn’t prevent myself from picturing Hugh Grant in the role of Clive Durham and a young Rupert Graves in the role of Scudder; whatever the reasons, rereading this novel, knowing where it was headed, made me impatient, made me angry, made me want to see the younger Hugh Grant shoved face-down over a table, depantsed, and deflowered in the most aggressive way. But, that’s just me.

Forster’s novel remained a featherbed of cozy, enveloping language. The early scene in which Mr. Ducie, a ‘senior’ at Maurice’s preparatory school and a man who felt the obligation to instruct Maurice in the “mystery of sex” (complete with a diagram drawn in the sand on a beach, then abandoned, and too-late-realized, left to be discovered by other casual strollers of both sexes. Oh my!) was still funny. The developing relationship between Maurice and fellow Cambridge student Clive Durham was still touching in its intimacy and affection—but then, but then, but then—

That relationship stalls at intimacy. Maurice is coaxed by Clive, led on (if you will), only to reach a wall—a wall of this-far-and-no-further. After ‘outing’ himself, Clive seemingly has no ‘out’ to arrive at. His bold confession to Maurice is overstated, leaving Maurice confused and wanting more. While this novel is certainly a matter of time and place, the Platonic relationship just doesn’t ring true for a contemporary understanding. The British stereotype—the conservative, asexual, slightly effeminate [my apologies, good Brits, but we are talking stereotypes, not realities]—registers as alien in modern readers of anything other than Christian fiction.

And it was this alienation from the characters that left me thinking, “Jesus Christ, Maurice, hammer him—nail his ass—show the lame fucker what he’s wanting but is too caught up in an ideal to grab.”

But, of course, that won’t do. We all know what rape is; there’s never good reason for it to occur—even in fiction. Poetic justice and poetic injustice are opposite sides of the same coin. They’re really two ways of saying the same thing.

The poetic justice, if such a thing exists, is Clive’s ultimate settling for passionless marriage while Maurice moves on—more power to him.

I don’t regret rereading Maurice. It’s still fine story-telling and plotting. A reader has to understand that Forster, writing when he did, could only imagine, only hope for, a better time when people were able to be who they are, without fear of social or legal repercussion. I think I’ve been spoiled—three decades and still going with my own partner makes me both more generous and more selfish. It makes me wish others had, or could have, what I have—just not MINE.

(less)

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Sep 08, 2007 Lin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who love romance stories

Shelves: owned

One of my favourite novels, and incidentally the one I wrote my MA thesis on. Maurice is, for all intents and purposes, a dime-a-dozen love story and a period piece. The only twist is that this love story concerns two men, which was unheard of in the time that it was written (1913). Forster wrote it mainly as a therapeutical effort, having grown tired of not being able to write about the kind of love that interested him the most, as a homosexual male. Published 60 years after it was written, Mau...more

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Jul 01, 2008 janet rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people interested in gay fiction

Recommended to janet by: Alan

Forster is one of my favorite English novelists and I have always meant to read this book. The writing of it was probably very personal for him, and it is a very strong argument for the fact that people don't choose to be gay. He strongly suggests that society must accept it, or at the very least not outlaw it. I was interested to learn that it wasn't published until after his death.

In classic Forster form, he deals with class and social criticism through love and sex in this book as well. His...more

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Jun 06, 2007 graycastle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: queerlit, edwardianism

It's not a secret that this is one of my favourite novels of all time. My reason for loving it so much is this: it blends together questions of sexuality, nationality, imperialism, masculinity, and class into this amazing matrix that questions every single one of those categories. At the end, the retreat into the English greenwood shows two homosexual men attacking/questioning England from a space outside England that is also, paradoxically, the heart of England...really, the thing I love best a...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Christy B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, classics, belle-époque, historical-romance, favorites, lgbt

I wouldn't call this a review post, mainly because I doubt I'd be able to write a suitable one. However, I couldn't just let it pass without writing something about the book that will most likely end up being one of my all time favorites.

Written in the 1910s, but not released until 1971, after the author's death, Maurice is an Edwardian story about love, class, and finding oneself. The title character is a young man who comes to understand that he is homosexual. We see him through two relationsh...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I consumed this book in one sitting. From the time I bought it last night at 7pm to when I licked the last bits of the epilogue at 2am. I first came across this story when I caught bits of the Merchant and Ivory production on tv. What? A British period piece where a man climbs into a gentleman's window for a night of sex? Isn't that Freddie from A Room With a View? This can't be Jane Austen. Ah, it's Forster! This books takes that one homoerotic scene of the pond from A Room With a View and turn...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Gianthogweed added it

Shelves: challenges-games, m-m

Personally, I think that M-M Romance is purely escapist fiction with minimum requirements that go beyond the simple happy ending, so I don't feel to include Maurice in this genre therefore in my rating system - it would be unbearable.

And also as classic novel, stylistically speaking, it is not one of my favorites, because the jumble of plot, characters' thoughts and author's intrusions, make it hard to digest.

The situation is different if I try to analyze it from a historical, cultural, biograph...more

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May 06, 2013 Alicja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-20th-century, lgbt-fiction, favorites, to-re-read, classic

Rating: 5.5/5 (It was that brilliant!)

Summary: Maurice is complicated in his simplicity. He belongs to an upper middle class in 1912 Britain; has a mother and two sisters where he is the head of the household, an Oxford education, a pre-determined job, and a house and servants to manage. His life should be simple… work, marry, produce heirs. And yet he feels different. This novel explores Maurice’s path to finding out just what makes him different and how to reconcile it into his life in a socie...more Rating: 5.5/5 (It was that brilliant!)

Summary: Maurice is complicated in his simplicity. He belongs to an upper middle class in 1912 Britain; has a mother and two sisters where he is the head of the household, an Oxford education, a pre-determined job, and a house and servants to manage. His life should be simple… work, marry, produce heirs. And yet he feels different. This novel explores Maurice’s path to finding out just what makes him different and how to reconcile it into his life in a society riddled with class politics. Oh, and yes, to fall in love where his kind of love is condemned and criminalized.

Review: Written in 1913/14 but not published until the 70s (after the author’s death), this novel presents an insight into homosexuality at the turn of the century in England. It wasn’t published until that time because Forster feared about the legal and social consequences of writing this novel; however, by the 70s attitudes have changed.

The below may contain spoilers in the sense where this novel being so thin on a plot, my emotional response to it and its characters may influence your own, which in this case is an important aspect in reading this novel. Therefore, if you choose not to continue to read, just know that in my opinion this novel is utterly brilliant on so many literary and emotional levels I haven’t even began to explore. Forster is a genius, this novel being a fine example; a definite must read.

It took a little while getting used to the turn of the century British style of writing but once I did the payoff was enormous (can’t stress enough just how much depth and brilliance Forster packs into this little short novel with a very simple plot). The best description of this novel is a trip into Maurice’s heart and mind as he’s trying to figure out himself and his role in the highly structured society. Maurice is a character that grew on me. He’s a bit slow and emotionally immature, qualities that are annoying at first but become endearing in the end. From the first moment Forster peals back layer by layer this complicated character as Maurice learns, fumbles, and learns over again. At the same time I love Clive, at least I loved him at first. His quick wit, intelligence, thirst for knowledge and philosophy, as well as Hellenic tendencies (and love for ancient Greece) endeared him to me. And yet, due to Forster’s brilliance I found pity for him at the end as even with all those brilliant qualities, he couldn’t find in himself any understanding and compassion for others (at least others different than him). I love the ending, Clive ‘s intelligence proved to be a determent, he lacked the depth and sophistication that Maurice, even with his limited intelligence, was able to achieve. And Alec, oh Alec, we knew him such a short time but I grew to love him as much as Maurice in the end.

The ending is perfect, just brilliantly perfect, and Maurice gets to live happily ever after (in the time that it was written a happy ending to an LGBT novel meant that it encouraged crime and that the criminals got away, that really put it into perspective just how big of a deal it was for Foster to write it so). In the end, I laughed and cried, and felt heartbroken and in love right along with Maurice; it was a very emotionally and intellectually satisfying experience.

Movie Note: Based on the novel, Maurice (1987) movie was just as brilliant. With a few minor deviations (differences around the character Risley) and omissions (omitting philosophical discussions and some of the subplots) from the novel, it carries the spirit of it onto the screen. I would recommend watching the movie as well. Plus, a sexy and young Hugh Grant plays Clive and an even hotter Rupert Graves plays Alec. (less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Furqan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, bloomsbury-group, british-literature, lgbt, novels

"What an ending" to quote Maurice's tearful expression, though of course the ending was anything but tearful. After reading Giovanni's Room and Brideshead Revisited, I had prepared myself to expect nothing but tragedy from 'gay classics', but Maurice was such a pleasant surprise that I actually laughed out loud in the end. Forster's prose is beautiful and very accessible, even though at times it was excessively metaphorical and ambiguous, considering he was writing about the taboo subject of hom...more

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Aug 01, 2007 Falkor rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Forster, people interested in GLBT fiction

Shelves: fiction, 20th-century

Maurice Hall is a thoroughly average middle class English youth--not too wealthy, not too handsome, not too intelligent--muddling through life, doing what social convention requires of him. That is, until he meets fellow student Clive Durham at Cambridge, and is forced to accept what he previously kept from his conscious mind: his homosexuality. The two begin a long affair that is emotionally passionate but sexless, as Clive is unwilling to risk the potential penalty for their sleeping together:...more

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Jun 14, 2007 Jamie rated it 5 of 5 stars

favorite quotes:

a slow nature such as maurice’s appears insensitive, for it needs time even to feel. its instinct is to assume that nothing either for good or evil has happened, and to resist the invader. once gripped, it feels acutely, and its sensations in love are particularly profound. given time, it can know and impart ecstasy; given time, it can sink to the heart of hell. thus it was that his agony began as a slight regret; sleepless nights and lonely days must intensify it into a frenzy t...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Lord Beardsley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read2011

I sort of think this book should be required reading for everyone. I mean, I could potentially turn evangelical about how great I think this book is. It's gorgeously written, inspiring, passionate, multi-layered, and deals with classism as well as homophobia...oh and it was written in 1914. It had me at the dedication which is "Dedicated to a Happier Year", and after I read the final page I was so full of joy that I immediately turned on "Dancing on the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen and yes, I did...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Helena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, favorites

This story by E.M Forrester was written in 1914 but wasn't published until 1971 because of the subject matter. Maurice is the story of a sensitive boy named Maurice who falls in love with his college friend, Clive. I won't spoil the rest of the book but this is a wonderful book with great characters. My personal favorite is Scudder. This is a story about love lost and found. One of the best written gay literature ever.

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Sep 15, 2007 Austin Bunn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: recentlydispatched

Total cream. I've never read any Forster, I think because all the film adaptations of my youth made me think he was starchy, stuffy, Oxbridge-y. And I suppose it is but has such a beating heart. This book, for the fact that it's from 1913, may not exactly be "modern" on the subject of homosexuality but it's definitely subtle and precise enough to be appreciated now. I loved the short chapters, each built around a smart little pivot of feeling. And the romance itself was surprising and vigorously...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Will Lutes rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is by far one of my all time favorites. Forster's prose absolutely slays me every time I pick it up. I feel that way with all of his books but none so much as Maurice.

Maurice is a well written and profound story, considering the subject matter and the time it takes place (there is some speculation that it was loosely based on some of Forster's life experiences and it was only published posthumously) that brings the reader fully into the world of Clive, Kitty, Alec and Maurice. While a...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Jack Del Rey rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story was beautiful and moving for many reasons to me as a reader. If you are a part of the LGBT community, or even know someone close to yourself who is part of it, this a must-read book in my opinion. Otherwise I would still recommend it to others purely because it is an enjoyable book. Here are the reasons why I say this:

Firstly, growing up and reading many novels by authors such as Austen or Dickens, Maurice displays themes of love from a very traditional and conservative era which I ad...more This story was beautiful and moving for many reasons to me as a reader. If you are a part of the LGBT community, or even know someone close to yourself who is part of it, this a must-read book in my opinion. Otherwise I would still recommend it to others purely because it is an enjoyable book. Here are the reasons why I say this:

Firstly, growing up and reading many novels by authors such as Austen or Dickens, Maurice displays themes of love from a very traditional and conservative era which I adore. The metaphors and vocabulary used in this book is simply amazing. The twist is that this book has very explicit themes of homosexuality - which personally has always been a barrier for myself when reading about stories from the 19th or early 20th century. For example, despite having read and being completely absorbed into Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice many, many times, I find as a gay individual I cannot truly relate to the circumstances or characters in the way that others might. I can appreciate the characters and the feelings that are written quite easily, it is trying to relate those passages to my own life which is a struggle. But the centre romance between Maurice and Clive is not only believable but engaging. It is more than a physical attraction, it is love which unites these two characters during their earlier years in a time of innocence. For they both think highly of one another and find beauty in each other's vices and well as their strengths. This story shines a light on homosexuality in a time where it was unspeakable and presents it as a very believable series of events.

My second reason for giving it such a high rating is that unlike much of the new contemporary gay literature, the world of the protagonist Maurice is set against a completely heterosexual cast of characters which adds to its realism. Only a handful of the characters are gay in this story which was a big relief. Even in the modern day, the gay community is very proportionate when contrasted to the wider community. So when books have a dominant gay cast it makes the story unbelievable or insincere to me. Maurice definitely struggles to deal with his sexuality and how to present himself to society because of the social conventions of his friends and family. Allowing the reader to delve into the lives of the characters surrounding Maurice in his home and personal life, the reader can really see the way that Maurice thinks and how others interpret his choices.

Lastly, there is no smut! There are no random sex scenes thrown in recklessly every few chapters, there are no vivid descriptions of sex for the sake of it. Some people might find this to be a real negative but personally I love that it doesn't because it adds to the whole atmosphere and purity of this story. Granted, there are a few stolen kisses and a few awkward "morning after" scenes, but this is by-the-by a book you can give to someone who is possibly a little intimidated to read gay literature. It also shows real maturity in terms of character development for the two leading characters; Maurice and Clive. So while there are insinuations, there is beauty in the way the physical connections are described.

If I could I would have given it 4.5 stars because of the ending, but I gave it 5 because it is a rare gem and deserves more praise than criticism. (less)

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Sep 03, 2012 Petter Avén rated it 3 of 5 stars

My horizon of expectations vis-à-vis Maurice was decidedly unfavorable. This was not because of something I knew about the author or the genre, but because I did not know anything about them. I am forced to admit to being something of a conservative when it comes to reading a, for me, completely unknown novel recommended by no one I know. It was furthermore labeled as “course literature”, which is a term I associate with hard work and little joy. Intellectually I acknowledge that there is value...more My horizon of expectations vis-à-vis Maurice was decidedly unfavorable. This was not because of something I knew about the author or the genre, but because I did not know anything about them. I am forced to admit to being something of a conservative when it comes to reading a, for me, completely unknown novel recommended by no one I know. It was furthermore labeled as “course literature”, which is a term I associate with hard work and little joy. Intellectually I acknowledge that there is value in reading most books ever written, but my own personal preferences are harder to satisfy. Ironically, this cold stance may actually be of some help to me when tasked with analyzing a novel I will likely only read once. It helps me search for, identify and focus on the important themes without being unduly distracted by the story, language and character portrayals. At the same time such coldness, subconsciously decided on from the very beginning, will shield me from the feelings that the author hopes to evoke in the reader and makes me miss out on an essential part of the reading process. When reading Maurice I felt myself swinging back and forth between a cold, analytical mindset and a deep, emotional immersion into the story. How to merge the two approaches into one is a skill that I will have to improve upon.

The obviously overarching themes of Maurice are sexual divergence from the socially accepted norm and the freedom to pursue love and sexual interests in spite of following such a divergence. The main character, Maurice, is a young homosexual man, as are the two characters he desires, first Clive and later Alec. While homosexual acts are prohibited by law in England at the time of the novel’s setting, the law is likely to be enforced to different degrees depending on the “perpetrators’” social standing. More is expected of middle-class Maurice and upper-class Clive than is of working-class Alec. The law is likely to clamp down hard on supposed upholders of society’s values whereas few are likely to bother too much if a member of the sprawling working-class chooses to “debase” himself. This is reflected in Alec’s comparatively care-free attitude. Clive, on the other hand, has his future already staked out for him; he must marry and produce offspring to carry on the family line, and having a male lover on the side is risky – much would be at stake for him. Chaste love to a man could in fact be acceptable if he manages to keep the physical aspect discreet, but instead Clive chooses to suppress his true feelings and conform to society’s demands. Maurice is caught in the middle and presented with a terrible choice; he can either use his fine education and relatively good social standing to advance his career, or he can follow his heart and natural inclinations and forge a new but less secure future with Alec. He cannot have both in England. Maurice is left with a sort of envy and respect for the working-class for their ability to live freer than their “betters” in the higher classes. For him, one drastic solution could have been to move to a country where the “Code Napoleon” gives better shelter for homosexuals. Maurice’s identity crisis differs from the states of mind of Clive and Alec. Forster does not really moralize on class stereotypes; it was the accepted view of his time that the working-class had loose morals. Stereotypes aside, the very different realities facing the social classes are in line with how Maurice, Clive and Alec act, and that make them credible characters.

A purely theoretical solution to the characters’ troubles could be for Maurice to hire Alec as his manservant; this would limit the risks of their relationship being detected and they could be together in private almost like a married couple. Given Alec’s independent mindset it is highly unlikely that such an arrangement would work out in this particular case. The relatively happy ending of Maurice is or was controversial, depending on the moral convictions of the reader. At the time of its writing, the novel would be deemed extremely controversial owing to “immoral” people such as homosexuals not coming to an untimely end, or realizing the foulness of their actions and by force of will decide to follow the social norm. Although Clive does indeed choose to conform, the reader is left in little doubt that he does so from lack of viable options and will be forever unhappy in his marriage to a woman. That is not the same as true conversion. Maurice and Alec go on to face the future together, come what may. Even for a realist like me, who would point out that there are naturally no guarantees that their love and relationship will be everlasting, their breach – especially Maurice’s – of society’s hold on them is a happy ending in itself. (less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Devon rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book gave me all the feels. I read it (and part of Phantom of the Opera and The Picture of Dorian Gray) on a VERY long train ride. I liked it the best of the three.

I do not know if I liked it more because I knew that it was based on the relationship between George Merrill and Edward Carpenter. If you do not know who these men are, go to wikipedia, go to google, and find out more about them. I hold them in high esteem.

At any rate, this book is sublime. I couldn't think of another word for it...more

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May 28, 2012 Annaklara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: böcker-att-läsa-om-och-om-igen-book, böcker-jag-äger-books-i-own, books-i-read-as-à-kid-böcker-lästa

There is definately à small fag inside me.
At eighteen I read this novel. In My late teens I was spellbound by Merchant/Ivorys movies and by all the beautiful boys n them. So having watched Wilby, Grant and Graves I just had to read and own the book.

It didnt disappoint me. I found it even more interesting reading about it, E.M Forster wrote this novel about à young homosexual mans awakiening, first love and life choices, from 1913 and onwards but it wasnt published until after Foster died.
I've r...more

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Mar 12, 2012 R.J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maurice is Forster's novel about a subject he lamented was never free to write about: homosexuality. It follows Maurice Hall, a young Englishman coming to terms with his sexuality in the second decade of the twentieth century, definitely not the era for getting in touch with one's true nature. While at Cambridge, he meets Clive Durham, a fellow student with whom Maurice becomes involved, even though the relationship borders on the platonic. After two years of leading poor Maurice on, Clive decid...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Tancredi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: inglesi, lgbt, classici

"La lussuria appare trascurabile quando è assente."

Maurice non avrebbe bisogno di presentazioni: romanzo scandalo e capolavoro di uno dei più brillanti scrittori inglesi del primo Novecento, Edward Morgan Forster.
Romanzo sofferto, scritto nel 1914, rimaneggiato più volte negli anni successivi, sempre tenuto nascosto nel cassetto, finché la morte dello scrittore l'ha liberato, nel pieno, ormai, degli anni Settanta. Eppure, dopo tutto quel tempo, era ancora un romanzo capace di sorprendere, così c...more "La lussuria appare trascurabile quando è assente."

Maurice non avrebbe bisogno di presentazioni: romanzo scandalo e capolavoro di uno dei più brillanti scrittori inglesi del primo Novecento, Edward Morgan Forster.
Romanzo sofferto, scritto nel 1914, rimaneggiato più volte negli anni successivi, sempre tenuto nascosto nel cassetto, finché la morte dello scrittore l'ha liberato, nel pieno, ormai, degli anni Settanta. Eppure, dopo tutto quel tempo, era ancora un romanzo capace di sorprendere, così come avrebbe sorpreso cinquant'anni prima.

Credo che il valore di questo romanzo sia, però, puramente storico. Storico-letterario. Affrontare la lettura di questo romanzo, senza un'opportuna contestualizzazione, può esser rischioso. Ma, forse, nemmeno la giusta contestualizzazione potrebbe salvare questo romanzo che, ai miei occhi, si presenta come un capolavoro mancato.
Perché un capolavoro mancato? Perché i presupposti c'erano tutti, ma Forster non è riuscito a superare i suoi limiti. I suoi limiti psicologici, soprattutto. Maurice è un romanzo sofferto, trattenuto, fortemente limitato.
Al contrario di altri romanzi nei quali Forster può dare il meglio di sé in una scrittura serena proprio perché slegata dal suo mondo intimo ed emotivo, in Maurice c'è troppo di Forster, della sua inconfessabile identità gay, e questa gli tarpa le ali. Manca di un'accurata introspezione psicologica, manca di coinvolgimento emotivo, di una spontanea evoluzione psicologica del protagonista (che, invece, sembra fin troppa artificiosa), manca persino di quelle belle digressioni e di quel lirismo che in altri romanzi non è mai mancato. Dopo una prima parte veloce e fortemente coinvolgente, impreziosita di bei passaggi, di una accurata caratterizzazione emotiva del giovane protagonista, e di tutti i riferimenti alla cultura greca, il ritmo improvvisamente rallenta, la narrazione si appiattisce, si raffredda.
Ma, certo, è un romanzo che resta comunque "troppo avanti" per il tempo in cui è stato scritto la prima volta. Eppure, secondo me, il Maurice di Forster non regge il paragone con altri mostri sacri della letteratura inglese ed europea di quegli anni. Né con la collega Woolf, per dire, ma nemmeno con Thomas Mann: il suo Morte a Venezia è davvero irraggiungibile.
In definitiva, Maurice è un romanzo troppo castigato, eccessivamente controllato, che accusa il colpo dell'eccessivo coinvolgimento emotivo dell'autore.(less)

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Jun 14, 2010 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Special for Pride Month: the posthumously published Maurice, written by E.M. Forster in 1913, concerning a rather unremarkable bourgeois Englishman whose life changes forever when he accepts that he is homosexual. The plot follows several years of Maurice's youth, chronicling much of a two-year relationship with a classmate, Clive, a blue-blooded rebel with a secret bottomless pit of self-loathing. Forster sticks close to his characters with a psychologically astute eye, assigning them histories...more Special for Pride Month: the posthumously published Maurice, written by E.M. Forster in 1913, concerning a rather unremarkable bourgeois Englishman whose life changes forever when he accepts that he is homosexual. The plot follows several years of Maurice's youth, chronicling much of a two-year relationship with a classmate, Clive, a blue-blooded rebel with a secret bottomless pit of self-loathing. Forster sticks close to his characters with a psychologically astute eye, assigning them histories and secrets and personality traits and then letting them loose. The second half follows Maurice's personal transformation as the affair crumbles, his flight into solitude and his disillusionment with his society, and his eventual happiness with Alec Scudder, one of Clive's servants. This section lacks much of the deep characterization and reflection of the first half of the book, and as a result Alec comes off less as a fully realized person and more of a stock upper-crust sexual fantasy, a nature-loving sensualist with an appetite for both men and women and a disdain for the church, and as a target for Maurice's thwarted feelings. 50 more pages of psychological realism and this book would be on everyone's classics shelf.

As I came upon a plot twist so familiar that queer readers will probably be able to guess what it is, I thought "Hey wait... I've read this before. It was called The Well of Loneliness and I hated its fucking guts."

But as I read on, I came to realize that Maurice is in fact the anti-Well of Loneliness: it celebrates self-knowledge and life experience, rather than pathologizing them; it grows beyond the romantic myths of classical Greece and ends looking to the future, not mooning over what might have been lost; and unlike Stephen Gordon, whose final words are a futile plea for acceptance, Maurice eventually comes to realize that if he ever wants to have a fulfilled and complete life, he's going to have to chuck the veneer of respectability he's been hiding behind and embrace exile.

There are a lot of people hating on the sappy ending, but given that my edition had an afterword in which Forster explained that he could have easily gotten it published and probably made some mad cash had he juuuuuuust changed the last 30 pages so that somebody commits suicide, or gets professionally ruined, or something - I say, well done old chap.(less)

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May 22, 2012 Philip rated it 4 of 5 stars

E.M. Forster's novel of homosexual emergence and love in the Edwardian era was written prior to World War One, but because the novel's subject was very controversial (homosexual acts were still illegal in England at the time) and because Forster himself was extremely closeted, he chose not to publish it during his lifetime, although he apparently did share the manuscript with friends in the decades after it was written, during which he made occasional changes to the novel. He wrote in his "Termi...more E.M. Forster's novel of homosexual emergence and love in the Edwardian era was written prior to World War One, but because the novel's subject was very controversial (homosexual acts were still illegal in England at the time) and because Forster himself was extremely closeted, he chose not to publish it during his lifetime, although he apparently did share the manuscript with friends in the decades after it was written, during which he made occasional changes to the novel. He wrote in his "Terminal Notes" to the novel:
"A happy ending was imperative. I shouldn’t have bothered to write otherwise. I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows, and in this sense Maurice and Alec still roam the greenwood. I dedicated it “To a Happier Year” and not altogether vainly. Happiness is its keynote---which by the way has had an unexpected result: it has made the book more difficult to publish. Unless the Wolfenden Report becomes law, it will probably have to remain in manuscript. If in ended unhappily, with a lad dangling from a noose or with a suicide pact, all would be well, for there is no pornography or seduction of minors. But the lovers get away unpunished and consequently recommend crime. Mr. Borenius is too incompetent to catch them, and the only other penalty society exacts is an exile they gladly embrace."
Although Forster did indeed live to see homosexuality decriminalized in England, MAURICE remained unpublished until 1971, the year after Forster's death.

Did they or didn’t they? As I write this I’m about two-thirds through MAURICE (a re-read, actually) – I think Forster leaves it up to the reader to decide how far Maurice and Clive were involved – he refers to them as ‘lovers,’ makes it clear that for a time Maurice spends every Wednesday night at Clive’s flat (though he makes it equally clear that a room is provided for him there) and they spend much of each weekend together. While are any number of instances of physical touches and embraces, exactly how physical their relationship was, Forster refrains from saying outright though if, as he repeated mentions, Maurice allowed Clive to be the guiding force in the relationship, it's quite likely they didn't.

5/22: As in most Forster works, class figures significantly here – both Maurice and Clive are snobs, and at the end, when Maurice tells Clive that “I’m in love with your gamekeeper” [Alec Scudder], Clive refers to it as a ‘grotesque announcement’ – he is as horrified at Maurice’s choice of a partner as he is at Maurice’s unabashed admission of homosexuality.

(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Alastair rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Absolutely adored this and will definitely read more Forster as a result. Convincing characterisation of the protagonist and an eye-opening personal insight into living as a gaywe one hundred years ago. I cried, on an aeroplane. Loser.

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May 09, 2013 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting historical document but a mediocre novel. I wonder if the subject of young gay love struck too close to home for Forster, and the novel's tepid romances and bizarre, schmaltzy ending are evidence of his inability to distance himself from his characters. I'd love to give this novel a pass for being gay ahead of it's time, but whatever was transgressive and exciting about the novel when Forster first conceived of it is no longer vibrant today.

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Jun 03, 2013 April rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, romance, would-marry-the-author-for-this, read-in-2013, historicals

(Possible spoilers follow... and I'll re-do this at a later date, most likely)

It's wonderful to read a m/m novel where the author focuses on the relationship and feelings as opposed to the physical to strengthen the adoration between the two leads. The language used is just an utter delight to read; it flows smoothly and certain emotions are transcribed in an almost lyrical fashion. Heavenly! E.M Forster - you badass! I'm just sorry this wonderful man wasn't alive to see his work published and...more (Possible spoilers follow... and I'll re-do this at a later date, most likely)

It's wonderful to read a m/m novel where the author focuses on the relationship and feelings as opposed to the physical to strengthen the adoration between the two leads. The language used is just an utter delight to read; it flows smoothly and certain emotions are transcribed in an almost lyrical fashion. Heavenly! E.M Forster - you badass! I'm just sorry this wonderful man wasn't alive to see his work published and appreciated today. I mean he gave Maurice & Alec a happy ending. Given the time the novel was written I expected it to tend in a typically cataclysmic way and was overjoyed when it didn't! If only Forster had written the storylines for those utterly unique tales in which at least one of the two males ends up dying tragically. (view spoiler)

Maurice Hall is undeniably a tortured soul. From the first chapter we're aware of his alienation from societal laws and estrangement from the 'norm'. Indifferent to women(so much so at times his feelings border on misogyny), he deems himself an abomination of society. He trembles, he sweats; he contemplates suicide. Homosexuality is of course taboo; feared, abhorred, held with contempt in a world Maurice is held hostage by.

But what I enjoyed most about Maurice was the brutal honesty of it. Maurice is neither a victim nor a saint but clearly a man who doesn't meet the standards of the society he lives in, with which he has to cope. His "first love" doesn't pan out either, with Clive resorting to women and ultimately what can only be assumed a loveless marriage (a friend described it to me as Clive 'not falling out of love, but into fear.') Failed attempts at finding a 'cure' only amplify Maurice's loneliness. Hopeless, Maurice however finds eventual love in the arms of young gamekeeper Alec Scudder and Forster offers a hopeful look of their future together, happily devoid of rules.

Beautiful and true, Maurice compacts the bitter, honest journey of a man struggling against the world to find his own happiness into a stylish, sophisticated, masterful novel worthy of standing on the shelf among other classics as a finely crafted piece of both Gay and British Literature.

Overall rating: 4.5.(less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cambridge student Maurice Hall is beginning to realize just how harsh, strange, and unfair some realities are. His future has been carefully plotted. He’s to follow in his father’s footsteps as a stockbroker, then marry, and embrace all the responsibilities required for someone in his position. Maurice isn’t overly thrilled with these prospects, but when he meets the young and attractive Clive Durham, he begins to rethink what he really wants from life.

Maurice is E.M. Forster’s fourth novel, how...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Arwen56 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romanzi

Maurice è indubbiamente il migliore tra i romanzi che ho letto di Forster: intenso, sentito e coinvolgente.

Questo non vuol dire che sia del tutto riuscito. Vi è più di un passaggio di dubbia fattura, quale, ad esempio, qualche troppo repentino cambiamento di pensiero e inclinazione, non adeguatamente giustificato, o una troppo frettolosa “chiusa”, che avrebbe sicuramente meritato un maggiore approfondimento.

Ma nel complesso regge benissimo. La delicatezza e contemporaneamente, la forza con cui l...more

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About E.M. Forster

Edward Morgan Forster, E.M., was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. His humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel Howards End: "Only connect".

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Quotes from Maurice

“You confuse what's important with what's impressive.” — 55 people liked it

“You do care a little for me, I know... but nothing to speak of, and you don't love me. I was yours once till death if you'd cared to keep me, but I'm someone else's now... and he's mine in a way that shocks you, but why don't you stop being shocked, and attend to your own happiness.” — 53 people liked it

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