Review: Howards End, by E.M. Forster

Title: Howards End

Author: E.M. Forster

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Date of Publication: June 2012 (first pub. 1910)

Number of Pages: 382

See it on Goodreads: Howards End

Summary

Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. A strong-willed and intelligent woman refuses to allow the pretensions of her husband's smug English family to ruin her life. Howards End is considered by some to be Forster's masterpiece.

Review - Not just a House

Howards End has been sitting on my shelf for many years. I happened to watch the 1992 film adaptation a long time ago and I always meant to read the book. I had already read (and loved) E.M. Forster's A Room with a View, and I knew that I would enjoy the writing style. I think that the main reason that stopped me from reading it for years, was that I always thought that it would be a grim read. Now that I'm through with it, I can't help but wonder What took me so long?

Howards End is about a house of the same name and three different families that get tied up together. The three families represent the different classes of England, and so it is very interesting to see how they interact with each other. Our main protagonists are the two sisters, Margaret and Helen Schlegel, and they represent the intellectuals. Being half of the German descent, they can view the English society from an outsider's perspective. This enables them to voice their doubts and criticisms, without facing any consequences.

The second family is the Wilcoxes. They are rich and they are those who make the country go forward. Henry's and Charles' views are somewhat traditional and old-fashioned. In fact, they get intimidated (even though they never voice it) by the Schlegel sisters, who are more open-minded. Even Ruth Wilcox, who appears to be gentler than the rest, is particularly old-fashioned. Her only care in the world is Howards End, the house of her family. 

The third family is the Basts and they represent the lower-middle class. Even though their role in the story is significant, we don't get to see much of them. Jacky is a woman of questionable morals, who only married Leonard out of need. On the other side, Leonard aspires to enter the higher class. The way he has found to do this is by getting acquainted with the culture. Thus, one of his favourite past-times is to read. However, when he interacts with the Schlegels, he can only catch their attention when he is his true and honest self.

Those three families are destined to meet and it all begins and ultimately comes down to Howards End. In this novel, this is not just a house. When reading the book, you realize the Howards End is a distinctive character. When you think about it, it's as if it has cast a spell over Ruth Wilcox and later on Margaret Schlegel. In reality, the house is a symbol. The true conflict of the book is which class is going to inherit England. Keep in mind that this book was written and published at the end of the 20th century. Things were quickly changing. When you read the thoughts of the Schlegels, you get a more modern view than you'd expect. On the opposite side, you could not even imagine Henry Wilcox to admit that women can have an active role in society. However, I need to be fair and mention that by the end you are able to notice the slightest difference in him.

If I had to pinpoint the main directions that Howards End is moving, I would say that there are two main things. First of all, this is a book about the clash of classes. As I've already told you, the three families come from three different backgrounds. They interact and have an effect on each other. Some relationships are harmful, like that of Henry and Leonard, and some other are beneficial, like that of Henry and Margaret or Leonard and Helen. The struggle of the lower class is real and you feel deeply about Leonard. Moreover, you witness the cruelty of the old-fashioned ideas of the Wilcoxes. But, according to E.M. Forster, the future belongs to none of these three classes. Instead, in the end he implies that something new will emerge, that will be outside of this system. It is not a random thing that Helen's son will eventually inherit Howards End (England).

The second thing that heavily influences the book is the transformation of London. The old houses are being torn down and give way to apartments and flats. As Margaret often thinks, you can no longer get a view of the sky. Towards the end of the book, she even feels like she cannot live in London anymore. It has become a city for the young people, those who don't have time to stop and enjoy the scenery. Cars are also a new addition, making the roads more dangerous than they used to be. Rich people, like the Wilcoxes, already own their own cars and you can witness their obsession with them. 

My favourite character in the book is definitely Margaret. She is gentle, understanding, and can always read the situation before her. She knows how to handle Henry, especially after the point they got married. Ruth Wilcox left Howards End to Margaret before she dies, but the Wilcoxes didn't honour her wish. However, things played out in a way that the house ended up in Margaret's hands. Even though she wasn't of the family (initially), she was the only one who felt the magic of the place. Her actions throughout the book, not only managed to keep everyone from falling apart but also brought life back to Howards End.

My least favourite character is definitely Helen, which I find somewhat amusing as a fact. She represents the same things as Margaret (the progressive and intellectual people) but I can't stand her. She is extreme and cannot act according to the rules. However, the thing that irritates me the most is that she always acts like a spoilt child, and no-one ever accuses her of doing so. Yes, she is right when she defends Leonard, but her actions bring more damage than anything else. She refuses to accept  that Margaret loves Henry, just because she can't get over the fact that she kissed his son some years ago. Even her actions towards Leonard are unfair. They share a night together and she disappears. Leonard for months and months keeps feeling tormented by his guilt. After the incident, Helen flees England and refuses to even talk to Margaret. However, her sister is able to bottle things up, and through her way, she finds a way to make Helen open up to her. In a way, I am reminded of Elinor and Marianne from Sense and Sensibility.

Now that I've gone through the characters, it's time to talk about the writing style. Even though I had read A Room with a View, I didn't recall how easy to read is E.M. Forster's prose. Howards End is definitely one of the easiest to read classics. The writing flows naturally and the tone is just right. Despite the heavy things that happen during the story, it never gets too heavy, thus avoiding the melodrama. My only remark would be that in some chapters there is way too much description. However, this didn't stop me from enjoying the story, as I always felt that it was progressing (which was my main criticism of Dracula). I think that Chapter 5, in particular, is probably one of the best pieces of prose I have ever read.

Howards End is one of those classics that many people want to read but never get to actually do it. If you are one of those people, I would recommend that you do it as soon as you can. However, keep in mind that this never plays out as a romance, even though there are many instances that it could. Despite this fact, this classic never gets boring. You will find characters to love and characters to hate, you will feel things, and it will get you thinking. It offers a worthwhile experience.

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