After diving into the world of Dark Academia, I chose the novel “Maurice” by E.M. Forster. Plato’s “Symposium” gets quite a few shout-outs in this book. Thinking it would help me better grasp “Maurice,” I first read “Symposium” before I finished Forster’s novel.
“Maurice” takes us to England and introduces us to the main character, Maurice Hall, when he’s just a young boy. His mom and nurse teach him the basics until it’s time for him to go to public school. Even though the school’s not his thing, he’s great at studying. He does so well that he gets into Cambridge University.
While at Cambridge, Maurice meets a slightly older and super-smart student named Clive Durham. They start as friends, and over time, they fall in love – Maurice begins to understand and accept his feelings for other men, which he had struggled with because society frowned upon them.
Later, Maurice bumps into a gamekeeper named Alec Scudder and sparks fly. Their relationship is more about physical attraction and passion than his intellectual connection with Clive, showing Maurice’s growth in accepting his desires.
I’ve skipped over some parts of the story to avoid spoiling it for those who still need to read it.
E.M. Forster’s book “Maurice” makes you think about how people can love and connect. It seems you’re talking about the type of love Plato describes in his “Symposium.” That kind of love starts with a physical attraction, evolves into a deep soul-to-soul bond, and then moves towards appreciating the wisdom and timeless beauty beyond any person.
In the book, Maurice Hall and Clive Durham have a relationship mostly based on shared thoughts and emotions, much like the idea of Platonic love. They connect on an intellectual level and care a lot about each other. But Clive struggles with his feelings for men and sticks with what society wants. He ends up breaking up with Maurice and marrying a woman instead.
Maurice and Clive are students at Cambridge, so they’re on the same intellectual level. However, even though they have intense feelings for each other, their love doesn’t fully grow into the kind of love Plato discusses in “Symposium.” It’s not because they don’t understand each other but because of how they each deal with their feelings for the same sex, their identities, and what society expects from them.
Despite his feelings for men, Clive chooses to follow society’s rules. He breaks up with Maurice, denies his feelings, and marries a woman. The fear of what others might think and the challenge of accepting his true self hinder his ability to have a meaningful and enduring relationship with Maurice.
On the other hand, Maurice initially struggles with his feelings but eventually accepts them. This acceptance leads him to form a strong and passionate relationship with Alec Scudder. Their love is open and fiery, both physically and emotionally. Alec is a gamekeeper, and his lower social status allows him to break free from society’s expectations more than Maurice and Clive, which helps Maurice fully accept his feelings and identity.
Maurice’s relationships with Clive and Alec show the different stages of his journey to understand and accept who he is. The change from Clive to Alec also shows how Maurice goes from denying who he is to openly expressing his true self. In this way, “Maurice” explores how societal expectations, personal identity, love, and desire can interact.
Maurice and Clive’s relationship faces many challenges, mostly because of family and societal expectations. But there’s even more. In 1533, Henry VIII of England introduced a law that made homosexual acts punishable by death. Not too long ago, being gay was still illegal in England, like in many other parts of the world. The famous writer Oscar Wilde was even imprisoned for it in 1895. Although “Maurice” was published in 1971, it was written in 1913-1914, making it one of the earliest English books to discuss homosexuality in men openly.
The main things holding Maurice and Clive back from having a long-lasting love aren’t intellectual but emotional and societal. Even if they understood each other perfectly, they might not have been able to overcome societal expectations and fully accept who they were without being brave and open-minded.
In Plato’s “Symposium,” the highest level of love can last forever and even conquer death. I can’t help but think about how things might have ended differently. Suppose Clive and Maurice had fully accepted who they were and were brave enough to be open about their relationship. In that case, they might have overcome societal expectations and have a deep, lasting relationship. But they handle their identities and societal expectations differently, taking them down different paths.
Reading this book has widened my perspective on some ongoing social issues we face today. It’s like taking a walk in someone else’s shoes. Even though I may not have any issues with how people choose to love or who they love, it doesn’t mean these individuals don’t face their unique challenges.
Just because someone’s choices differ from ours doesn’t make their experiences less real or important. Understanding that each person’s journey is unique and filled with personal struggles that we might not always see from the outside is crucial. Reading “Maurice” has emphasized this point, and it’s been a good reminder always to be open-minded and understanding of others.
I’ve always considered E.M. Forster a writer who dives deep into big ideas like a philosopher does. After reading this book, he lived up to my expectations. Not only did he tell a powerful story, but he also got me thinking about some critical topics. So, if you’re in the mood for an entertaining book that gives you a lot to ponder, “Maurice” by E.M. Forster is definitely a great pick!
