Summary
Howards End, published in 1910, is considered E.M. Forster's masterpiece and one of the great English novels of the 20th century. Set in Edwardian England, it explores themes of class, romance, and social change through the intertwining lives of three families—the wealthy Wilcoxes, the idealistic Schlegel sisters, and the struggling Basts. The novel's famous epigraph “Only connect” captures its plea for human understanding across societal divides. A critically acclaimed 1992 film adaptation starring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins brought renewed attention to Forster's nuanced portrait of England on the cusp of modernity.
Plot
Set in early 20th-century England, Howard’s End revolves around three families—the wealthy, capitalist Wilcoxes; the cultured, idealistic Schlegel siblings; and the struggling, lower-class Basts. After a brief engagement between Helen Schlegel and Paul Wilcox is called off, Helen's sister Margaret befriends Paul’s mother, Ruth. On her deathbed, Ruth attempts to leave the family home, Howards End, to Margaret, but her husband Henry and children destroy the note. Meanwhile, the Schlegels try to help Leonard Bast, an impoverished clerk, after a chance encounter.
After Ruth’s death, Henry Wilcox becomes romantically involved with Margaret Schlegel and, despite his children's objections, they get engaged. Helen becomes passionately invested in helping the Basts after Henry's poor advice causes Leonard Bast to lose his job. At Evie Wilcox's wedding, Henry recognizes Leonard's wife, Jacky, as a former mistress, leading to dramatic confrontations. Helen ends up spending the night with Leonard discussing their troubles and becomes pregnant, then flees abroad. When she returns, Margaret discovers Helen's pregnancy at Howards End.
In a tragic turn of events, Leonard arrives at Howards End and is attacked by Henry's son Charles. Leonard grabs a bookcase, which collapses on him, causing a fatal heart attack. Charles is convicted of manslaughter. A chastened Henry agrees to leave Howards End to Margaret as his first wife, Ruth, intended. The novel ends with Margaret and Helen living together at Howards End, which will eventually pass to Helen and Leonard's son—a symbol of hope for England's future.
Themes
Class conflict and social change
Unexpected connections between people of different backgrounds
Materialism vs. idealism
The role of women in society
Inheritance and property ownership
Rural vs. urban life in England
Personal relationships and marriage
Setting
Howards End is set in Edwardian England during the early 20th century, a period of significant social and economic change. The novel captures the tensions between old and new money, traditional values and modern ideals, as the country grapples with rapid industrialization and shifting class dynamics.
The story primarily takes place in London, where the Schlegel sisters reside, and the surrounding countryside. A key location is Howards End—a charming country house in rural Hertfordshire that becomes central to the plot. The contrast between bustling urban life and the tranquil countryside reflects the broader societal changes of the era.
Forster incorporates other settings to illuminate class divisions, including the Wilcoxes' London residences and Leonard Bast's modest flat. These varied locales allow the author to explore how different social groups navigate the changing landscape of early 20th-century Britain, both literally and figuratively.
Characters
Margaret Schlegel: The eldest Schlegel sister. Intellectual and compassionate, she marries Henry Wilcox and ultimately inherits Howards End.
Helen Schlegel: Margaret's younger sister. Impulsive and idealistic, she becomes pregnant after a brief affair with Leonard Bast.
Henry Wilcox: A wealthy businessman. Pragmatic and conventional, he marries Margaret after his first wife's death.
Ruth Wilcox: Henry's first wife, who forms a connection with Margaret and wishes to leave her Howards End.
Leonard Bast: A poor, aspiring intellectual who struggles financially. He has a brief affair with Helen.
Jacky Bast: Leonard's wife, a former prostitute with a connection to Henry Wilcox's past.
Charles Wilcox: Henry's eldest son, aggressive and materialistic. He accidentally causes Leonard Bast's death.
Tibby Schlegel: The youngest Schlegel sibling, a somewhat detached intellectual.
Evie Wilcox: Henry's daughter, who marries during the course of the novel.
Paul Wilcox: Henry's younger son, briefly engaged to Helen at the beginning of the story.
Aunt Juley: The Schlegel siblings' aunt and guardian, representing traditional Victorian values.
Quick facts
Howard’s End took E.M. Forster two years to write. He began the novel in June 1908 and completed it in July 1910.
Published in 1910, Howards End was immediately hailed as a masterpiece and is widely considered Forster’s greatest work.
The novel explores themes of class, inheritance, and Edwardian England's changing social landscape, and advocates for more compassion and understanding across class lines.
The book's famous epigraph is “Only connect..."
Forster based Howards End on his childhood home, Rooks Nest House in Hertfordshire.
The Schlegel sisters were loosely inspired by Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell.
In 1998, Modern Library ranked Howards End at number 38 on its list of the best 20th century English-language novels.
Forster employs an omniscient third-person narrator with a gently ironic tone.
Howards End has been adapted into a film, TV series, stage plays, radio dramas, and even an opera.
The 1992 film adaptation won three Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Emma Thompson, who plays Margaret Schlegel.
Zadie Smith's 2005 novel On Beauty is a modern homage to Howards End.
About the Author
E.M. (Edward Morgan) Forster was an influential English novelist and essayist in the early 20th century. He is best known for novels examining class differences and social hypocrisy in British society, including A Room with a View (1908), Howards End (1910), and A Passage to India (1924). Along with symbolism and mystical elements, his writing often explores themes of understanding across societal and cultural barriers, reflected in his famous epigraph from Howards End, “Only connect.”
Born in 1879, Forster and his works were shaped by his beliefs as a humanist and his experience as a gay man. He was a member of the Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals and served as a conscientious objector during World War I, working for the Red Cross in Egypt. While maintaining a facade of bachelorhood, he was openly gay among his close circle of friends, during a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. While he explored same-sex relationships in his writing, his novel Maurice, which depicts a gay love story, was only published posthumously in 1971.
Beyond his novels, Forster was an accomplished essayist and broadcaster. He wrote extensively on literary criticism, including the well-known work Aspects of the Novel. Forster was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature an impressive 13 times over a span of more than 20 years, and he refused the honor of knighthood. He died in 1970 at the age of 91.
