E M Forster

Howards End Illustrated E M Forster

The Schlegels had briefly met and befriended the Wilcoxes when both families were touring Germany. Helen, the younger Schlegel daughter, visits the Wilcoxes at their country house, Howards End. She is attracted to the younger Wilcox son, Paul, and they become engaged in haste but soon regret their decision, breaking off the engagement by mutual consent. Not long after, the Schlegel sisters attend a concert featuring a performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Helen is so entranced by the images the music creates in her mind that she leaves, inadvertently taking an umbrella that belongs to Leonard Bast. Margaret gives Leonard her card and invites him to come with her after the concert to retrieve the umbrella. Once there, Leonard is embarrassed by the shabby quality of his umbrella and quickly departs. Later that year, the Wilcoxes move to London, taking an apartment close to the Schlegels' house. Margaret befriends the Wilcox matriarch, Ruth. Howards End is Ruth's most prized possession; she feels a strong connection to the old house, which is not shared by her husband and children. Ruth becomes quite ill and, perceiving Margaret as a kindred spirit, on her deathbed writes a note leaving Howards End to Margaret. The note causes great consternation to the widowed Henry Wilcox. He and his children burn it without telling Margaret about her inheritance. Leonard Bast is living with but not married to Jacky, a vulnerable "fallen" woman for whom he feels responsible. He again encounters the Schlegels after Jacky finds Margaret's card and shows up at the Schlegels in search of "her husband," thoroughly mystifying Helen. The previous evening instead of coming home after work, Leonard had walked all night from the city out through the country, an action Helen looks on as adventurous. Later in the day, after Leonard has come and explained the situation, the Schlegels meet Henry Wilcox, as they are walking and discussing how they could best help the impoverished Basts. On hearing the name of the insurance company where Leonard works, Henry recommends that he quit his job, as the company is bound to "smash". The Schlegels share this information with Leonard. The friendship between Henry and Margaret blossoms into romance, and Henry proposes to Margaret, who accepts. Henry's children do not look upon the engagement with a friendly eye. But the only real opposition comes from older son Charles and his wife Dolly, who fear that Margaret endangers their inheritance of Howards End.