Howards End

Novel by E.M. Forster, first published in 1910. Title does not contain an apostrophe. Novel does not feature one or more Howards.

Plot

Helen and Paul kiss each other, when she is visiting the Wilcoxes at Howards End, the estate that belongs to Mrs Wilcox. Unfortunately, Helen writes a letter to her aunt Juley, which triggers a series of misunterstandings and much ado about everything. Besides, the engagement is off anyway.

At the end of the novel, Helen's sister Margaret has married Mr Wilcox. Before that she was deprived of her inheritance of Howards End by the Wilcox family. Helen has an illegitimate child by Leonard Bast who lost his job because of Mr Wilcox and is accidentally killed by one of the Wilcox sons.

How does one get from the beginning of the novel to the end? Only connect. Or read the book.

Film adaptation

Howards End was released in 1992. It was a huge success and in 1993 received three Oscars (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Actress for Emma Thompson). James Ivory was the director of the film and it was produced by Ismail Merchant. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala wrote the screenplay. Howards End can therefore be regarded as the typical Merchant Ivory film.

Margaret Schlegel was played by Emma Thompson, who won an Oscar for her performance in the film. Helena Bonham Carter was Helen Schlegel. Anthony Hopkins played the character of Henry Wilcox and Ruth Wilcox was performed by Vanessa Redgrave.

Zadie Smith's novel On Beauty (2005) transfers Howards End to contemporary times.

Sources:

Forster, Edward Morgan. Howards End. Introduction and Notes by David Lodge, London: Penguin, 2000.

Higson, Andrew. English Heritage, English Cinema. Costume Drama since 1980, Oxford: OUP, 2003.

Howards End. UK 1992 (Director: James Ivory, Producer: Ismael Merchant).