Howards End is a novel by E.M. Forster, first published in 1910. It tells the story of two families, the Wilcoxes and the Schlegels, and their interactions with each other. The Wilcoxes are a wealthy, conservative family, while the Schlegels are a more liberal, intellectual family. The novel follows the lives of the two families as they become intertwined through marriage and friendship.
The novel begins with the Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, attending a party at the Wilcoxes' home. There, they meet the Wilcoxes' son, Paul, and his fiancée, Ruth Wilcox. Margaret and Helen are immediately taken with Ruth, and they become close friends. Ruth dies soon after, leaving her home, Howards End, to Margaret in her will. This causes a rift between the two families, as the Wilcoxes feel that Ruth's wishes should not be honored.
The novel follows the lives of the two families as they struggle to come to terms with Ruth's death and the implications of her will. Margaret and Helen become close friends with the Wilcoxes' daughter, Evie, and her husband, Leonard Bast. Leonard is a poor clerk who is struggling to make ends meet, and the Schlegels take him under their wing. Meanwhile, the Wilcoxes are struggling to come to terms with the fact that Howards End is now in Margaret's possession.
The novel follows the lives of the two families as they navigate their relationships with each other. Margaret and Helen become close friends with the Wilcoxes, and Margaret and Henry Wilcox eventually fall in love. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Margaret is still in possession of Howards End. The novel culminates in a dramatic scene at Howards End, where the two families come together to resolve their differences.
Howards End is a novel about the complexities of relationships between two very different families. It explores themes of class, love, and family, and examines how these themes can be reconciled. Through the characters of Margaret and Henry, Forster shows how love can transcend class boundaries, and how understanding and compromise can bring two families together. The novel is a timeless classic, and its themes are still relevant today.