E.M. Forster «Maurice» (mit Film am Ende)

It was called «Gross Indecency». Not until 1967 were private, consensual homosexual acts between men over the age of 21 (later 16) decriminalized in England and Wales. E.M. Forster, author of masterpieces like «A Room with a View» and «A Passage to India», was fascinated by the courageous relationship between two of his friends and started writing «Maurice» in 1913. The bittersweet story about a young man trying to overcome the constraints of Edwardian society wasn't published until 1971, after Forster's death. Its key themes - following one's innermost nature, the challenge to cross class lines, to defy prevailing norms - continue to resonate with readers today. A great romantic and revolutionary novel, «Maurice» and its legacy transcends time. At the end of the course we shall watch the film version with James Wilby and Hugh Grant. Level C1 required.