E. M. Forster

From ArticleWorld

Known for his works like “Howard’s End”, E.M.Forster was a British writer who attempted to explore class differences in his books, essays and short stories.

Life

E.M.Forster’s schooling was in Tonbridge School in Kent. He went on to finish his education at King’s College, Cambridge in 1901. While at college, he was an active member of the Apostles, whose members founded the Bloomsbury Group. Born to an architect, E.M Forster was a well-traveled writer. Accompanied by G.L.Dickinson he traveled to India, Germany and Egypt. His first excursion to India was in 1914. He went back to India in 1916 and became involved with a Muslim youth he met there. This young man, his muse, sadly, died of T.B in Alexandria in 1922. Forster was heart broken. His book-length letter tries to preserve the memory of this youth who was the inspiration for several of his works. E.M.Forster was born in London and died at the age of 90 in Conventry.

Work

Forster, at heart, saw all human beings as equal. Class differences and the reconciliation there of were the topics that he dwelt on for most part. “What I Believe” is a non-fictional work that reflects his humanist views A secular humanist, Forster's wrote “A Passage to India” and “Howard’s End”. In these books the irreconcilability of class differences are dealt with. The book “Maurice”, similarly, takes on the task of exploring interclass associations and homosexuality. While critics give “A Room with a view” less weightage, it met with great popularity. While he is know for these novels, equally valuable are the essays and short stories and that reflect this writer’s versatility.