As Claude Summers said, "E。 M。 Forster is the most famous gay writer in modern English literature。 Although, to some extent, Forster has the characteristics of Edwardian writers, as he said he is a figure of late Victorian liberalism, he expresses the idea of the liberation of homosexuality better than any other contemporary imaginative writers。" (2005:78)

1。2 Introduction to the novel Maurice

Published in 1971, Maurice is a novel written by E。 M。 Forster。 As a tale of same-sex love in early 20th-century England, the novel is remarkable for its descriptions of homosexual love。 It tells a story of a young man Maurice Hall searching for his own identity in a society hostile to homosexuality following from his schooldays, via university to society。 Depicting the protagonist's homosexual love relationships with his Cambridge lover Clive Durham and Clive's gamekeeper Alec, the novel explores Maurice’s pursuit of self-identity through the conflict between a quest for true love and social values。

The novel was finished in 1913 to 1914, nevertheless, considering the public and legal attitudes to homosexuality at that time, Forster held the view that his insistence on a happy ending would make the book enormously controversial。 A note found on the manuscript reflected his worry about the response from the society, which read "Publishable, but worth it?" Maurice, remained hidden from all but his closest friends until his death in 1970。 It was published a year later to mixed reviews。 However, by the time he died, British public and legal attitudes towards homosexuality had gradually changed。 Gay culture had become a vogue。 

The novel, which traces the emotional development of the protagonist as he deals with the aftermath of being homosexual, is a Bildungsroman in essence。 As a writer who indulged himself in the same-sex relationship, Forster describes homosexual love in his novel in a vague way to some degree。 As a homosexual love story, the novel is controversial, given that Forster's homosexuality had not been previously known or widely acknowledged。 Until now, critics have continued to argue over what is the effect of Forster's homosexuality and personal experience on his writing。

2。 Homosexual love in the Novel

The first two parts of the novel mainly talk about the relationship between Maurice and his lover Clive, describing the suburban life and Cambridge life。 Maurice identifies his sexual orientation under the guidance of Clive。 The latter two parts focus on the affection between Maurice and Alec, describing the social life in the country house of Penge。 Clive and Alec represent two different homosexual attitudes: the former represents the pure spiritual love, the latter represents carnal love。

2。1 Love between Maurice and Clive

At the beginning of the novel, the academic senior assistant, Mr。 Ducie, implicitly explains sexual knowledge to Maurice and informs him that heterosexual marriage is the concept of normal marriage, which reveals the universal attitudes towards sex and the agreement of heterosexual marriage in Victorian age。 The school's sexual enlightenment education not only did not provide any help to Maurice, who has potential homosexual orientation, but let him fall into the darkness that failing to achieve his self-identity。 All that he can do is waiting。 At Cambridge, filled with freedom, homosexuality is also considered to be disgraceful。 Family, society and school want Maurice to do a decent middle-class people, just like his father。 Out of the resentment to these expectations and the fear of homosexual tendency, Maurice is full of sorrow。文献综述

Although Maurice is aware of his homosexual orientation and desire for homosexual love, he has neither the knowledge nor the role to imitate, so he does not know what kind of love he wants。 Clive, a Cambridge student from the upper-middle class, builds up a bridge for Maurice leading to love of men。 Unlike Maurice, Clive, from the squire class, has a very clear understanding of his homosexuality。 Clive advises Maurice to read Plato's The Symposium , guides Maurice in an academic perspective and boldly expresses his view on homosexuality。 While they are debating The Symposium, Clive justifies his homosexuality and expresses his affection to Maurice。 Clive's confession of love becomes an opportunity for Maurice to formally identify with his gender identity。 He contemplates what he should do after he refuses Clive's quest for love。 After his inner struggle, self-reflection and the desire for homosexual love finally makes him decide to identify with his sexual identity。 He thinks that he can no longer pretend that he has interest in women, since he finds Clive is just what he has seen in the dream。 Clive makes Maurice know himself and saves his soul that was imprisoned, so Maurice admires Clive as his only idol and is absolutely obedient to Clive。 In the course of the development of the relationship between Maurice and Clive, Clive is always guiding Maurice, or his spirit is always educating Maurice's flesh。 Although Maurice accepts his homosexual identity, but he does not completely come"out of the closet。" Though his feelings to Clive become stronger, he has to suppress the lust and also consider the ethics of middle class。