Of Men and Maurice

Please pick up the novel Maurice by E.M. Forster from the library. We will be examining Part 1 of the novel after our discussion.

Kahoot: Myth of Masculinity Survey/Quiz & discussion.
Let's screen Crash Course Mythology #25: The Hero's Journey.

Maurice Notes:

• Take a moment to view this short video about Edwardian childhood
• An Edwardian Childhood (documentary clip)
• Edwardian Summer (Pathe' Brothers Newsreel)
• Edwardian Photographs
• Choosing a College at Cambridge (promotional video); & Cambridge: How Do Cambridge Colleges Differ? (vlog)
• Uncover the Truth about the Life of Edwardian Families (documentary)
• See handout on Edwardian Etiquette or view this link for more details/articles. 

Maurice is a romantic look at the innocence of the Edwardian period. The book is dedicated to "a happier year"--in particular, just before The Great War. Men (and boys) were still very much influenced by the Victorian ethic: to be ernest, bold, confident, well-mannered, and unemotional--what we might call stolid. 

Victorians, in general, held a great reverence for ethics, doing the right (insert "civilized") thing, and having a strong sense of duty to one's country, creed, and family. Christian values, traditions, and moral behaviors were expected. It was a simpler place for a man because he knew exactly what society expected of him. He was to be true to himself, to work and raise a family, to provide and protect, and, of course, to honor women and be gentlemanly. A man was meant to sacrifice his own personal interests or needs for his country or family. Of course, this is all fine and good for the leisure class (the upper class who inherited their wealth--think Citizen Kane when he was sold off by his mother to the rich banker...); the lower classes were as rude and rough-edged as they always have been. A person's economic class was immediately identified in England (or America) by his accent, his clothes, and his rude and rough behavior or manners.

The book is unique in that it is one of the earlier examples of the gay novel--what is often called a "coming out" story. It was not published until after Forster's death in 1970--also just after the beginning of the modern gay rights movement. 

The narrative is told from a cautious (and very British) 3rd person limited narrator, mostly over the shoulder of the three main male characters in the novel (Maurice Hall, Clive Durham, and Alec Scudder). The narrative is divided into 4 parts focusing on each of the protagonists--although mainly this is a story involving the titular character: Maurice (pronounced Morris).  

Read E.M. Forster's "terminal note" (page 249-255) for further details.

TASK: As you read, examine the growth/maturity of the title character in Part 1 of the novel. Look for examples of "what boys & men were supposed to aspire to." [What constitutes masculinity & male behavior]. When you find these examples, please put them down in your Cornell Notes with the page # of the passage. Aim to find between 5 and 10 of these examples in Part 1. Additionally, complete the discussion stem questions (see handout). 

HOMEWORK: Complete part 1 of Maurice. There may be a quiz next class on Part 1. You will be able to use your task notes on masculinity and men.

Additionally, please listen to one of the popular podcasts from the website The Art of Manliness. You'll find the podcasts on the right side of the webpage near the bottom.

Choose one podcast to listen to and write a review of the main points the speakers are making about men, our culture, and your reaction to the message. Reviews of podcasts are due Tuesday, April 17 (along with your reaction article from the post on the toxic masculinity articles from Monday's class).

One of our greater tasks will be a choice of writing an historical fiction piece (perhaps set in the Edwardian period or just before, during, or after The Great War). As you read Maurice, try to pick up Forster's psychological style.