Howards End · Chapter
Chapter V explained
The chapter opens with a meditation on Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and the varied responses of the Schlegel party attending the concert.
What happens
The chapter opens with a meditation on Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and the varied responses of the Schlegel party attending the concert. Margaret converses with a young man (Leonard Bast) about music and the arts, revealing her intellectual and somewhat dismissive attitude. After the concert, the Schlegels return home, where Helen's earlier encounter with Leonard Bast is discussed—she had invited him in but he fled, embarrassed by his poverty and the condescension of the household. The sisters debate the nature of their home as 'feminine' and contrast it with the 'masculine' Wilcox house. The chapter explores themes of class, culture, and the gulf between the leisured and the struggling.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Inequality
The contrast between the Schlegels' leisured, cultured life and Leonard Bast's struggle to acquire culture while working long hours highlights class divisions.
Connection vs. Isolation
Margaret's failure to connect with Leonard at the concert and Helen's regret over his departure underscore the difficulty of bridging social and intellectual gaps.
Gender Roles and Women's Independence
The Schlegel sisters discuss their home as 'feminine' and contrast it with the 'masculine' Wilcox house, reflecting on gender roles in domestic life.
Characters to notice
- Margaret Schlegel
Engages in intellectual conversation with Leonard Bast at the concert, discussing music and the arts; later reflects on the feminine nature of her household.
- Helen Schlegel
Experiences the symphony with vivid imagery of goblins and heroes; feels shame after Leonard Bast's abrupt departure from their home.
- Tibby Schlegel
Attends the concert with the family, focusing on the technical aspects of the music; later criticized by Helen for not making Leonard Bast welcome.
- Aunt Juley
Attends the concert and later comments on the incident with Leonard Bast, expressing concern about his character and the safety of the household's valuables.
- Leonard Bast
Sits next to Margaret at the concert, struggling to keep up with her cultured conversation; earlier fled the Schlegel home in embarrassment after being made to feel his poverty.
- Frieda Mosebach
Present at the concert, listening attentively to the classical music, unable to respond to Helen's smiles.
Key passages
“It will be generally admitted that Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the most sublime noise that has ever penetrated into the ear of man.”
The narrator asserts that Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is universally considered the most magnificent sound ever heard.
Opens the chapter with a grand, ironic statement about the symphony's universal appeal.
“Panic and emptiness! Panic and emptiness! The goblins were right.”
Helen feels a profound sense of fear and meaninglessness, agreeing with the goblins' nihilistic message in the music.
Captures Helen's emotional response to the symphony, linking it to existential dread.
“I'd rather he had been a thief and taken all the apostle spoons than that I—Well, I must shut the front-door, I suppose. One more failure for Helen.”
Helen expresses that she would prefer Leonard had stolen from them than to have caused his humiliation, calling the incident a personal failure.
Shows Helen's guilt and empathy after Leonard's abrupt departure.