Howards End · Chapter
XXXI explained
Margaret and Henry Wilcox are married and return from their honeymoon.
What happens
Margaret and Henry Wilcox are married and return from their honeymoon. Henry reveals that Oniton Grange has been let, prompting a discussion about a permanent home. Margaret reflects on the nomadic nature of their life and the strain it places on personal relations. Wickham Place is demolished, and the Schlegels' furniture is stored at Howards End. Henry's past infidelities weigh on him, but he finds comfort in Margaret's submissive intelligence. Helen avoids meeting Henry, and Margaret writes to her about charity in sexual matters.
Themes in this chapter
The Meaning of Home and Heritage
Margaret's desire for a permanent home contrasts with Henry's practical view of houses as disposable, and the death of Wickham Place symbolizes the loss of a stable heritage.
Love, Marriage, and Compromise
Margaret's submissiveness in marriage and Henry's moral comfort highlight the compromises in their union, while Margaret reflects on love as the binding force in a transient world.
Gender Roles and Women's Independence
Henry's view of women as 'for the recreation of the warrior' and Margaret's internal struggle with her role as a wife reflect early 20th-century gender dynamics.
Characters to notice
- Margaret Schlegel
Now married to Henry, she navigates the disappointment of losing Oniton Grange and the flux of their nomadic life, while reflecting on love and permanence.
- Henry Wilcox
Reveals the letting of Oniton Grange, confuses his past infidelities, and feels morally braced by marriage, valuing Margaret's submissiveness.
- Helen Schlegel
Avoids meeting Henry after the marriage, retreats to Italy, and receives a letter from Margaret about charity in sexual matters.
- Tibby Schlegel
Accepts Henry's offer to store furniture at Howards End, avoiding decisions about the future.
- Ruth Wilcox
Mentioned in Henry's thoughts as 'poor old Ruth,' who never discovered his infidelities.
- Charles Wilcox
Witnesses the marriage settlement at Margaret and Henry's quiet wedding.
Key passages
“Man is for war, woman for the recreation of the warrior, but he does not dislike it if she makes a show of fight. She cannot win in a real battle, having no muscles, only nerves.”
Henry believes men are meant for serious endeavors and women for their leisure, though he enjoys a playful argument; ultimately, women lack the physical strength to truly prevail.
Reflects Henry's traditional gender views and Margaret's constrained position.
“Under cosmopolitanism, if it comes, we shall receive no help from the earth. Trees and meadows and mountains will only be a spectacle, and the binding force that they once exercised on character must be entrusted to Love alone.”
In a rootless, globalized world, nature loses its power to shape us, and only love can provide the stability that landscapes once did.
Margaret's meditation on the loss of permanence and the burden on personal relationships.