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homosexuality from his friends and his family. He also behaves and dresses like a common gentleman. He feels ashamed if people know about his condition. He is
aware that homosexuality is considered a taboo in his country at that time and people will disapprove it.
C. Maurice’s Character Development as a Homosexual
In the beginning of the story, Maurice is characterized as a faithful person. He also loves and cares about his family. However, as the story goes by,
Maurice‘s character is changing to an unfaithful person. He also tends to care for Clive more than his family. The changing of this character will not happen
without any reason. There is a certain condition which has influenced Maurice. As the writer has explained before in Chapter II, according to Hurlock 1974, there
are eight conditions that are responsible for personality change p. 124. However, in this case, only one condition exists in this story, and that is Changes in
Significant People. The significant people who have influences in Maurice‘s character development are Clive Durham and Alec Scudder.
1. The Development Caused by Clive Durham
Maurice has no close friend since a child. He is so introvert that people do not know much about him. It has been so until he enters his study in Sunnington,
where he meets Clive Durham. Although Clive is his senior but he does not show seniority and arrogance. Clive is so humble and wants to be Maurice‘s friend.
Maurice feels comfortable with Clive‘s behaviour toward him. Even Maurice has been aware that he is interested to Clive.
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―If obliged to ask himself, ― What‘s all this?‖ he would have replied, ― Durham is another of those boys in whom I was interes
ted in school,‖ but he was obliged to ask nothing, and merely went ahead with his mouth and
mind shut. He never even thought of tenderness and emotion; his considerations about Durham remained cold. Durham didn‘t dislike him,
he was sure. That was all he w anted.‖ p. 40.
Maurice and Clive become more intimate day after day. They like being
together and enjoy the moment. Maurice, who is educated in a Christian way, begins to be influenced by Clive who does not believe in any religion. Clive never
goes to church or any other holy place. He does not believe in Jesus and the Holy Trinity. Because Clive is the only Maurice‘s friend, Maurice begins to follow
Clive‘s way of thinking. He begins to lose his interest in attending the church that used to mean a lot to him.
Maurice, not well understanding, said, ―So did you go?‖ ―Where?‖
―To the church.‖ Durham sprang up. His face was disgusted. Then he bit his lip and began
to smile.
―No, I didn‘t go to church, Hall. I thought that was plain.‖ pp. 42-43. On reaching home he talked about Durham until the fact that he had a
friend penetrated into the minds of his family...... It was the same with his atheism. No one felt as deeply as he expected. With the crudity of youth he
drew his mother apart and said that he should always respect her religious prejudice and those of the girls, but that his own conscience permitted him
to attend church no longer. She said it was a great misfortune.
―I knew you would be upset. I cannot help it, mother dearest. I am made that way a
nd it is no good arguing.‖ ―Your poor father always went to church.‖
―I‘m not my father.‖ ―Morrie, Morrie, what a thing to say.‖ p. 51.
When Maurice and Clive meet again in the next term, Clive expresses his
feeling to Maurice, telling him that he loves Maurice. But, Maurice‘s mind is still
influenced by his social background that does not allow the existence of
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homosexual relationship. Later on, Maurice regrets his rejection to Clive. He realized that deep down his heart, he cannot live without Clive.
. .. He had lied. He phrased it ―been fed upon lies,‖ but lies are the natural
food of boyhood, and he had eaten greedily. His first resolve was to be more careful in the future. He would live straight, not because it mattered
to anyone now, but for the sake of the game. He would not deceive himself so much. He would not
—and this was the test—pretend to care about women when the only sex that attracted him was his own. He loved men
and always had loved them. He longed to embrace them and mingle his being with theirs. Now that the man who returned his love had been lost,
he admitted this p. 61. From the quotation above, we can see that Maurice himself realizes that he
is not interested in having a relationship with women. The only sex that attracted him is his own. Maurice admits that he is falling in love with Clive.
Maurice‘s feeling toward Clive keeps on growing day by day. They always have time to enjoy the days together. Even, Maurice is willing if he has to miss
the lectures. ―I‘ve missed two lectures already,‖ remarked Maurice, who was
breakfasting in his pyjamas. ―Cut them all—he‘ll only gate you.‖
...But as they threaded Jesus Lane they were hailed by the Dean. ―Hall, haven‘t you a lecture?‖
―I overslept,‖ called Maurice contemptuously. ―Hall Hall Stop when I speak.‖
Maurice went on. ―No good arguing,‖ he observed p.73.
Because of this behaviour, the Dean sends Maurice down. Maurice has cut
chapel, and four lectures p. 77. It seems that Maurice has changed. He was a student who concerned about his study but now he becomes indifferent about his
study. He prefers going with Clive to attending his lectures. The Dean says that Maurice has to inform his mother of the reason of he
has been sent down. The Dean shall not recommend his readmission to the college
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in October unless he writes a letter of apology. His mother convinces Maurice to apologize but he ignores it. Maurice‘s mother, Mrs. Hall, says that he has upset
her. He becomes so unkind and brutal. Then, Mrs. Hall sends him to Dr. Barry, their neighbour, to talk about his problem. She hopes that Dr. Barry can calm
Maurice down and help him. Actually, Maurice is afraid of Dr. Barry but it seems that Maurice
disagrees with Dr. Barry‘s advice to him. It makes them quarrelled during the consultation. Dr. Barry is so angry to him and he states that Maurice has changed
which makes his mother annoyed. ―How dare you bully your mother, Maurice. You ought to be
horsewhipped. You young puppy Swaggering about instead of asking her to forgive you I know all about it. She came here with tears in her eyes
and asked me to speak. She and your sisters are my respected neighbours,
and as long as a woman calls me I‘m at her service. Don‘t answer me, sir, don‘t answer. I want none of your speech, straight or otherwise. You are a
disgrace to chivalry. I don‘t know what the world is coming to. I don‘t know what the world
—I‘m disappointed and disgusted with you.‖ pp. 82- 83
Maurice tells his problem to Clive. Clive suggests him to apologize to the
Dean. Maurice obeys the suggestion offered by Clive. It can be concluded that Maurice who is used to listen to his mother prefers to listen to Clive to his mother
although both of them offer the same suggestion. Clive laughed. ―Why too late? It makes it simpler. You didn‘t like to
apologize until the term in which your offence was committed had come to an end. ‗Dear Mr Cornwallis: Now that the term is over, I venture to write
to you.‘ I‘ll draft the letter tomorrow.‖ ―Yes. I‘ll apologize.‖ p. 88.
Since dating with Clive, Maurice becomes a romantic man. He likes to show his affection to Clive. Maurice even seduces him with flattering words. It
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makes Clive happy. ―Clive, you‘re a silly little fool, and since you‘ve brought it up I think you
are beautiful, the only bea utiful person I‘ve ever seen. I love your voice
and everything to do with you, down to your clothes or the room you are sitting in. I adore you.‖
Clive went crimson p. 90.
Maurice also builds a good relationship with Clive‘s family and vice versa. However, they still hide their gay relationship from both families. Fortunately,
their family never take an intervention of their business. But every Wednesday he slept at Clive‘s little flat in town. Weekends were
also inviolable. They said at home, ―You must never interfere with Maurice‘s Wednesdays or with his weekends. He would be most
annoyed.‖ p. 100. Maurice invites Clive to have a dinner with his family before Clive goes to
Greece. At that time, Clive‘s health is not good enough. Clive suddenly faints that makes Maurice so worries about his condition. Maurice argues with the doctor
that he can cure Clive better that the nurse. However, Clive decided the nurse to cure him. Feeling better, Clive goes to Greece. Maurice sends him a letter but he
does not reply it. Clive stays in Greece for a week more. It makes Maurice misses him
badly. Unfortunately, Clive has changed when he has come back to England. He decides to break up their gay relationship with Maurice. Clive says that he is
interested with women now. Even, Clive suggests Maurice to change as a normal man like him.
Maurice again experiences the loneliest time in his life when Clive left him for a woman. Losing Clive is a desperate thing to Maurice. He has also lost his
spirit of life. He thinks that there is no reason for him to live anymore. Maurice
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will rather die than live without Clive. Why should one be kind and good? For someone‘s sake—for the sake of
Clive or God or the sun? But he had no one. No one except his mother mattered and she only a little. He was practically alone, and why should he
go on living? There was really no reason, yet he had a dreary feeling he should, because he had not got Death either; she, like Love, had glanced at
him for a minute, then turned away, and left him to
―play the game‖. And he might have to play as long as his grandfather, and retire as absurdly pp.
135-136.
In his loneliness, Maurice tries to forget Clive by joining some activities. He supports the social work even of the Church. He gives up Saturday golf in
order to play football with the youths of the College Settlement in South London. He also spends his Wednesday evenings to teach arithmetic and boxing to them.
He also cuts down his expenses to charities p. 139. He knows that it is hard to forget Clive but he has to keep alive.
Yet he was doing a fine thing —proving on how little the soul can exist.
Fed neither by Heaven nor by Earth he was going forward, a lamp that would have blown out, were materialism true. He hadn‘t a God, he hadn‘t
a lover —the two usual incentives to virtue. But on he struggled with his
back to ease, because dignity demanded it. There was no one to watch him, nor did he watch himself, but struggles like his are the supreme
achievements of humanity, and surpass any legends about heaven pp. 139-140.
Time goes
on, and it makes Maurice‘s heart a little better. He still feels very lonely but then regards his relationship with Clive as something from the
past, a memory. Although he cannot forget Clive, he wants to find someone new. The episode burst Maurice‘s life to pieces. Interpreting it by the past, he
mistook Dickie for a second Clive, but three years are not lived in a day, and the fires died down as quickly as they had risen, leaving some
suspicious ashes behind them p. 146.
Actually since Clive left him, Maurice‘s heart has been torn into pieces.
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He looks strong enough outside but fragile inside. People only saw the outside of him, never the inside.
He caught sight of himself in the glass behind the counter. What a solid young citizen he looked
—quiet, honourable, prosperous without vulgarity. On such does England rely. Was it conceivable that on Sunday last he had
nearly assaulted a boy? p. 149. Maurice realizes that it is something wrong with him. He wonders why he
can be a homosexual. He tries to cure himself by visiting Young Jowitt, a doctor. However, when Maurice greets him, the doctor answers him by discouraging
statements. It makes Maurice decides not to see him again. Then he consults his problem to Dr. Barry but Dr. Barry ignores the existence of homosexuality.
Now listen to me, Maurice, never let that evil hallucination, that temptation from the devil, occur to you again.‖
The voice impressed him, and it was not Science speaking? ―Who put that lie into your head? You whom I see and know to be a
decent fellow We‘ll never mention it again. No—I‘ll not discuss. I‘ll not discuss. The worst thing I could do for you is to discuss it.‖ p. 154.
Although Maurice and Clive have separated, they still continue their
friendship. Clive wants Maurice to cure himself. Clive suggests Maurice to come to Mr. Lasker Jones. Mr. Lasker Jones is an expert in healing homosexuality
through hypnotism. I‘m afraid you may possibly retain that prejudice after trying, Mr. Hall. I
cannot promise a cure. I spoke to you of my other patients —seventy –five
percent —but in only fifty per cent have I been successful.‖ p. 176.
Mr. Lasker Jones tries to cure Maurice through hypnotism. Maurice also
eagerly wants to be a normal man but at the end he realizes that his and Mr. Lasker Jones effort is useless. He is unable to change. Mr. Lasker Jones has also
told him that he has given up healing Maurice. Maurice‘s condition cannot be
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changed. From all the description above, it can be concluded that the changes of
Clive Durham has the influences in M aurice‘s character development. First,
Maurice becomes an unfaithful. It can be seen through Maurice‘s behaviour. He prefers to go with Clive to go to chapel. He has lost his interest to go to church.
Second, Maurice changes into an indifferent person. He was used to be a person who was responsible to his education and caring to his mother. Since he has a
relationship with Maurice, he tends to be an indifferent person. He feels no guilty when the Dean sent his down. Even, he has no intention when his mother asks
him to apologize to the Dean. Third, Maurice becomes a temperamental person. He does not want to listen to Dr. Barry‘s advice. They even quarrel during the
consultation.
2. The Development Caused by Alec Scudder
