E.M. Forster, in full Edward Morgan Forster, was born in January 1, 1879 in London. He is one of the dominating and powerful novelists of the 20th century. Walter Allen rightly points out Forster is a novelist difficult to assess, He can be as easily over estimated as under estimated. The contribution of E.M.Forster towards the enrichment of modern English novels are enormous . His famous book ASPECT OF THE NOVEL got wide popularity and it became a good guide for the young and promising novelists. What is more, this book is also reckoned to be the manifest of the works of E.M.Forster.
Forster’s skill and craftsmanship can be noticed in his plot construction. He is supposed to be a trend setter of the modern novels. He has deviated from the conventional techniques of the well known novels. He has allowed a little scope for jolts and improbable incidents. The plot of Forster’s novel is not easy to understand. The reason is the use of intricate thought and symbolism which abound in his novels. Undoubtedly Forster’s acumen of story telling can’t be underestimated. But he disregards conventional plot construction and frequently introduces startling unexpected incidents, Further in his plots and stories we come across the complexities of life. A mystifying atmosphere in being created and the subtitles of the stories make the plot difficult and unintelligible for most of the run of the mill readers.
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But, remarkably Forster’s art of characterization is superb. He makes a distinction between the two types of characters that are generally introduced in novels. The two types of character according to E.M.Forster’s are flat and round characters. The round characters change with the changing events and flat characters don’t change. Whatever, might happen during the developments of plot, most of the characters of Forster represent Forster’s own philosophy of life. As shaw’s characters are his mouth pieces so are the character of Forster. What is more the characters of Forster are types rather than individuals. They stand for certain vices and virtues. Remarkably in Forster’s male or female characters there is a lack of passion and sexual fulfillment. A religiously could be seen in the characters of Forster. Philip Herriton’s vision of Caroline Abbolt is of goddess and though we are told that she likes the goddess of Greeks in capable of physical love. Philip’s worship of Abbott is more a self denying asceticism reminding us of the celibate love of the virgin mother. Forster is a great realistic. He believes in expressing the the realistic pictures of life. His most famous novel A PASSAGE TO INDIA reflects Anglo-Indian relation. But the hidden meaning of this novel philosophical than any other things. E.M.Forster like G.B.Shaw is considered to be a great propagandist and a novelist. Indeed, his novels suggest moral attitude towards the values of life as revealed in WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, HOWARD END, and A ROOM WITH A VIEW.
In the novel WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, Forster rejects the snobbery and the narrowness of Mrs.Herriton. Forster’s word rests on moral foundation. E.M. Forster like D.H. Lawrence is a satirist and a critic of contemporary civilization. He satires the material courage of the people of our society and castigate the snobbery and hypocrisy of highly placed persons like Mrs. Herriton and Miss. Harriot in WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD. Forster’s use of symbols, his lyrical sensibilities and his style catapulted him as the icon of great English novelists. Arnold praises E.M. Forster and his work and he says “Forster is not a writer stature of D.H. Lawrence and Joyce but he is a fine and enduring artist.
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