Maurice is E. M. Forster's tale of love both lost and found in early 20th century England, written from 1913 on but not published until 1971, then made into a movie in 1987 by Merchant-Ivory. It is remarkable because it describes homosexual love in a fulfillingly romantic but also funny way that has a more timeless quality than even the author himself thought shortly before his death, as evidence by his note on the manuscript "Publishable, but is it worth it?". What really sets apart Maurice from other, more contemporary gay fiction is the archetypical nature of both the storyline and the three principal characters as representatives of different classes and different forms of masculinity.
Warning: Wikipedia contains spoilers
Maurice Hall, the protagonist, is first met at age 14 when a discussion about sex between him and his teacher takes place. This first chapter already sets the tone for the rest of the novel, as Maurice feels isolated and removed from the adult's depiction of marriage with a woman as the goal in life. Moreover, his deep-seated contempt for his own (middle) class takes root here, as he perceives that his teacher does not have the capacity to see beyond the social norm to whatever may lie behind it.
When Maurice enters college, he soon makes friends with Clive Durham, who introduces him to the ancient Greek writings about homosexual love. It is obvious that Maurice hopes for more to come out of their until now only emotional attachment, but slowly it becomes clear that Clive is basically equally attached to society's view of what is right and wrong. Clive intends to marry, even though Forster's prose leaves no doubts that his marriage will probably entail a mostly joyless sex life.
Disappointed by his friend's backdown, Maurice seeks psychiatric counselling in a scene executed by Forster with glee, again mercilessly exposing the emotional limitedness and helplessness of society, as personified by Dr Barry, who cannot even comprehend Maurice's situation.
Maurice's unfulfilled emotional longings get closer to being resolved when he is invited to stay at Penge at the Durhams'. There, at first unnoticed by him, lurks the gamekeeper Alec Scudder (just called Scudder for large portions of the book, to emphasize the class difference even more), who has noticed Maurice very well. He is spotted in the book at continually shorter intervals, as if furtively circling his prey, until one night he simply uses a ladder to climb to Maurice's bedroom, answering Maurice's call unheard by everyone else.
After their first night together, Scudder panics and tries to blackmail Maurice, but in a moving scene with Maurice at the British Museum he turns around completely, after Maurice calls himself Scudder when asked for his name. This transgression of class differences fortifies the bond between the two men instantly.
After another night of lovemaking it becomes clear that Alec has a ticket for a trip to Argentina, from which he will not return. After initial resentment, Maurice gives in and decides to at least give Alec a sendoff. He is taken aback when Alec is not there. In a hurry, he makes it for Penge, where the two lovers have met before at the boathouse, and indeed the two are reunited there.
In a final confrontation with Clive, Maurice outlines that previously barely defined vision of his future with Alec. Clive's helplessness at hearing what has transpired between Maurice and Alex leaves him speechless and unable to comprehend, completing Maurice's revenge on his former lover.
