wildechild3

[wildechild3]

maurice

⚠︎ spoilers ahead ⚠︎

“your body is his temple. you must never, ever pollute that temple.”

and so he did not.

instead, maurice discovered the temple—explored it with awe, filled it with feeling, fear, and fierce humanity. he refused to desecrate it by denying himself. and i think that’s what makes it closer to holiness than any rigid idea of purity ever could.

this film isn't just a romance; it’s a becoming story disguised as one, and it begins with a lesson on puberty and procreation through a quietly raised question: when do we speak, and when do we stay silent?

"i simply can't think of a reply to that."

"what about saying nothing?"

but silence isn’t always a solution.

"what you do is more important than what you say" suggests words are secondary—yet sometimes, words are the only way through. "it's only by talking that we shall caper upon the summit" insists on language—but it's actions that often carry truth.

i think they’re both right. and both wrong. words and actions can overlap or contradict, but neither can truly reflect what lives deep inside. that part of you—the part that doesn’t speak or move—is where the truth sits.

you can speak your feelings and act against them, or you can act in support of what you say. but when both your words and actions go against what you truly feel, it’s not them you’re betraying—it’s yourself. the part of you that lives quietly inside, beneath language and gesture.

interestingly, if maurice had never spoken, he might never have been invited to trinity by risley. he wouldn’t have met clive. and it’s through clive that he learned what it means to live dishonestly—or rather, what it means to live in conflict with oneself. clive marries anne, builds something respectable, and in doing so, speaks and acts against his own feelings. he betrays what he once shared with maurice—but that doesn’t necessarily make him cruel, or even wrong.

betrayal is not always villainy. maybe clive believed it was the safest choice. maybe it was survival. maybe it was just easier. and maybe that’s enough—if it is enough for him. only clive can reckon with the cost of that decision.

maurice, meanwhile, chooses differently. he chooses alec. he chooses truth—with all its risks—over safety. he steps away from the world he was taught to obey, and toward a life that answers to something deeper and truer.

[wildechild3]

In the eyes of the people of Durham and Borenius, Alec Scudder is mostly portrayed as a young man of low and lechery. In the eyes of others, he is never free, even for a moment. Even as he fixed the roof for them, a stinging gaze reaches him. Even after 18 months, they still don't remember his name, and no one cares about him even when he's in the rain. Scudder, a person hired for labor, live in a state of lowliness as much as possible and remains as silent as a shadow, never uttering a word. He lives as a non-existent being.

At the beginning of the film, the boathouse, which is described as his space, mostly appears in achromatic colors and darkness. Scudder is always alone in that place, and when he breaks the rabbit's neck, the boathouse appears in the background, creating a profound sense of solitude amidst a gloomy and damp ambience. Even when he is portrayed as an independent being, he has never stayed in a dazzling boathouse in the sunlight. Alec either smokes a cigarette with a dark expression or hunches over, his small back rounded, while writing a heartfelt letter to someone he loves. And it always rained there, as if Alec were crying from having been betrayed by Maurice.

The moment when he only reveals his existence begins with Maurice. The name Scudder is mentioned only a few times for orders by his employers, to the people of Durham. A name-calling with a clear purpose differs from Maurice's who from outside. Maurice never gives orders to Scudder, but he naturally mentions the name several times at the end of his sentences, starting since he came down the hill. That's alright, Scudder. That's alright, Scudder. Even at the moment of an apology that cannot be easily tolerated, Maurice calls Alec by his name while giving 'forgiveness'. It must have been different for Alec than the name that the people of Durham called him. It is like a name calling announcing the beginning of a relationship that will apply equally to anyone, not permission.

Even after that, Maurice calls Scudder by his first name, as if he had known him for a long time, and it changes to Alec, the only name after the first night. The scene in which Maurice asks Alec's name didn't appear in the main movie, but it must have held significant meaning. Just like how the title of the movie "Maurice" was chosen instead of "Hall," the moment Alec was called Alec instead of Scudder, his presence became significant not only for the movie itself but also for Maurice.

And that presence is also revealed in the scene showing the boathouse, which was Alec's space, his shadow, and his alter ego's. Alec mentions the Boathouse several times, but Maurice has no interest in it whatsoever. Even at the moment when Simcox said that the Underkeeper bail out of the boat for him, to Maurice, the place was like a space that did not exist at all. However, after confirming their love for each other, Alec mentions to Maurice what his boathouse means to him, and Maurice makes his first promise to meet him there. But Alec said that it is no longer possible. Fortunately, Maurice heads for the boathouse, he realizes that the space will disappear completely, meaningless; just like Alec who is leaving for Argentina.

The dark, rough road full of bushes meant the road they had walked together, Maurice breaks through the space without hesitation, and he walks toward the bigger boathouse than ever. Throwing off his hat and coat, which were heavy on his own shoulders, he turns to the overwhelming presence of his beloved lover, larger than himself.

The boathouse, where it no longer rains, shelters Alec, who is asleep in front of a warm stove. Maurice affectionately calls out the name 'Alec' several times, each time reminding himself of Alec's existence. They share love within Alec's personal space, finding completing of life and love in a space that belongs solely to the two of them.

Now, the moonlight that illuminates Alec's face is completed by the presence of Maurice, who has entered Alec's life, just like how the moonlight shone on Maurice's face on their first night. (In a similar way, Maurice became a fireplace for Alec, just as Alec had been a warm fireplace to Maurice during deep loneliness at Birthday.)

Alec reminds Maurice several times about immigrating to Argentina; however, Maurice doesn't initially give it much thought. Even after Maurice and Alec made love, Maurice was shocked to receive a breakup notice from Alec because he had believed they would meet again at the boathouse. However, despite not receiving a telegram this time, Alec knew the significance of his boathouse all too well. So, Maurice decided to choose a boathouse. Just like that, the meaning of space is expanded.

The remote island-like boathouse, located away from the Pendersleigh mansion, is left as an special space for only Maurice and Alec, who have chosen Love that nobody else has opted for.

[wildechild3]

Sometimes I get people who are clearly new Maurice fans who find my account and like and reblog everything on it. And by no means am I offended but since you’re here, mayhaps read my fics please 🙏 I put so much love into them over these past few years and nothing motivates me more than spam from AO3 emails

[wildechild3]

Sorry for the double reblog OP but your gender swap Alec looked so familiar and I couldn’t put my finger on it but I finally got it.

She looks like Corky from the 1996 lesbian cult classic - Bound (one on the right).

Maurice as 70s dykes, because I have free will

[wildechild3]

Maurice as 70s dykes, because I have free will

[wildechild3]

Pretty random 1 minute sketch

Btw i love Maurice here

[wildechild3]

maurice from risley's pov is insane like baby gay you had a crush on ended up getting with the looser gay instead of you. They end up breaking up and Clive marries a woman, and then Maurice ends up with Clive's gamekeeper. And they shag on his property. Like insane I hope he knew about this.

[wildechild3]

Hey guys guess what...it’s late for pride month but 1 of 2 of my drafts is done. 

Live, laugh, love <3 hoping to use this burst of energy I got going to finish the other one.

[wildechild3]

Those who understand understand.

[wildechild3]

thinking about (hyperfixating on) the use of light and shadow in the Russet Room scene

[wildechild3]

Happy Birthday to George Merrill who inspired E.M. Forster's "Maurice" and also paved the way for gay men to cruise and have sex in public lol—WELL YES HE DIED SO GAYS COULD HAVE PUBLIC SEX

In short, George Merrill was a horny man.

August 16th is the birthday of George Merrill, lifelong partner of Edward Carpenter who, together, inspired Forster to write the love story of Maurice and Alec—with Merrill directly causing Forster to come up with the tale by touching his butt.

George and Alec are similar in many ways—besides the obvious fact that both were working class men in a relationship with upper class men:

both swore a lot—George once swore in front of a kid and got reprimanded by the gentlemanly Carpenter

both "clocked" their lover for being gay just by looking at them,

both were love-at-first-sight with their partners

both were the one who pursued their lover for sex—Alec did so twice with Maurice, while George followed Carpenter for a mile and asked him to come over to his (George's) place

Alec is described by Forster as "the sort of person in whom all meet"; George is described by Carpenter as "accepted and... beloved by both my manual worker friends and my more aristocratic friends", and by Forster as "uneducated and sentimental, yet one feels a great respect"

both were sexually experienced

both didn't care for religion: George never read the bible, thought Jesus spent his last night in the garden having sex with someone, and once told a preacher to get the hell out.

both have cute nicknames: Alec's is Licky, George's is Geordie and Georgette

both are said to be masculine and have great physique

You can learn more about George Merrill here. It's an unpublished biography written by Carpenter himself—a biography of someone written by their very own lover!

But what I also want to talk about here is just how horny and sexually experienced with men George Merrill in fact was.... HE WAS A SLUT, respectfully!

I'll keep it short, but the story (also mentioned here) is that:

M.D. O'Brien, a far-right activist, wanted to take down Carpenter by incriminating George—he knew George was Carpenter's lover, not just a servant, and that George was very active in copulating with other men (he and Carpenter had an open relationship).

So O'Brien interviewed many men who knew of George's indecent conduct seeking for sex, which included:

placing his hand upon other men's thighs (likely taught by Carpenter who, in the same police report, was said to have done it)

using wanting to pee as an excuse to show off his erect manhood to other men—then placing his hand upon their thighs

straight up taking his manhood out of his trousers and asking other men to touch and feel it

bringing other men home at night, serving them wine and cigars, drawing the curtains, then sitting on their knees

These examples were told by men who refused George Merrill's advances—now imagine the amount of men who have accepted!

Fortunately both George and Carpenter got away from O'Brien who was years later jailed for libeling against his own wife and mother.

Additionally, George called O'Brien "the rotter of a cur" and that " It would be a pleasure to just twist such vermin’s necks;" and Carpenter was extra protective of George—didn't blame him for the O'Brien incident, even though it was George's promiscuity and indecency and straight-up horniness and hyper-sexuality that caused the troubles!

I knew these from the old letters and documents that I gathered at different archives in the UK, in addition to the biographies of Carpenter I read. I'm still transcribing some letters and reports. Feel free to DM me if you've any question.

[wildechild3]

Wilder wrote to him in the hope of meeting a woman who felt like her. Her letter, among his papers without a note as to whether he replied, is a rare example of the solitary voice of a single woman struggling with her feelings for other women:

I voiced my need in a little pacifist & socialist paper asking if any lonely woman rebel would care to correspond with another.

I had about 16 answers. The first was from a girl or woman – with whom I am at the present time in love – she is rather younger than myself & has all the characteristics which I most admire in women. She is delightfully self-reliant, capable & humorous. It was she who introduced me to your book, and somehow made me realise that I was more closely related to the intermediate sex, than I had hitherto imagined & she also I think (though I haven't questioned her on the subject) is certainly not a normal female – she is much too nice! When I think of her, I have physical desire, and should love above all things to be able to live with her & be as intimate as it is possible to be & I don't feel that this desire is at all immoral or degrading. It is not merely or chiefly physical desire – I cannot bear the idea of losing her friendship, even if the physical desire is never gratified & I don't for a moment expect it will be. I should be intensely grateful if I could just hold her hand and tell her how much I love her. This may look awfully stupid on paper, but it is very real to me. I feel there is nothing I wouldn't do for her that I could do.

. . . I long more than I can say to love a woman completely and absolutely and to have it returned. The world would say that a physical relationship between two of the same sex is an unspeakable crime.

But after a few weeks consideration I have come to the conclusion that this relationship can never be as degrading as the normal sex relationship can be and usually is. I know it is a big thing to say that the normal sex relationship of men and women is more degrading than the other but it will be true wherever & so long as women are in economic slavery to men & I think you will agree.

"Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History" - Philippa Gregory

[wildechild3]

Edward Carpenter was at the forefront of British romantic socialism, whose philosophy was inspired by Walt Whitman but had a clear political agenda and active "engagement" to radically reform social institutions. He practiced what he preached, giving away most of his money and earning a subsistence living as a sandal-maker as well as lecturer and journalist. His book of poetry Towards Democracy, consciously modelled upon Whitman’s Calamus poems, is a forthright celebration of gay love. George Merrill was an uneducated odd-job man from the slums whom Carpenter first met at a railway station in 1891 and with whom he eventually developed a romantic relationship. Carpenter described him as "the most interesting and satisfying character I have ever met. Knowing as I do thousands of people of all classes—and many very intimately—I still doubt whether I found anyone more natively human, loving and affectionate, and withal endowed with more generous good sense and tact than he." Carpenter’s philosophy of brotherhood was no abstract concept; he had occasional affairs with some of the intellectuals and gay writers who came on pilgrimage to his home at Millthorpe, and Merrill had occasional flings with hired hands and the local farm boys. Merrill served as a model for the game-keeper in E. M. Forster’s gay novel Maurice, which Forster acknowledged was a direct result of a visit to Carpenter.

In his later years, Merrill would often be found drunk and incapable in their front garden; but Carpenter’s affection never wavered. Fairness makes it necessary to add that Merrill was a gay fellow, naturally musical—he would sing Schubert while Carpenter accompanied him on the piano—and expert at housekeeping. While inclined to be moody, he could be the life and soul of the party. His early letters to Carpenter testify to a genuine affection. He once chased away a clergyman who came to the door to give him a tract: "Keep your tract," said Merrill, "I don’t want it. Can’t you see we’re in heaven here—We don’t want any better than this, so go away." Carpenter took Merrill to live with him at Millthorpe in 1898, and they remained together till the latter’s death in 1928. "They are putting him in the cold earth," Carpenter cried, and for the short remainder of his life he seemed but the ghost of a man. A year later, he was buried in the same grave.

— Rictor Norton, My Dear Boy: Gay Letters Through the Centuries (1998) & Edward Carpenter, Edward Carpenter: A Restatement and Reappraisal (1970)

[wildechild3]

gosh i miss maurice

[wildechild3]

clive durham character of all time. he starts out the story fagging his way up and making maurice have a sexuality crisis then proceeds to go to greece and come back... straight??? he then gets an ugly mustache and becomes a repressed gay politician while maurice gets to shag rupert graves. he sucks and i hate him

[wildechild3]

The reason this relationship works at all, is because usally at least one of the two is willing to be the Rational One, even if they have to take turns.

[wildechild3]

“A happy ending was imperative. I shouldn't have bothered to write otherwise! I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows, and in this sense Maurice and Alec still roam the greenwood.” — E. M. Forster (around 1913/1914)

✶— alec scudder & maurice hall from the book "maurice" by e.m. forster (using as a reference a scene from the 1987's movie)

❕ please do not repost without credits :)

— close-ups under the cut ✨

I made this piece for this year's pride month, but I ended up posting for the first time in august, I believe. and here it is! also here is a version without the text: