Howards End

Plot

The plot takes place in the England at the beginning of the century. It is about about three social classes represented by three families: the Wilcoxes, who are the rich victorian capitalists and basically consider themselves as aristocrats. For them money is the most important thing. There are the Schlegels (sisters) who represent the enlightened bourgeois class. They are humanistic and philanthropist and enjoy reading and travelling to Germany. The Basts are the working class, fighting to survive. Driven by their humanisms, the Schlegel sisters' try to help the poor Basts and cajole the Wilcox's to lower their prejudices.

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Two sisters have encounters with the wealthy Wilcox. The younger sister Helen (played by Bonham-Carter) is rejected by the young Wilcox. The older sister Margaret (Emma Thompson) becomes a good friend of mother Ruth Wilcox. Her most priced personal possession is the cottage at Howard's End. She wishes that Margaret live there, as she feels that it might be in good hands with her. Probably sensing her death because of illness, Ruth bestows the Cottage to Margaret, which causes great consternation with the Wilcox. The children burn the will without letting Margaret know. However over the course of years, Margaret acquaints herself with the widower Henry Wilcox and eventually marries him. Obviously the children try to keep her from taking possession of Howard's End.

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Because of the marriage into the Wilcox, the sisters start drifting apart. Although trying to help young Leonard Bast, it all goes terribly wrong, him loosing his position. Because of short tryst with him, Helen is with child and leaves England to travel through Germany, ignoring the pleas of her older sister Margaret. The ending is sad but there is a glimmer of hope with the birth of her child.

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