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Chapter 41
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Maurice, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Sacrifice
Sexual Orientation, Homophobia, and Self-Acceptance
Masculinity and Patriarchy
Religion
Class
Summary
Analysis
As he leaves the hypnotist’s office, Maurice thinks that by sleeping with Alec Scudder, he has confirmed his “perversion” and separated himself, once and for all, from “normal men.” He thinks, “I can’t believe now that it was with him,” and regrets that he did not “possess Clive in the hour of their passion.” I must belong to my class, that’s certain, Maurice tells himself. Back home, he finds a long letter from Scudder waiting for him. In the letter, Alec writes that Maurice is not treating him fairly. He writes that he is coming to London to see Maurice and finishes the letter with, “P.S. I know something.” Maurice thinks over the letter, and he also begins to have doubts about his profession.
In this chapter, Maurice dives deeper into his internalized homophobia and class prejudices. He thinks of being gay as a “perversion” and tells himself that, no matter what, he has to stay with people of his own class. Alec experiences the fallout of Maurice’s confusion and responds by hinting that he might blackmail Maurice, showing how Maurice’s fear has become a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
Themes
