Where Angels Fear to Tread (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

The novel is a wonderful evocation of the minutiae of family bickering and arguments which are still relevant and highly recognisable today. (The bullying mother and slightly too weak, compliant son, for example). Analysis of the way that society represses the individual and the conflict between what you want to do and what society expects of you was to become a recurring theme in his novels.

His title is taken from Pope's 'An Essay on criticism' (1711), where the full line is `For fools rush in where angels fear to tread'. Indeed, most of the characters who people this perceptive novel appear foolish in the extreme, especially to our early twenty-first century eyes. For example, one could consider the headstrong and impulsive Lilia, packed off to Italy for a year with a chaperone by her husband's family in the hope that she will return 'not quite so vulgar' one of these rushing fools. Certainly her meeting and marriage of the unemployed (and son of a dentist, shock horror!) Gino within the space of a mere three weeks, in complete disregard for her nine-year old daughter, or first husband's family may be counted foolish, particularly by the standards of the time. Expecially when the tragic outcome of that decision is made clear. Despite her flaws, though, one cannot help but admire her for her courage in rebelling against and challenging the status quo - the status quo which appears to imprison so many in Edwardian English society.

However, what about the rest of the cast of this insightful and oh-so-English novel? There is Mrs Herriton Senior, for a start. A woman so caught up with herself and the requirements of 'society' that she sends her son and daughter off on what may very well be thought of as a fool's errand to collect the child of Lilia's fateful second marriage by whatever means possible - paying Gino off, if necessary. Her evident hypocrisy and cruelty appears to be indicative of that of society as a whole. And they, Philip and Harriet, in their turn, may also be considered foolish, or at the very least weak, when they meekly comply with her requirements. (Although, as they have been under her thumb their whole lives, perhaps it is understandable).

This tragic novel (and Forster is a master tragedian) has some happy moments, however. The opera scene is a complete joy and very funny. Here, Caroline helps Philip to discover happiness, and he begins to fall in love with her. Also quite wonderful are Forster's beautiful descriptions of Italy, reflecting his deep love for the country. Indeed, as Oliver Stallybrass points out in his informative introduction, this book is, in part, based on his own trip to Milan. The line 'it was an irritable couple who took tickets to Monteriano' is almost an exact replica of one from Forster's journal, where the destination was, instead, Milan, and where it had been preceded by an equally unfortunate and tiresome catelogue of events. Perhaps, therefore, there is something of Edward Morgan Forster in the character of Philip, who, although weak and equally tainted by his family's snobbery, one cannot help but like. (Indeed, he lost his father when very young, and was likewise brought up in the world of women). Sadly, Harriet's impatience brings about the sorrowful end to this poignant novel - and all are left to think on its meaning.

All in all, this novel embodies the description of Forster's work made on the Forster questionnaire webpage 'concise, but rich'. Taste and see!