Notes on the English Character ( a simplified version for students)

—— E.M. Forster
Part I

(paragraph1)
The character of the English is essentially middle class. Forster’s opinion is supported by a good historical reason, that is, the middle classes have been the dominant force in Britain since the end of the 18th century. (three aspects: wealth/political power; the rise and organization of the British Empire; the literature of the 19th century)
Part III

(paragraph4-8)
The undeveloped heart of the middle-class Englishmen (his explanation of what he means by an undeveloped heart/ an anecdote that illustrates his point/ Foster criticizes the middle-class Englishmen for being unemotional, or rather the slowness of the English character, which is related to the undeveloped heart. using himself as an example irony


“I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height, and return to my business of notetaking.” (para.8)
As the author doesn’t approve of the typical Englishman’s behavior regarding emotions, he has no desire to be a representative of the English middle classes, assuming the unfamiliar position of self-importance and looking down on others from a dizzy height. (That put me in a high position of representatives, which makes me dizzy and is unfamiliar to me. Now I will come down from that height and return to my role as your commentator on the characteristics of the Englishmen.)
Part II

(paragraph2-3)
This part is about the English public school system and its role in character building.
disproportionately great influence (unique/ four features: boarding school; sports and games compulsory; prefects and fagging; good form and team spirit) the lasting effect of the public school education on the middle –class English men.
The major theme in Forster’s novels

All the four novels share a gentle irony that reveals the moral and emotional deficiencies of the English upper and middle classes. Forter’s whole literary effort probes this profound pathology of undeveloped hearts.
The public school system

In England, the public schools are independnt schools supported by funding through the private sector and through tuition rates. So they are in fact private-run elite schools. Public schools are boys’ boarding schools and are expensive; only rich middle –class parents can afford to send their children to these schools.
Part V

(paragraph 11-15)
The topic of hypocrisy (a prime charge always brought against the English)
Guide to reading

What is the English character depicted by Forster?
Forster depicts characters with a gentle irony that reveals the moral and emotional deficiencies of the English upper and middle classes. He feels that middle-class and upper-class Englishmen lack a spontaneous capacity for passion and intuition. He believes that the English character should be improved by the imagination, mysticism, and sensitivity to nature that he has observed not only in other nations, but also in the English lower classes.
Guide to Reading

How does E.M. Forster cope with this difficult topic?
He narrows down the discussion of the English nation to the male members of the middle classes from the very beginning of his essay and concentrates on this social section.
How to understand the title?
This was originally given as a talk in India, but later worked up for publication. Usually when somebody gives a talk or writes an essay on a subject, he/she is likely to use words such as “points”, “reflections”, “observations” to present his /her views notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others.”



“Their instinct forbade them to throw themselves about in the coach, because it was more likely to tip over if they did.” (para.8) The Englishmen understood facts extraordinarily well. They were very practical and by instinct they knew if they threw themselves about in the coach, they would be more likely to cause the coach to lose balance and turn over, thus adding to the danger.
Part IV

(paragraph 9-10)
A thought-provoking question raised by Forster —— If the English nature is cold, how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry?


“The warm sympathy, the romance…or we could not have this outburst of national song. “The nation as a whole” includes English people from all classes, esp. lower working classes. As Forster is critical of the English middle classes, he sees some fine qualities in the English working classes that the middle classes lack. The author hopes that the working classes will bring some positive elements into the English national character.


“if the English nature is cold, how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry?” (para.9) Forster sees a paradox, a contradictory situation here. If the English nature is cold, that is to say, unemotional and unsympathetic, then it is not obvious why this cold nature has produced a great literature and a literature particularly great in poetry, which expresses warm sympathy, romance and imagination.