Howards End

Main Characters and Their Development

• Margaret Schlegel - one of the main characters, the elder of the Schlegel sisters. She is intelligent, independent, and possesses a strong sense of justice. Throughout the novel, Margaret grows as a person, learning to understand and accept people with different views and social standings. She becomes a bridge between different social classes, especially after marrying Henry Wilcox.
• Helen Schlegel - Margaret's younger sister, more impulsive and emotional. She is deeply concerned with social injustice and strives to make the world a better place. At the beginning of the novel, she falls in love with Paul Wilcox, but later her attention shifts to Leonard Bast, whose fate becomes important to her.
• Henry Wilcox - a member of the wealthy and influential Wilcox family. He is practical, conservative, and often fails to understand the idealistic views of the Schlegel sisters. Over the course of the novel, his character undergoes changes, especially under Margaret's influence, who helps him become more sensitive and understanding.
• Leonard Bast - a young man from the lower class, striving for self-improvement and a better position. His life becomes intertwined with the Schlegel sisters, and he becomes a symbol of the struggle for social justice. His tragic fate highlights the social contrasts and injustices in society.
• Ruth Wilcox - Henry Wilcox's wife, who dies early in the novel, but her influence on events and characters remains. She was a kind and wise woman who bequeathed her house, Howards End, to Margaret Schlegel, which becomes a pivotal moment in the plot.