Similarities in the Two Women： Margaret Schlegel and Jane Somers

劉貴平

Howards End and The Dairies of Jane Somers are two very good novels. Even with different stories， there are something in common about the two novels， especially the main character Margaret Schlegel in the former and Jane Somers in the latter. In this essay， four aspects are presented： their similar independence， common attitude towards the poor， perfect ability of forgiveness and their similar experience of friendship with an elder woman.

independence attitude forgiveness friendship

Howards End， a remarkable novel of rare insight and understanding， is written by British writer E. M. Forster； while The Dairies of Jane Somers is a novel by British novelist Doris Lessing， a Nobel Prize winner in 2007. After reading the two novels， I realize that Margaret in the former novel and Jane in the latter share many similarities， even though they live at different times and have quite different experiences.

1. Economic and emotional independence

First， they both are independent， economically as well as emotionally. Obviously， Jane is very independent economically. She has a decent， well-paid job， which enables her to help others. Before her husband's death， she does not relay on him economically and emotionally， so that she is almost indifferent to his death. After that， she does not depend on anybody， even her mother and sister. Margaret also has enough money to live on. Besides， her parents died early making her the head of the family. Most importantly， she knows her own mind very well.

2. Similar attitude to the poor

The two women also have similar attitude to the poor， even though they are out of different reasons and behave differently. Personally， Jane is helping the poor （also the old） mostly because she did not do well when her husband and mother， especially her mother had a cancer. She did not discharge her responsibility and duty as a wife and a daughter. As a result， she is quite guilty for that. So when she meets Maudie， she helps her with money， latter goes to her home to accompany and takes care of her. She does shopping for her， washes for her， and talks to her. This is just one day's work， and almost everyday for Jane in Maudie's home is like this. When Maudie gets sick， she goes to hospital several times a week to comfort and attend her， even when she is very busy and tired. She also helps other old poor women， such as Annie. I think this is a rare virtue for a fashionable women like Jane. Margaret is also kind to the poor. She and other society members discuss how to help others in the Society for the Preservation and Historic Interest or Nature Beauty with the topic "How ought I to dispose of my money？"（Lessing 132）. Margaret's argument is "Why not give him money itself？"；"We ought to have settled that Whatever you've got， I order you to give as many poor men as you can three hundred a year each" （Lessing 133-4）. Later， Margaret and her sister Helen even try to get Mr. Bast a better job， but without success. When the car touched a cat of a poor little girl， she insists to go to see it herself. Asking Charles to stop the car without success， she jumps straight out of it regardless of herself. So we know she really cares about the poor. As for the attitude to the poor， Jane and Margaret are similar in that they only care for the people coming to their lives.

3. Ability of forgiveness

For me， Jane and Margaret also have perfect ability of forgiveness. They both can forgive their lover when Richard and Henry do something offending them. When Richard does not call Jane as he has promised， she still can smile to him when they meet and after Richard has made some explanation to her. I am not saying she must make a fuss about that. But girls are always very angry with their boyfriends when they have broken promises， especially when girls have experienced a long time （for themselves）'s expectation. When at last Richard decides to go to Canada with his wife， she can really takes care of their daughter and be her sister. What makes me hard to understand is that she can willingly be his mistress knowing that Richard is still loving his wife very deeply. Moreover， she can just let it go when Richard's daughter follows them and his son calls and goes to meet her. Jane always tolerates Richard， maybe which is because she really loves him or she is too lonely. When Margaret acknowledges that Henry has had an affair with Mrs. Bast， she can forgive him and marry him， because she thinks that is not her failure but Mrs. Wilcox's. For her， "Henry must be forgiven， and made better by love； nothing else matters" （Forster 255）. When Henry does not permit Helen to live in Howard End for just one night because of her affair with Mr. Bast， I suppose she will leave for German with Helen for good. However， she stays there after all. Margaret has forgiven him in my opinion； otherwise she will not stay at Howard End even if Charles is put into prison. Henry is too much for woman to forgive. Just as Margaret says， "I've spoiled you long enough. All your life you have been spoiled. Mrs. Wilcox spoiled you"（Forster 323）.

4. Similar experience

Jane and Margaret also have similar experience in that they both have a time of friendship with an elder woman. Jane and 80-year-old Maudie's friendship is very important in The Diaries of a Good Neighbour. Their friendship makes Jane not so numb about others， and not so lonely. Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox's short friendship even wins her Howard End in some respect， and plays an important role in Margaret and Henry's first knowing and then loving each other， and their marrying finally.

Jane Somers and Margaret Schlegel in the two good novels Howards End and The Dairies of Jane Somers have many things to study. What I write is just a few aspects， which are not very satisfactory. So I hope the readers could give some precious suggestions.

References：

[1]Forster，E. M.Howards End. Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2005.

[2]Lessing， Doris. The Dairies of Jane Somers.Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2005.