Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) an
intellectual and Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge ranked among the most
cosmopolitan men of his day. His novels are only five in number. After the
early Where Angels Fear to Tread, with its well drawn characters,
its comedy and the typical concern with the conflict between two different
cultures comes The Longest Journey – a less attractive work that
shows the same skill of characterization. A Room with a View like
his first novel is set in Italy containing delicately handled excellent comedy.
Next comes, his two masterpieces, Howards End and much later A
Passage to India. Both deal with the misunderstandings that arise in
relationships among individuals in one case and among races in the other.
A
Passage to India is the latest of his novels and is unrivalled in
English fiction in its presentation of the complex problems which were to be
found in the relationships between English and native people in India. Forster
uses personal relationships as a yardstick to measure the failings and
achievements of his characters. The relationship between Aziz and Fielding is
the most significant. In spite of so many barriers of race and character, the
two men succeed in creating a unique rapport that stands out as evidence of the
power of goodwill and kindness.
The difference between the two men can be noticed in their
first meeting. Fielding appears as a genial, reserved, liberal and mature
person who is full of goodwill and consideration. On the other hand, Aziz is impulsive
and unreserved man given to extreme of love and jealousy, affection and
rancour. At the tea party, unlike Fielding, Aziz throws shyness and reserve to
the winds and becomes gay and exuberant. This contrast in temperament can be
seen in the following lines:
Fielding says, emotions should be in proportion to
their objects. To this Aziz retorts,
Is emotion a sack of potatoes, so much the pound, to be
measured out? Am I a machine? I shall be told I can use up my emotions by using
them, next.
Also, there is the difficulty
of communication due to Aziz’s imperfect handling of the English language. For
instance, Fielding’s casual remark, Please make yourself at home,
is misunderstood by Aziz as a signal for unconventional behaviour.
In spite of these
fundamental differences of culture and temperament, the two enter into a
genuine friendship that dissolves the various barriers between them. Fielding
is struck by the liveliness exhibited by the youthful Aziz on the entrance of
ladies and encourages his eloquence. To this, Aziz is overwhelmed and gratifies
the warmth and affection extended by Fielding. On their second meeting, Aziz
gratefully appreciates Fielding’s gesture of coming in his house hearing of his
illness. He tries to repay the moving action of friendship. He shows Fielding
his dead wife’s photograph.
Though Fielding shows
himself deeply moved by Aziz’s noble gesture, he realizes he is unable to bring
the same amount of emotion to their relationship. At this stage, we notice the
complications underlying the instinctive and impulsive understanding reached
between the both. Aziz was highly imaginative and Fielding has an undeveloped
imagination. The latter cannot surrender whole-heartedly to any new person or
experience as his friend did. He finds it difficult to believe that kindness
alone can solve India’s problems. It was due to these reasons; the gesture of
friendship, while deeply appreciated by Fielding also puts him off slightly
from Aziz. However, Aziz’s former admiration of the Englishman is replaced; he
says,
No Englishman
understands except Mr. Fielding.
These misunderstandings
and complications do not have place in the earlier part of the novel because of
the trust they have on each other. They creep in their relation when they are
celebrating the success of their friendship which has survived Aziz’s arrest
and his trial. Imprisonment changes Aziz; while remaining good-tempered and
affectionate he has become formidable so that he is determined to take revenge
upon Adela for ruining his career. Fielding, moved by the pity of helpless
Adela urges Aziz of not doing so but the latter is determined. This revengeful
attitude disgraces Fielding. He says,
It disgraces me
to have been mentioned in connexion with such a hag.
This led Aziz to
believe that Fielding is pleading for Adela because he wants to marry her for
her money. This suspicious nature was a part of his personality as such, leads
him to break with Fielding.
After two years, we
find Aziz again a man with a difference. He is now an implacable enemy of the
British and has cast his lot with Indian nationalism too firmly to think of
reunion with his former friend. However, Ralph Moore (son of Mrs. Moore) by the
power of his mysterious personality forces Aziz against his will to forget his
hatred for British. At Mau, the collision of Aziz’s boat with Fielding on the
river in an atmosphere of joyous celebration of Lord Krishna festival releases
his spirit and he is friends with Fielding again, all misunderstandings
removed, suspicion dissolved. They revive all their former affection. Yet, they
realize that their characters and outlook have changed radically. Fielding is
now siding with Anglo-India and Aziz with Indian nationalism. They cannot
continue their friendship under these circumstances. It can be said that their
former personal understanding was too fragile to be maintained under all
circumstances.
Therefore, in the
relationship between Aziz and Fielding Forster shows us the complex tensions
between East and West and the difficulties of human communication which
ultimately intervene and make it impossible to continue a relationship formed
between such different human beings.
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