University of J.J.

Strossmayer in Osijek
Department of Culturology
Media Culture

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

B Y E D WA R D M O R G A N F O R S T E R

Student: aklina Peji

EDWARD MORGAN FORSTER

January 1, 1879 June 7, 1970
English novelist, short story writer, essayist and
librettis
Class difference and hypocrisy in English society
Traveled in Italy and Greece
Where Angels Fear to Tread
The Longest Journey
A Room with a View
A Passage to India
Maurice - 1971

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

Genre novel
Time 1908
Place Italy and England
Characters Lucy Honeychurch, George Emerson,
Cecil Vyse, Charlotte Bartlett, Mr. Emerson, Freddy,
Mrs. Honeychurch, Mr. Beebe, Eleanor Lavish, Miss
Alan

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

A young woman in the repressed culture
A romance and a critique of English society at the
beginning of the 20th century

Differences between conservative England and

open-minded continental Europe
Forsters most optimistic book

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

First adaptation theatre 1975
Film adaptation 1985, by James Ivory
BBC Radio 4 produced a four-part radio drama 1995,

written by David Wade and directed by Glyn Dearman

ITV Network television adaptation in 2007 ( father and
son actors), by Andrew Davies with its own ending

FILM ADAPTATION, 1985

Even uses novel chapter titles to divide the film into
sections.
Award winning adaptation
Cast:
Helena Bonham-Carter Lucy Honeychurch
Julian Sands George Emerson
Daniel Day-Lewis Cecil Vyse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkrldSP4EU8

Lucy Honeychurch
Her piano skills show that she has potential for great
passions
Breaks the social codes that are expected of her
Chooses to follow the true instincts of love

 George Emerson
Passionate desire for truth, even though at the
beginning he considers life not worth living
Encourages Lucy to leave Cecil and follows her
heart

 Cecil Vyse
Dislikable character
Despises all the
country people, ugly
things and cheerful
music
He has an apstract
vision of Lucy and
there is no such thing
as love in his life / selfconscious

 Freddy
Lucy's younger brother
Lighthearted, loves tennis, swimming and the study
of anatomy
Dislikes Cecil and likes George.

SUMMARY
Lucy Honeychurch visits Italy under the charge of
her older cousin Charlotte. At their guesthouse, in
Florence, they are given rooms that dont look over
the river Arno as promised.
Mr. Emerson generously offers them the rooms
belonging to himself and his son George. Although
Charlotte is offended by Mr. Emerson's lack of tact
she finally does agree to the switch
Later that day, Mr. Beebe watches Lucys
passionate piano playing and predicts that
someday she will live her life with the same passion.

 In her walk to the Piazza Signoria

Lucy suddenly witnesses the
murder. George happens to be
nearby and catches her when
she faints. On their way home,
he kisses her, much to her
surprise. She keeps his rash
behavior a secret, telling it only
to Charlotte.
On a country outing in the hills,
Lucy wanders in search of Mr.
Beebe, but the Italian cab driver
leads her instead to George.
George sees her and again
kisses her, but this time Charlotte
sees him. She leaves with Lucy
for Rome the next day.

 In Rome, Lucy spends time with Cecil Vyse, whom she

knew in England. He proposes to her twice in Italy and she
rejects him both times. But third time, back home, she
accepts.
There is a small villa available for rent in the town and
Cecil offers it to the Emersons, whom he meets by chance
in a museum. They take him up on the offer and move in.

George plays tennis with the

Honeychurches on a Sunday While
Cecil reads from a book by Miss
Lavish, a woman who also stayed
with Lucy and Charlotte at the
pension in Florence. The novel
records a kiss among violets, and
Lucy realizes that Charlotte let the
secret out. In a moment alone,
George kisses her again

 Lucy tells him to leave, but George insists that Cecil is not
the right man for her, characterizing Cecil as controlling
and appreciative of things rather than people. Lucy sees
Cecil in a new light, and breaks off her engagement
that night.
However, Lucy wants to stay unmarried and travel to
Greece with the Miss Alans. She meets old Mr. Emerson
by chance, who insists that she should marry George
because it is what her soul truly wants. Lucy realizes he is
right, marries George. The book ends with the happy
couple staying together in the Florence pension again,
in a room with a view.

PLEASE, READ THE TEXT AND

SUMMARIZE IT IN A FEW
SENTENCES.

 Lucy and Charlotte are angry and disappointed

because they did not get the rooms that were
promised to them. During the dinner, Mr. Emerson
offers them to switch the rooms with him and his
son. Charlotte is offended by Mr. Emerson's lack of
tact and rejects the offer.

VOCABULARY

A) COURTYARD
B) NOOK

C) PEEVISH
D) WRANGLE
E) ILL-BRED
F) CHAPERONE

Badly trained and rude

Argue noisily
One who travels with
an unmarried woman
Open space
surrounded by walls
Corner, small place
Angry, annoyed

VOCABULARY

A) COURTYARD
B) NOOK

C) PEEVISH
D) WRANGLE
E) ILL-BRED
F) CHAPERONE

Badly trained and rude

Argue noisily
One who travels with
an unmarried woman
Open space
surrounded by walls
Corner, small place
Angry, annoyed

 How much the view is important to you on your

holiday?
Do you consider England conservative today as it
was during the past? How does life in England
compares with life in Italy or any other continental
European country?

Where would you like to travel? Why?

AND THAT WOULD BE ALL...

THANK YOU!