Abstract:
This dissertation attempts to examine E. M. Forster’s novel, A Passage to India in a
philosophical light, using Arthur Schopenhauer’s philosophy suggesting two different modes
of perceiving reality as “will” or “idea”. The main subject of my analysis is the extent to
which the three main English characters of the novel: Mrs Moore’s, Miss Quested’s and Mr
Fielding’s western philosophical ideas of life, including rationalism and Christian
monotheism, can survive the hostile tropical landscape of India and the mysteries of the
Marabar caves. Throughout this dissertation E. M. Forster’s special treatment of the nonhuman world and of human’s detachment from the rest of the living species is rendered
explicit. The undermining of human control over good and evil, and their inability to generate
the right meaning will also be discussed. Along the same line, this study demonstrates the
crumbling of Mrs Moore and Miss Quested’s mental conceptualization of the universe as
they discover their physical existence and their kinship with the rest of nature. That is “the
will”. It further explains the reason why Mr Fielding was never able to escape the excessive
control of his mind to experience reality through the will of his body. Finally, it concludes
that E. M. Forster’s message through this novel is mainly to criticize the state of Western
modern civilization, based on the complete optimism in progress found both in modern
rationalism and traditional Christianity because of its consequent objectification of nature, the
non-human species and the anthropological exclusion of native Indians. The conclusion also
explains Forster’s idea of a true human civilization based on a genuine and creative human
endeavour that is only possible when the human being learns to embrace all the aspects of his
existence, including his physicality.
