Howards End takes place during a period of political and social change, notably in regards to women’s place in society. How are the different female characters represented? What attitudes do male characters have of them and how do the female characters themselves view women’s role in society?

Among the concerns of the novel is the state of contemporary British society. What kinds of ideas do characters have of British society and of the British Empire? How do they relate to these ideas, and how are they represented in the novel?

What kinds of attitudes are variously associated with the countryside and with the city in the novel? Which characters and classes of people generally are associated with each?