# Margaret Schlegel — Howards End character guide > Margaret Schlegel in Howards End by E. M. Forster. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Meg, Dear Margaret, poor Margaret, Margaret Oniton **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Who they are A clear-eyed, slightly weary intellectual who believes in connecting the seen and unseen, Margaret tries to reconcile her idealistic set with the Wilcoxes' brutal practicality. ## Relationships ### [Helen Schlegel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/helen_schlegel) _family_ Sisters with a deep, loving bond, though Helen's impulsiveness often clashes with Margaret's practicality. ### [Henry Wilcox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/henry_wilcox) _romantic_ Husband and wife, a marriage of convenience and affection strained by Henry's rigid conventionality and Margaret's idealism. ### [Charles Wilcox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/charles_wilcox) _family_ Step-son and step-mother, marked by Charles's resentment and condescension toward Margaret's intellectual circle. ### [Dolly Fussell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/dolly_fussell) _social_ Acquaintances through marriage, with Dolly's gossipy and shallow demeanor irritating Margaret. ### [Tibby Schlegel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/tibby_schlegel) _family_ Siblings, with Margaret acting as a maternal caretaker for the aloof and scholarly Tibby. ### [Leonard Bast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/leonard_bast) _friendship_ A sympathetic but unequal friendship, with Margaret trying to help Leonard improve his station in life. ### [Evie Wilcox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/evie_wilcox) _family_ Step-daughter and step-mother, with Evie's snobbishness and coldness creating a strained relationship. ### [Aunt Juley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/aunt_juley) _family_ Aunt and niece, with Aunt Juley's fussy, well-meaning interference often exasperating Margaret. ### [Helen Schlegel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/helen_schlegel) _family_ Sisters with a deep, loving bond, though Helen's impulsiveness often clashes with Margaret's practicality. ### [Helen Schlegel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/helen_schlegel) _family_ Sisters with a deep, loving bond, though Helen's impulsiveness often clashes with Margaret's practicality. ### [Charles Wilcox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/charles_wilcox) _family_ Step-son and step-mother, marked by Charles's resentment and condescension toward Margaret's intellectual circle. ### [Henry Wilcox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/henry_wilcox) _romantic_ Husband and wife, a marriage of convenience and affection strained by Henry's rigid conventionality and Margaret's idealism. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/i) The recipient of Helen's letters, mentioned as 'Meg'. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/ii) Margaret is torn between her desire to support Helen personally and the practical need to send Aunt Juley. She reflects on the nature of love and engagement, and meditates on the symbolism of King's Cross station. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/iv) Cares for Helen and Aunt Juley; engages in a philosophical discussion with Helen about personal relations versus the outer life. ### [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/v) Engages in intellectual conversation with Leonard Bast at the concert, discussing music and the arts; later reflects on the feminine nature of her household. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/vi) Referenced through Leonard's thoughts; her calling card falls out of Leonard's book, and he recalls the tea party where she and Helen gave him advice. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/vii) Margaret calmly receives the news of the Wilcoxes' arrival, tries to reassure her aunt, and reflects on the economic foundations of their lives. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/viii) Visits Mrs. Wilcox to apologize for her earlier rude letter and stays to talk, showing her practical and thoughtful nature. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/ix) Hosts a luncheon for Mrs. Wilcox, dominating conversation with intellectual topics, but later feels remorse and seeks a genuine connection. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/x) Accompanies Mrs. Wilcox on a shopping trip, initially declines the invitation to Howards End, then rushes to accept but is thwarted by the Wilcox family's return. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xii) Reflects on Mrs. Wilcox's death, receives the silver vinaigrette, and contemplates reconciling the seen and unseen. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xiii) Engages in a philosophical debate with Tibby about work and duty, defends the Wilcoxes, and later feels disturbed by the visit of Mrs. Lanoline, reflecting on the instability of their home. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xiv) Receives Leonard's visit, tries to ease the awkwardness, and reflects on the gulf between natural and philosophic man. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xv) Engages in the debate about wealth distribution, arguing that giving money directly is educational. Reflects on Mr. Wilcox's charm and the flux of life. ### [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xvi) Defends Leonard Bast's character to Mr. Wilcox, attempts to mediate the conflict, and reflects on the failure of the encounter. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xvii) Anxious about finding a new home, she accepts Evie's lunch invitation and engages in a revealing conversation with Henry Wilcox. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xviii) Margaret is perturbed by Mr. Wilcox's letter and travels to London to inspect the house. She experiences a surge of emotion and begins to realize Mr. Wilcox's feelings for her, though she struggles to decide her own. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xx) Accepts Henry's marriage proposal with genuine love but is displeased by the lack of tenderness afterward; she reflects on the nature of love and marriage. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxi) Referenced as the woman who has 'got hold of Howards End' and is the subject of Charles's resentment. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxii) Tries to help Henry connect his inner life with outward action, but is thwarted by his obtuseness; mediates between Helen and Henry. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxiii) Scolds Helen, visits Henry's office, explores Howards End alone, and is mistaken for Ruth Wilcox by an old woman. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxiv) Visits Howards End, feels a deep connection to the house and land, and later has tea with Henry and Dolly. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxv) Attends Evie's wedding as a guest and future stepmother; she feels disconnected from Henry's social circle but is charmed by Oniton, which she hopes will be her home. ### [Chapter XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxvi) Margaret mediates between Henry and Helen, tries to help the Basts, and confronts Henry's past when Jacky reveals their affair. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxvii) Mentioned as Helen's sister, about to be married, and the recipient of a letter sent to Helen at the hotel. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxviii) Struggles with her feelings about Henry's past, writes letters, and decides to forgive him out of pity and love. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxix) Confronts Henry, forgives him, and tries to manage the situation with Helen and the Basts. ### [Chapter XXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxx) Summons Tibby, worried about Helen's flight and rumors about Henry. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxi) Now married to Henry, she navigates the disappointment of losing Oniton Grange and the flux of their nomadic life, while reflecting on love and permanence. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxii) Margaret is reviewing house plans and dealing with the news of Miss Avery's unpacking. She decides to go to Howards End to settle the matter. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxiii) Visits Howards End, discovers Miss Avery has unpacked all her furniture, and insists she and Henry will not live there. ### [Chapter XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxiv) Margaret is deeply worried about Helen's mental state and struggles with the decision to involve Henry. ### [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxv) Margaret is deeply worried about Helen and struggles with her trust in Henry. She ultimately acts to protect her sister. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxvi) Stands firm at the gate, refusing to let Henry, the doctor, or others enter; defends Helen's privacy and asserts the primacy of affection. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xxxviii) Confronts Henry about his hypocrisy, defends Helen's request, and reveals she knows about his affair. ### [Chapter XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xl) Reflects on the peace of Howards End and her marriage to Henry, while contemplating Helen's situation and the influence of Mrs. Wilcox. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xli) Sought by Leonard for confession; she is at Howards End with her husband, having instructed her staff not to rebuff anyone who mentions her name. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xlii) Absent from Ducie Street; later revealed to be at Howards End with Helen, receiving Charles's ultimatum. ### [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xliii) Reflects on the chaos after Leonard's death, tends to the garden, decides to leave Henry, and ultimately takes him to Howards End after Charles's imprisonment. ### [XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/chapters/xliv) Now Mrs. Wilcox, she is the quiet center of the family, having orchestrated the settlement at Howards End and accepted the house as her own. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters/margaret_schlegel - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/howards_end_se/characters