maurice is heartbroken over unrequited love which opened his heart and mind to his own sexual identity in order to be true to himself he goes against the grain of societys often unspoken rules of class wealth and politicsforster understood that his homage to samesex love if published when he completed it in 1914 would probably end his career thus maurice languished in a drawer for fiftyseven years the author requesting it be published only after his death along with his stories about homosexuality later collected in the life to comesince its release in 1971 maurice has been widely read and praised it has been and continues to be adapted for major stage productions including the 1987 oscarnominated film adaptation starring hugh grant and james wilby