Homosexuality and Maurice

While I realize that homosexuality has always been a taboo subject, I never realized exactly what it could do to a person until I watched Maurice. I had never thought very much about the legality of homosexuality, because I've grown up in a world (or country, rather) that does not treat it as a punishable/illegal offense (at least not seriously, or to such a great extent). Sure, I've seen phrases like "standards of decency" and "temptation" attached to homosexuality,  but Maurice amplifies the meanings of these phrases, going so far as to show one gay man's being sentenced to 6 months in jail with hard labor (which was actually "lenient"). The police had arrested him for a "charge of immorality" and for the "corruption of his social inferior." This latter phrase shows how one could tie social status to the homosexuality issue/problem, as the abovementioned leniency came from the fact that the accused man was a high-ranking member of society, specifically, a politician. It is interesting to note that, had the man been a "regular" member of society, the punishment would have been even more serious. What I find most interesting in the film, however, is the portrayal of secrecy, the proverbial gay "closet." Clive is the one to initiate intimacy with Maurice, but he is also the one who marries a woman for "cover" and leaves behind his true sexual orientation; he gives in to society, caving to its heterosexist standards, while Maurice also hides his sexual orientation from the world but, at the same time, is open enough to pursue a relationship with Alec. Perhaps this is a symbol for the then changing attitude toward homosexuality, a sign of hope for the future. Now, however, we are living IN that future, and although some things have changed, there is still a long way to go for same-sex couples' rights; society's attitude toward homosexuality is continually changing/evolving and perhaps will never be done doing so.