Greece
Greece is a long-time symbol for homosexuality, of course, but in this case its symbolism really as to do with Clive leaving his Greek friends behind. His decision to leave coincides with his decision to fully embrace heterosexuality and consider homosexuality just a youth rebellion.
Bandages
The first time Maurice sees Clive following that trip to Greece, he’s covered in bandages after agreeing to be a guinea pig for the ambulance class taken by Ada and Kitty. The bandages serve a dual symbolic purpose: his homosexuality has been symbolically “healed” and his body is not protected from the touch of Maurice and relapse back into his old ways.
Alec
Alex is presented symbolically as the opposite of Clive. Clive is too attuned to religion, guilt and the pressure of convention. In contrast, Alec—the gamekeeper—is the essence of the wild spirit, living pure to himself and not under thumb of social expectations.
"To Greenwood"
Reference is made in the novel several times to “moving to Greenwood.” Although complex in this etymology, essentially the symbolism is quite simple: in order to live as a homosexual couple without being harassed, men would move away from London and into rural countryside away from prying eyes and the long arm of the laws.
“An Unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde Sort”
The concluding line of the poem “Two Loves” by Lord Alfred Douglas is “I am the Love that dare not speak its name” and the poem was used as evidence against Oscar Wilde in his trial for indecency as proof that he and Douglas engaged in a homosexual relationship. Although Wilde denied it, the meaning was of the line was assumed to be a metaphor for homosexuality and has ever since been considered so. And so the confession to being an “unspeakable” in association with Oscar Wilde is a symbolic way of admitting to homosexuality.
