Why does Enum.Parse() return object?

Question

There's lots of questions on here about converting strings to an enum value. Generally, the answer looks something like the answers on this question:

StatusEnum MyStatus = (StatusEnum) Enum.Parse( typeof(StatusEnum), "Active", true );

While that's a perfectly reasonable answer, and you can write a method to simplify the call, it doesn't answer the question of why Enum.Parse() returns an object instead of the appropriate enum value. Why do I have to cast it to StatusEnum?

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Edit:

Basically, the question is why is a function like this not part of the Enum class?

    public static T Parse<T>(string value) where T: struct 
    {
        return (T)Enum.Parse(typeof (T), value);
    }

This function works perfectly fine, does exactly what you'd expect. StatusEnum e = Enum.Parse<StatusEnum>("Active");.

Answer 1

It does this because

1. It predated generics and (even if it hadn't:)
2. Generic constraints can't be enums (in the mainstream .NET languages)

As such, Object is the only type that will always work for any type of enum.

By returning object, the API is at least functional, even if a cast is required.