LIT/A/3: Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence

PLOT SUMMARY

The first part of the novel focuses on Mrs. Morel and her unhappy marriage to a drinking miner. She has many arguments with her husband, some of which have painful results: on separate occasions, she is locked out of the house and hit in the head with a drawer. Estranged from her husband, Mrs. Morel takes comfort in her four children, especially her sons. Her oldest son, William, is her favorite, and she is very upset when he takes a job in London and moves away from the family. When William sickens and dies a few years later, she is crushed, not even noticing the rest of her children until she almost loses Paul, her second son, as well. From that point on, Paul becomes the focus of her life, and the two seem to live for each other.

Paul falls in love with Miriam Leivers, who lives on a farm not too far from the Morel family. They carry on a very intimate, but purely platonic, relationship for many years. Mrs. Morel does not approve of Miriam, and this may be the main reason that Paul does not marry her. He constantly wavers in his feelings toward her.

Paul meets Clara Dawes, a suffragette who is separated from her husband, through Miriam. As he becomes closer with Clara and they begin to discuss his relationship with Miriam, she tells him that he should consider consummating their love and he returns to Miriam to see how she feels.

Paul and Miriam sleep together and are briefly happy, but shortly afterward Paul decides that he does not want to marry Miriam, and so he breaks off with her. She still feels that his soul belongs to her, and, in part agrees reluctantly. He realizes that he loves his mother most, however.

After breaking off his relationship with Miriam, Paul begins to spend more time with Clara and they begin an extremely passionate affair. However, she does not want to divorce her husband Baxter, and so they can never be married. Paul’s mother falls ill and he devotes much of his time to caring for her. When she finally dies, he is broken-hearted and, after a final plea from Miriam, goes off alone at the end of the novel.

THEMES

Passion and Love

Each of the characters in Sons and Lovers feels overcome with passion at some point in the novel. Mrs. Morel passionately loves her sons, William and Paul. Her love for them guides every other action in her life. Both boys, however, struggle to find their own passions under the suffocating shadow of their mother’s love for them. No woman ever measures up to their mother, and no job is worthy enough to take them away from home. Creative and social pursuits are only worth their time if their mother approves. Because Paul’s definition of passion has been so skewed by his oedipal relationship with his mother, he doesn’t understand how to love another person. He lusts after Clara, which could be described as physical love, yet feels emotionally connected to Miriam, which could be described as spiritual love, although neither relationship fulfills him.

Passion sometimes manifests itself negatively, as in Mr. and Mrs. Morel’s relationship. The couple swings between hatred and affection in their complicated, abusive relationship. Mr. Morel physically lashes out at his wife, as when he hurls a drawer at her during a fight, but feels remorse when he actually hurts her. Although Mrs. Morel hates her husband, she feels worried when he disappears and even romantic toward him when he brings her tea the morning after their fight. She dutifully cares for him during his injury, just as Clara cares for Dawes—the violence of illness reigniting a romantic passion that forgives past sins. Emotionally, Paul mirrors this inconstant passion by feeling overwhelming love one moment for the women in his life, like Miriam and his mother, but hatred the next.

Characters also exhibit passion for things other than romance. Mrs. Morel is passionate about her religious beliefs. Paul finds a passion for painting, although he arguably uses the art form to process the repressed romantic passion he feels for his mother. Miriam displays passionate spirituality: “She was cut off from ordinary life by her religious intensity,” which makes a physically passionate relationship with Paul impossible. Miriam does feel deeply for Paul, just not sexually. She longs for him to belong to her, just as Mrs. Morel does, in contrast to Clara, who wants physical passion with Paul, not a relationship.

Bondage and Unity

Despite knowing what they want from their lives, someone or something holds back all the characters in Sons and Lovers. The most obvious form of bondage in the novel is Mrs. Morel’s suffocating love for her sons. Rather than giving the boys a sense of security to explore the world, their relationships with their mother hold them back, particularly from finding another love. None of William’s girlfriends live up to Mrs. Morel’s expectations, and he burns their love letters to assuage her jealousy. Similarly, Paul feels so overwhelmed with love for his mother that he dreams of living in a little cottage with her forever rather than finding a woman and starting a family of his own. At the end of the novel, Paul helps end his mother’s life, which frees her from the pain of illness, but also helps him escape the bondage of his mother’s affection.

Men in the novel are also held back by other strong forces. Alcoholism acts as bondage in the Morel marriage. As an addict, Mr. Morel lies and steals. Mrs. Morel loathes her husband for the way he drunkenly treats his family, but she cannot leave him, in part because of the bondage of marriage. Meanwhile, characters are held back by the bondage of their social class, which limits their access to education, romantic partnerships, and job prospects. Women are particularly shackled by social expectations, such as with Mrs. Morel’s and Miriam’s desires to pursue education, needs which are thwarted by domestic duties and gender roles.

Men & Masculinity

Just as Lawrence delves deeply into the realm of women and femininity, he also provides us with a sneak peek into men’s heads. (Read on with interest, ladies.) Sons and Lovers tells us a lot about the kinds of ideas that float through guy’s masculine brains—or, at least, the kinds that did back in early-20th-century Britain. Just as there are many different versions of femininity, there are many different versions of masculinity in this book. On the one hand, you have the abusive, alcoholic father, Walter Morel. On the other hand, you have the sensitive artist, Paul. But just as the women in this book are held back by their gender roles, the men are often victims of societal expectations.

Culture

Paul thinks of painting as his great escape from the modern industrial world portrayed in Sons and Lovers. It’s understandable, then, that his favorite thing to paint is natural landscapes. But not only is painting a source of pride for Paul, it’s also the primary way that Mrs. Morel projects all of her unfulfilled ambitions onto her son. Paul’s success in painting makes Mrs. Morel feels “cultured” in a way that allows her to think she’s just as good as any upper-class person in her town. Ultimately, climbing that old social ladder is all Mrs. Morel really cares about Sigh.

Women & Feminism

As the title suggests, Sons and Lovers focuses primarily on sons, not daughters. Nonetheless, the book still delves deeply into questions of femininity, and how women are supposed to act. In it, Lawrence provides us with different models of what a woman can be like, from the battle-hardened Mrs. Morel to the spiritual and somewhat naïve Miriam. What many of these models boil down to, though, is the (then?) timely conflict over whether or not to be submissive to a man

Techniques

Symbolization
In the novel innumerable symbolisms have been used. Symbols such as light symbolizes rational, daily, routine life and is most strikingly associated with Mrs. Morel. Darkness symbolizes the wonder and mystery of existence as well as the human subconscious and brute instinct. This quality is exemplified in Walter Morel who descends down everyday into the mines. To Lawrence, light and dark like life and death, opened naturally into each other and were essential to one another. Darkness has a special symbolic potency. It adds tragic dignity to various scenes and symbolizes the darkness of death. When Williams’ body is brought back home, the Morels solemnly guide the long, heavy casket out of the dark night and into the candle lit parlor. At the end of the novel Paul walks away from the dark, uninhabited country fields – towards the bright city lights. This may be interpreted as Paul’s walking away from death, towards life.
Blood is another important symbol having great significance. Anger, passion, and sexual desire are illustrated in different characters. There are several instances where the word blood and its variants have been used. Some of them are: blood shot eyes; full of blood; sensuous flame of life; Morel’s blood was up; even the blood; a wave of hot blood went over to the infant; blood battling; roused his blood; her heart melted like a drop of fire; etc. The following example illustrates this:-
“The whole of his blood seemed to burst in to flames and he could scarcely breathe… his blood was concentrated like a flame in his chest. There were flashed in his blood“.
These lines refer to the passion felt for Miriam by Paul as they walked side by side. He wants to make love to Miriam but she shrinks away from it and from Paul. Blood also makes its presence felt when Mr. Morel throws an object with violence at Gertrude and some blood shedding takes place. This again is symbolic. Mrs. Morel is hurt on her brow and the blood
flows and drops on the baby’s white shawl. Later a drop also dropped on the baby’s golden hair. The imagery is vivid, and it is also very symbolic.

Nature is yet another powerful symbol in the novel. Flowers have a role in revealing the psychological traits of the characters, and even the skies very symbolically change color according to the characters’ moods. Thus it turns red when Mrs. Morel is upset and angry and it turns black when there is a foreshadowing of death and sorrow. It appears to be a sparkling and shining blue when Paul is out in the countryside with the women he loves. Mrs. Morel’s experience with the lilies when she puts her head deep inside the flower and when her face is smeared with pollen golden in color has been described in very explicit and figurative language. Mrs. Morel is influenced by the overpowering perfume, the streaming white light of the full moon and the whiteness of all the flowers.

CHARACTERS

Walter Morel

Walter Morel, an English collier in many ways typical of the literary image of the lower-class workingman. He is not interested in the arts, in matters of the intellect, or even greatly in his work, which for him is merely a source of income. He is a creature who lives for whatever pleasures he can find in eating, drinking, and his bed. At first a warmly vital man, he later becomes rough and brutal to his family and fights with them verbally and physically. His wife, after the first glow of marriage fades, means little to him because of her puritanical attitudes and regard for culture, and he becomes alienated from his children. His one creative joy is mending odd bits of household equipment and his work clothing. He has been a coal miner since boyhood, and a coal miner he is content to be.

Gertrude Morel

Gertrude Morel, Walter Morel’s wife, who married beneath her class and who soon regrets her action. She is quickly disillusioned by her husband, and the glamour of their courtship soon fades. She discovers that her husband has debts, which he tells her he has paid, and that he constantly lies about the little money he brings home. He always keeps aside some money for his drinking, regardless of how little he earns at the mine. In her disillusionment, Mrs. Morel turns to her children for understanding and affection, as well to protect them from their father’s brutality when drunk. As the sons and daughter appear on the scene, each becomes a focal point for the mother’s love. She tries to help them escape the little mining community, and she succeeds. She places a blight on her second son, Paul, by centering her affections on him and loving him too well, making him the recipient of love that should have been given to her husband. Her affection and attentions cause him to be stunted emotionally. She never realizes what she is doing to the talented young man but always believes that she is working in his best interest by keeping him at home and governing his affections. Her life is cut short by cancer; Paul ends her terrible pain by giving her an overdose of opiates. Even after her death, her influence lingers in his life, so that he shows little evidence of developing into an individual, fulfilled personality.

Annie Morel: The only daughter of the Morel family. Paul is very close and loving to Annie. Annie does not like Miriam; she can see how much their mother suffers when Paul is with Miriam and hates Miriam for that. Paul and Mrs. Morel are miserable when she marries and leaves home. Later, Annie and Paul conspire to give their mother morphia to help speed up her death.

Paul Morel: Protagonist of novel. Quiet, shy, reserved by nature but intensely passionate and emotional. Knows French and enjoys painting. Paul Morel, the second child of Walter and Gertrude Motel. After his older brother goes off to London to take a job, Paul receives the bulk of his mother’s affection; she helps him find work as a clerk close to home so that he can continue to live with his family. He receives encouragement to study art and becomes a successful part-time painter and designer. Paul’s mother and her influence keep him from growing up. Although he fights against her ruling his life.Enjoys staying home with his mother during the evenings rather than playing outside. When at work, Paul is absorbed by the activities and the people, especially the factory girls. Has an off-and-on relationship with Miriam Leivers for seven years. Hates and loves her at the same time. Miriam expects him to love her as passionately and deeply as she loves him, but Paul does not feel any sexual attraction to her. Ends relationship with Miriam and begins one with Clara Dawes, a married woman separated from her husband. He and Clara have a very sexual relationship. They end their involvement together when Clara decides that she wants to return to her husband.

Miriam Leivers: The first girl Paul ever loved and had sex with. She is a beautiful, deeply intense and devoted girl whose feelings for Paul are as passionate as her love for God and church. She loves him more than he loves her. Paul gets frustrated and furious with the way she absorbs everything in her soul and cannot fathom why she has to treat everything with so much depth and intensity.

Clara Dawes: The older, defiant woman with whom Paul has a sexual and passionate relationship. She is a married woman, but she is separated from her husband. At first, Paul felt that Clara left Dawes because she hated him, but he soon realizes that she does care for Dawes a great deal. Clara can satisfy him sexually in what Miriam could not. Yet Paul tires of Clara because he can see that she does not belong to him. Not only does Paul know that she still wants her husband, he notices that Clara does not want to be with him when he is troubled or worried. Clara returns to her husband after Paul tells her that Dawes has been ill for some time.

Baxter Dawes: Clara’s husband. He also works at Thomas Jordan’s. He and Paul have a tense, hateful relationship, yet they are bound to each other for some reason. After they fight each other a couple of time, they manage to form a companionship. Dawes and Paul are sympathetic to each other’s suffering and worries.

Minor Characters

Arthur Morel: The last of the Morel children. He is wildly impulsive, antagonistic, emotional and temperamental. He recklessly joins the army at the advice of his friend but begs his mother to buy him out as soon as she can. The strict military regime does not discipline him enough. He has sex with his girl, Beatrice, before they marry. At first, Arthur distances himself from his wife and baby, but he soon realizes his role and responsibilities as a father.

Mrs. Leivers: Miriam’s mother whose personality and temperament is like Miriam’s. Both feel deeply about nature and religion, and are devotedly pious to church and religion. Takes a liking to Paul.

Edgar Leivers: Miriam’s elder brother whose companionship Paul enjoys.

Thomas Jordan: The elderly manufacturer whose company, Thomas Jordan & Sons, Surgical Appliances, Paul works at.

Mr. Pappleworth: Paul’s boss at Thomas Jordan’s.

Fanny and Polly: The factory girls at Thomas Jordan’s. Paul enjoys talking to them.

Louisa Lily Danys Western: The high-society, stupid fiancee of William’s. Lily is very shallow and insipid; William has to buy her all of her necessities. The Morels treat her kindly, but she treats Annie like a servant. William does not love her, but he feels that he is stuck with her. He declares that if he died suddenly she would not pine for him. After William dies, his declaration rings true; the Morels never hear from Lily again.

Agatha Leivers: Miriam’s elder sister who chastises Miriam for being so free and open with her feelings for Paul.

Beatrice: Arthur’s wife and mother of his child. Beatrice matches Arthur’s impulsive and reckless nature. They have sex before they marry. Their child is born six months after their wedding.

Leonard: Annie’s husband.