Sons and Lovers -- D.H. Lawrence

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

I love you, rotten,
Delicious rottenness.

I first discovered D.H. Lawrence in my Modern Poetry class as an undergraduate. Lawrence has a way with language that draws you in, makes you feel as if you are apart of the scene as he experiences it. You see the snake lift his head and wonder; you taste the bitter morbidity of the Marsala. His poems could cast a kind of spell on me, if you have not read them I highly recommend you go here and check a few out.

Now, enough about poetry and onto the book. Sons and Lovers is probably a very controversial book to pick as a first review, but you know what? If you can't take it, get out of my blog.

I heard about this books reputation long before I ever picked it up. It is am semi-autobiographical book, one of his earliest. It depicts, among other things, possible incest, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, euthanization, a family torn apart, and promises no happy endings.

But, was it good? Yeah, I think so.

The book is split up into two parts: The story of Gertrude Morel and her son Paul Morel (The book was originally called Paul Morel and admittedly his part is about twice the size of hers - though there is a lot of blurring). The first third of the book, Gertrude's story, is really a large set up. You learn how she fell in love with her undereducated, coal-mining husband (he was essentially a rebound) and how she slowly learns to hate him. He drinks a lot, is horrible with money and is abusive; her logical disobedience sets him off; and eventually their children learn to hate him as well. As a reader, there are moments were I pity him, but mostly I feel he brings his own isolation on himself. Gertrude's only solace is in her children, William, Annie, Paul and Aurthur. Principally though she puts her hopes and her dreams into their oldest boy, William.

Their is obvious and deep affection between Gertrude and William, I do not believe there is anything unhealthy about their relationship. When he begins to see "Gypsy" - a well to-do, but uneducated girl, who loves to dress up - his mother advises him against the match; but ultimately tells him he must do what he feels is right. This is a strong foil to how she eventually treats Paul's relationship with Miriam.

It is while William is away in London that we get our first impressions of Paul. Paul is a sensitive and sickly boy who clings to his mother. She worries about him and always felt he would die. Paul also never liked his father and as a baby hated to be held by him. After Willaim's sudden death Gertrude is able to make it to his bed-side, but if unable to come to terms with her loss for months. Paul falls ill with Pneumonia and she spends all winter nursing him back to health. It is mentioned that Gertrude's sister believes that his illness saves Gertrude. It also gives Gertrude the opportunity to create an even stronger bond with Paul then she had Willaim. She puts all her hopes and dreams from William into Paul. This is when Paul's story really starts.

Paul's life is really defined by the three women that he loves. His mother, Miriam and Clara. His mother is the supreme being of his life- all encompassing; Miriam is his first love - filled with innocence and intimacy; Clara is his second love - filled with exploration and passion. Much of Paul’s story consists of his half-attempts to love anyone as much as he does his mother and the constant returning to her.

Miriam is the love of his life; they are intense in their intimacy. They grow up together, explore and worship the world together. Their love, fragile as it is, is stunningly beautiful. Paul describes it: "In contact with Miriam, he gained insight, his vision went deeper. From his mother he drew the life warmth, the strength to produce; Miriam urged this warmth into intensity like a white light," (p. 190). Lawrence portrays the way they learn from one another as almost religious experiences.

But what ultimately destroys this relationship is the jealousy of Gertrude. "She could feel Paul being drawn away by this girl. And she did not care for Miriam. 'She is one of those who will want to suck a man's soul out till he has none of his own left,' she said to herself,' and he is just such a gaby as to let himself be absorbed. She will never let him become a man, she never will.'" (p. 196). She is constantly against Miriam. It is a testament to how strongly Paul feels for Miriam that he doesn’t give her up completely. Several times throughout the book he pulls away from Miriam for his mother. Which bring about “The Scene” – the one with all the insinuated incest. *MAJOR SPOILERS* If you want to skip that scene, you are more than able, it doesn't come as a surprise. However, I will tell you right now, nothing explicitly sexual happens. Well, at least as I interpreted the scene – let’s discuss why.

In the scene Gertrude is beside herself with jealousy. She is slowly getting sicker and sicker, her love for her husband has burnt out, and she feels as if Paul is going to leave her. She is hysterical in this scene. She raves about how she has tried to like Miriam but can’t. Paul swears to his mother that he doesn’t love Miriam and that she shouldn’t be worried (he does this often throughout the book, I am unsure if he is lying or if his love for his mother is so encompassing that in those moments he doesn’t love Miriam). Gertrude starts clinging to him and holding him close and she says that she never really had a husband, about a paragraph later she kisses Paul “fervently”.

Alright, I am not trying to say that it isn’t a little off. It is. I think she was just loosing it. I do however want to concentrate on the word – fervent. Here are a list of thesaurus terms for fervent: animated, ardent, blazing, burning, devout, earnest, ecstatic, emotional, enthused, excited, fervid, fiery, glowing, heartfelt, hearty, hopped up, hot, hot for, hot-blooded, impassioned, intense, passionate, perfervid, pious, religious, responsive, serious, sincere, tender, unfeigned, vehement, warm, warmhearted, wholehearted, zealous. There is a distinct split in use for the word fervent. There is the hot-blooded definition and the use of it as a religious adjective.

I do not doubt that Lawrence did this on purpose. I bring this up mainly because I do not believe Gertrude is attracted to Paul. I do however think she sees him as her avatar. She has put all of herself in him and therefor demands his obedience. She fears loosing him because it would mean the loss of self as well. The debate is ongoing as to Lawrence's purpose, if you have another view please feel free to comment.

The book continues to after Gertrude's death. The ending, as I mentioned above, is not a happy one. It isn't completely miserable either, though it leaves one wanting. All in all I give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

3.5 / 5 stars