RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE
RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE
96 Beatrice, Siegmund's wife, is like Mrs Morel. Beatrice is another woman whose power lies in her dominance over her children. She turns them against her husband. Because of this "Siegmund hated his wife for drawing on him the grave, cold looks of condemnation from his children" (p.18). differs in this particular from The Trespasser. Sons and Lovers In the former novel Lawrence gives apparent reasons for the mother to direct the children against the father. In the latter novel, this does not occur. Mr Morel is deeply criticized whereas Siegmund is not. In fact, he is almost praised for his attitudes. The reader does not have any account of the marriage before Helena appears. Lawrence is not being critical enough. He tends to lead his reader to take sides with Siegmund who, despite the boredom of his marriage, has not any apparent good reason to look for an escape, as Morel does have in his heavy drinking. Again, Lawrence is immature in his early novel. The adulterous couple meets in the boat ironically named 'Victory', which will take them to the island. The meeting of the lovers strikes us as the encounter of a mother and her adolescent son. His looks are na"i*ve, sweet, immature as contrasted to Helena's. She is quite proud, like a mother looking at her growing son: Helena appreciated him, feature by feature. She liked his clear forehead, with its thick black hair, and his full mouth, and his chin. She loved his hands, that were small, but strong and nervous, and very white. She liked his breast, that.breathed so strong and quietly, and his arms, and his thighs, and his knees (p.23). Besides her motherly observance, there is also the female looking at her male, admiring his physical attractiveness. She is, in his eyes, different: she "was a presence. She was ambushed, fused in an aura of love. He only saw she was white,
97 and strong, and fully fruited, he only knew her blue eyes were rather awful to him" (ibid). Definitely his looks express his passivity if one observes his fear of her eyes. They, in a way, make him feel naked. Helena seems to be the active element in the relation. Moreover, she is the one who looks at him critically, and feels amazed because of his trouble: "His eyes were full of trouble. To see a big, strong man anxious eyed as a child... amused her" (ibid). His strength is only physical. Hers is more spiritual which proves that in relation to mind he is the child, uninitiated in life. She is the deeply experienced one who will guide him to learning. Helena, as I said, dominates Siegmund. This is clearly seen in her authoritarian way of treating her lover. He leaves everything for her to decide and, thus, he obediently follows her instructions. Helena always initiates and ends their conversations. She always leaves questions unanswered when the answer does not convey her. Even when they caress each other, it is Helena who first kisses him and takes him in her arms. However, she does not allow him to make love to her. She tempts him as far as she can and then she rejects him when he is not able to control himself. She frustrates him. She stops the storm of passion at 'the mouth'. Helena idealizes and dreams but as soon as love is ready to turn into eros she rejects the dream, leading her partner to a bitter sense of frustration. The reality of her dreams can never be projected into physical reality. Helena in fact rejects Siegmund's existence. He is not for her a man of flesh and blood. This means nothing to her. As I said, his existence is only real within her. not criticize her overtly for her behavior. Yet Lawrence does He only points out
- Page 55 and 56: 45 the control the whole family wit
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- Page 81 and 82: 71 failure. She is losing her son t
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- Page 85 and 86: 75 Clara. The idea is that through
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- Page 89 and 90: he can have pleasure. Miriam is for
- Page 91 and 92: who she is and what she wants. The
- Page 93 and 94: This is like Paul's passion for Cla
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- Page 103 and 104: 93 relation unbearable up to the po
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- Page 109 and 110: 99 though Siegmund wants her, she r
- Page 111 and 112: 101 an analogy for Helena. Siegmund
- Page 113 and 114: 103 any of the relationships, nor c
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- Page 117 and 118: 107 like him: She glanced up at Sie
- Page 119 and 120: 109 Siegmund, usually a bad swimmer
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- Page 123 and 124: 113 connotation in his mind) . In f
- Page 125 and 126: 115 is to warn Siegmund of the dang
- Page 127 and 128: 117 ... For centuries a certain typ
- Page 129 and 130: 119 she alone will not bear the gui
- Page 131 and 132: 121 The idea which is implicit here
- Page 133 and 134: 123 not see it. He bowed in obedien
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- Page 137 and 138: 128 as always, is not aware of Sieg
- Page 139 and 140: 130 on her hat, her eyes, gazing he
- Page 141 and 142: 132 to perforin the action. The nar
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- Page 147 and 148: 138 connection with the land. This
- Page 149 and 150: 140 Tom proposes marriage to Lydia:
- Page 151 and 152: 142 They looked at each other, a de
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97<br />
and strong, and fully fruited, he only knew her blue eyes were<br />
rather awful to him" (ibid).<br />
Definitely his looks express his<br />
passivity if one observes his fear of her eyes. They, in a way,<br />
make him feel naked.<br />
Helena seems to be the active element in<br />
the relation.<br />
Moreover, she is the one who looks at him<br />
critically, and feels amazed because of his trouble: "His eyes<br />
were full of trouble.<br />
To see a big, strong man anxious eyed as<br />
a child... amused her" (ibid).<br />
His strength is only physical.<br />
Hers is more spiritual which proves that in relation to mind he<br />
is the child, uninitiated in life.<br />
She is the deeply experienced<br />
one who will guide him to learning.<br />
Helena, as I said, dominates Siegmund.<br />
This is clearly<br />
seen in her authoritarian way of treating her lover. He leaves<br />
everything for her to decide and, thus, he obediently follows<br />
her instructions.<br />
Helena always initiates and ends their<br />
conversations.<br />
She always leaves questions unanswered when the<br />
answer does not convey her.<br />
Even when they caress each other,<br />
it is Helena who first kisses him and takes him in her arms.<br />
However, she does not allow him to make love to her.<br />
She tempts<br />
him as far as she can and then she rejects him when he is not<br />
able to control himself. She frustrates him. She stops the<br />
storm of passion at 'the mouth'.<br />
Helena idealizes and dreams<br />
but as soon as love is ready to turn into eros she rejects the<br />
dream, leading her partner to a bitter sense of frustration. The<br />
reality of her dreams can never be projected into physical<br />
reality.<br />
Helena in fact rejects Siegmund's existence. He is not for<br />
her a man of flesh and blood.<br />
This means nothing to her. As I<br />
said, his existence is only real within her.<br />
not criticize her overtly for her behavior.<br />
Yet Lawrence does<br />
He only points out
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