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
98 what she does to Siegmund: With her the dream was always more than the actuality. Her dream of Siegmund was more to her than Siegmund himself. He might be less than her dream, which is as it may be. However, to the real man she was very cruel (p.30). This is very important since it shows that everything Helena does in relation to the man leads to frustration, more specifically, to sexual frustration. Her strong virginal mind reduces Siegmund almost to nothingness. man simply accepts it as if it were fate. The worst is that the She frustrates him and he does not complain. Furthermore, Helena is identified as an example of the castrating woman, as Lawrence says: For centuries a certain type of woman has been rejecting the 'animal' in humanity, till now her dreams are abstract, and full of fantasy, and her blood runs in bondage, and her kindness is full of cruelty (pp.30-1). Women like Helena cannot go beyond their imagination. They cannot face sex when it nears their flesh: they deny it, become cold as ice and quickly try to change the subject. In the later novels such types are made to submit to dark, blood conscious males. But at this early phase, the Dark Gods have not yet emerged in the male and the spiritual woman is triumphant. When the couple arrives at the island we see neither are free from repression. Helena introduces herself and Siegmund to the landlady as 'friends'. This implies that she wants to preserve appearances. Siegmund, on the other hand, is embarassed. His embarassment demonstrates his fear of their proximity and his guilty feelings over the illegality of the lovers' situation. More clues are given throughout the narrative of Helena's lack of desire to be near Siegmund, to be exposed to a situation of 'danger'. The firelight in their lodging symbolizes passion: but
99 though Siegmund wants her, she rejects his sensual proximity and decides they must go into the moonlight outside the house. Consider the fire as proximity and warmth, and the moon as symbolizing distance and coldness. Of course Helena feels much more confident under the moonlight, which is cold as she. There she can direct what they do. The fireplace is dangerous. It is linked with instinct and she does not want to lose herself in passion. After all, if this happens she will become frustrated since she is a woman to whom passion is only an idea, not a thing of the senses. The moon draws Helena into isolation: The moon was wading deliciously through shallows of white cloud. Beyond the trees and the few houses was the great concave of darkness, the sea, and the moonlight. The moon was there to put a cool hand of absolution on her brow (p.36). Under the moonlight Siegmund identifies Helena with the moon: moonlike are her qualities of possessiveness and selfsufficiency. He tells Helena: "'the darkness is a sort of mother, and the moon a sister, and the stars children, and sometimes the sea is a brother: and there's a family in one house, you see'"(p. 37). On top of the same page he said that "'The sea seems to be poured out of the moon, and rocking in the hands of the coast. They are all one, just as your eyes, and hands and what you say, are all you'". What .1 claim here is that there is perhaps a sense of incest in their affair: Helena is compared to the moon, Siegmund to the sea and Siegmund refers to the moon as 'sister', the sea as 'brother*. It can also be said that there is a feeling of guilt under the surface of the statement. As further corroboration, their affair may be considered in terms of the mother goddess myth. The goddess is Helena, the devouring mother, and her consort is Siegmund, the son who dies at the end
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99<br />
though Siegmund wants her, she rejects his sensual proximity<br />
and decides they must go into the moonlight outside the house.<br />
Consider the fire as proximity and warmth, and the moon as<br />
symbolizing distance and coldness.<br />
Of course Helena feels much<br />
more confident under the moonlight, which is cold as she. There<br />
she can direct what they do.<br />
The fireplace is dangerous. It is<br />
linked with instinct and she does not want to lose herself in<br />
passion.<br />
After all, if this happens she will become frustrated<br />
since she is a woman to whom passion is only an idea, not a thing<br />
of the senses.<br />
The moon draws Helena into isolation:<br />
The moon was wading deliciously through shallows<br />
of white cloud. Beyond the trees and the few<br />
houses was the great concave of darkness, the sea,<br />
and the moonlight. The moon was there to put a<br />
cool hand of absolution on her brow (p.36).<br />
Under the moonlight Siegmund identifies Helena with the moon:<br />
moonlike are her qualities of possessiveness and selfsufficiency.<br />
He tells Helena: "'the darkness is a sort of mother,<br />
and the moon a sister, and the stars children, and sometimes the<br />
sea is a brother: and there's a family in one house, you see'"(p.<br />
37). On top of the same page he said that "'The sea seems to be<br />
poured out of the moon, and rocking in the hands of the coast.<br />
They are all one, just as your eyes, and hands and what you say,<br />
are all you'".<br />
What .1 claim here is that there is perhaps a<br />
sense of incest in their affair: Helena is compared to the moon,<br />
Siegmund to the sea and Siegmund refers to the moon as 'sister',<br />
the sea as 'brother*.<br />
It can also be said that there is a feeling<br />
of guilt under the surface of the statement.<br />
As further<br />
corroboration, their affair may be considered in terms of the<br />
mother goddess myth.<br />
The goddess is Helena, the devouring<br />
mother, and her consort is Siegmund, the son who dies at the end