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
183 ruling classes. The Indians for him are mere dogs. This may be why she initially refuses his proposal of marriage. At the same time that Ursula rejects him spiritually, it seems that her body needs him in a perverse way. She madly craves for him to fulfil her sexually. It is perverse perhaps because as she could not attain completeness of being in her experience at the university she needs to somehow attain fulfilment in the flesh. But again the man fails her. This is seen when they are spending some time in a friend's cottage near the sea. The moon appears again, a fierce symbol of destruction that hangs over them, the man specifically. Together, Ursula and Skrebensky are two opposite and destructive forces reducing each other into nothingness. They do not satisfy each other. However, the sense of failure is stronger on Skrebensky's side because again Ursula assimilates the moon's strength to destroy the man. In their love-making Skrebensky is reduced to an empty spectre, a slave of Ursula's power. Once more Ursula offers herself to the moon and denies the presence of the man with her. He becomes a shadow, a dissolving object: Then there in the great flare of light, she clinched hold of him, hard, as if suddenly she had the strength of destruction, she fastened her arms round him and tightened him in her grip, whilst her mouth sought his in a hard, rending, ever-increasing- kiss, till his body was powerless in her grip, his heart melted in fear from the fierce, beaked, harpy-kiss... He felt as if the ordeal of proof was upon him, for life or death... he succumbed, till he gave way as if dead... (p.480). In spite of his destruction in this love-war, it is not only Skrebensky who is destroyed. Ursula also seems dead. They have exhausted their own power of consignation till neither can see life anymore. It is the chaotic end of the affair. On the following day they break off. Hence, Skrebensky Who, when
184 Ursula first refused him cried like a little child, turns to his Colonel's daughter, marries her and goes to India. Ursula is not notified of the wedding. She is not at all sad over their breaking off till she suddenly finds out that she is pregnant. It is in Ursula's discovery of her pregnancy.that Lawrence almost destroys the whole book. Ursula starts to deny all her previous hard-won independence and begins to praise her. mother in her 'trance of motherhood'. The apex of this strange Ursula happens when she writes a letter to Skrebensky. It reads as follows: Since you left me I have suffered a great deal, and so have come to myself. I cannot tell you the remorse I feel for my wicked, perverse behaviour. It was given to me to love you, and to know your love for me. But instead of thankfully, on my knees, taking what God had given, I must have the moon in my keeping, I must insist on having the moon for my.own. Because I could not have it, everything else must go. I do not know if you can ever forgive me. I could die with shame to think of my behaviour with you during our last times, and I don't know if I could ever bear to look you in the face again. Truly the best thing would be for :me to die, and cover my fantasies for ever. But I find I am with chi Id , so that cannot be. It is your child, and for that reason I must revere it and submit my body entirely to its welfare, entertaining no thought of death, which once more is largely conceit. Therefore, because you once loved me, and because of this child, I ask you to have me back. If you will cable me one word, I will come to you as soon as I can. I swear to you to be a dutiful wife, and to serve you in all things. For now I only hate myself and my own conceited foolishness. I love you — - I love the thought of you — you are natural and decent all through, whilst I was so false. Once I am with you again, I shall ask no more than to rest in your shelter all my life (p.485 - My underlining). Through Ursula it might seem that the author wants to punish all the other Brangwen women who looked for something beyond the 1blood-intimacy'. Ursula's search for independence is
- Page 141 and 142: 132 to perforin the action. The nar
- Page 143 and 144: 134 extreme splits of soul/body. 'B
- Page 145 and 146: 136 prepares the path to the other.
- 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
- Page 153 and 154: 144 of taking a mistress because "t
- Page 155 and 156: and thinks of them "as if they were
- Page 157 and 158: 148 actualy loves or hates. The mix
- Page 159 and 160: 15 0 Will is an artist and his conc
- Page 161 and 162: 15 2 light of the moon covering Ann
- Page 163 and 164: 154 pleasure, but as soon as the no
- Page 165 and 166: in the night they were gathering sh
- Page 167 and 168: is like a dwarf without power. exul
- Page 169 and 170: everything: life and death. He is c
- Page 171 and 172: take hers: but in her own way" (ibi
- Page 173 and 174: 164 family the inarticulate sorrow
- Page 175 and 176: much violence. Thus, her love for h
- Page 177 and 178: 168 time she walked in a confused h
- Page 179 and 180: 170 'separateness' is seen in Women
- Page 181 and 182: 172 destroying in people the creati
- Page 183 and 184: 174 Paul at this time, encounters t
- Page 185 and 186: 176 be a complete human being in th
- Page 187 and 188: 178 mistress and her uncle because
- Page 189 and 190: 180 When she leaves the school her
- Page 191: 182 dead. The only part of him whic
- Page 195 and 196: 186 the self Which has made Ursula
- Page 197 and 198: 188 compete with her. In fact Skreb
- Page 199 and 200: CHAPTER IV 1 WOMEN IN LOVE: THE PRO
- Page 201 and 202: 192 world is a world of dust which
- Page 203 and 204: 194 knowledge, breaks out with hars
- Page 205 and 206: up to this. One of them refers to H
- Page 207 and 208: 198 because he is no 'clone', no sl
- Page 209 and 210: 200 London bohemianism which Birkin
- Page 211 and 212: 202 dominant figure in the affair.
- Page 213 and 214: 204 course startles Gerald who cann
- Page 215 and 216: 206 in the expectancy to find a 'fo
- Page 217 and 218: 208 On the other hand, Lawrence giv
- Page 219 and 220: 210 they never did in Thomas Crich'
- Page 221 and 222: 212 "Think!" he said to her', "you
- Page 223 and 224: 214 life and he even apologizes to
- Page 225 and 226: 216 see the gate shut; then Gerald
- Page 227 and 228: 218 in a fierce desire to deny the
- Page 229 and 230: 220 and for a young doctor who was
- Page 231 and 232: 222 mutual hellish recognition (p.2
- Page 233 and 234: 224 him to be. The interesting aspe
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- Page 237 and 238: 228 polarity', or in his words: 'Wh
- Page 239 and 240: everyone develops the "river of dis
- Page 241 and 242: Ursula: '... I think that a new wor
183<br />
ruling classes. The Indians for him are mere dogs. This may be<br />
why she initially refuses his proposal of marriage.<br />
At the same time that Ursula rejects him spiritually, it<br />
seems that her body needs him in a perverse way.<br />
She madly<br />
craves for him to fulfil her sexually.<br />
It is perverse perhaps<br />
because as she could not attain completeness of being in her<br />
experience at the university she needs to somehow attain<br />
fulfilment in the flesh. But again the man fails her. This is<br />
seen when they are spending some time in a friend's cottage near<br />
the sea.<br />
The moon appears again, a fierce symbol of destruction<br />
that hangs over them, the man specifically.<br />
Together, Ursula<br />
and Skrebensky are two opposite and destructive forces reducing<br />
each other into nothingness.<br />
They do not satisfy each other.<br />
However, the sense of failure is stronger on Skrebensky's side<br />
because again Ursula assimilates the moon's strength to destroy<br />
the man.<br />
In their love-making Skrebensky is reduced to an empty<br />
spectre, a slave of Ursula's power.<br />
Once more Ursula offers<br />
herself to the moon and denies the presence of the man with her.<br />
He becomes a shadow, a dissolving object:<br />
Then there in the great flare of light, she<br />
clinched hold of him, hard, as if suddenly she<br />
had the strength of destruction, she fastened her<br />
arms round him and tightened him in her grip,<br />
whilst her mouth sought his in a hard, rending,<br />
ever-increasing- kiss, till his body was powerless<br />
in her grip, his heart melted in fear from the<br />
fierce, beaked, harpy-kiss... He felt as if the<br />
ordeal of proof was upon him, for life or death...<br />
he succumbed, till he gave way as if dead...<br />
(p.480).<br />
In spite of his destruction in this love-war, it is not only<br />
Skrebensky who is destroyed. Ursula also seems dead. They have<br />
exhausted their own power of consignation till neither can see<br />
life anymore. It is the chaotic end of the affair. On the<br />
following day they break off.<br />
Hence, Skrebensky Who, when
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