RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE

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London bohemianism which Birkin also belongs to but wants to
get rid of.
The events which happen in the decadent London
world involve the one who wants to reject this world-Birkin;the
one who is being introduced to it - Gerald; and the ones who
are stuck to it and who do not want to go away from it - Minette
and Halliday's group.
Consider the idea that in this part of
the book Birkin is a mere spectator of the dramatic comedy of
diseased actors whose main performance is the presentation of
their corrupt lives.
Birkin is there on the stage as an outside
element who does not really fit the place.
Notice also that it
is the industrial colliery manager, Gerald Crich, who falls deep
into the trap of corrupt London, since it is he who has an affair
with the prostitute-girl Minette. It seems that just as
Birkin's development is related to his previous, old self
(defined by the relation to Hermione), so Gerald's later
development is set off by his early involvements.
There would
be, first, a cold dedication to business and industry (power)
which makes sex a secondary concern, or simply a matter of
passing affairs with 'loose' women. More recently, however, he
is getting bored with business and is rather fascinated by the
bohemian world of art and casual sex which he has largely
ignored up until now.
Power through the sexual relationship
will become his big obsession, and stage one is the domination
of Minette.
Birkin, on the other hand, hardly participates in
the attitudes taken by the group, except when he comments on
the African carvings in Halliday's flat.
Physically he is there
but spiritually speaking he is not.
This is analogous to his
being attached to decadent Hermione but wanting to get free of
the old relationship.
Also it must be said that Birkin used to
be more involved with this group and that he was in fact