RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE

everyone develops the "river of dissolution" with much more
strength than the "river of life".
That is why dissolution
leads to "universal nothing".
But Birkin sticks to the point
that after the end there is nothing to be created for them and
Ursula rejects this idea saying that "'The beginning comes out
of the end'" (ibid).
This statement describes exactly what is
happening between Ursula and Birkin.
He is not considering that
he is coming out of one "river of dissolution" - Hermione.
It
seems that he still thinks that every single woman is like his
former lover.
Again Ursula criticizes him: "'You are a devil,
you know really,' she said. 'You want to destroy our hope.
You
want us to be deathly'" (ibid).
Ursula may be right in her
criticism but there are two important moments in the novel which
seem to prove Birkin's idea that people have within themselves
the two rivers.
One moment refers to the exchange of lanterns
between the sisters in the water party, and the other relates to
Gudrun's giving to Ursula in the Alps a pair of her striking
stockings.
Birkin brings four lanterns to Ursula and Gudrun.
The
first lantern Ursula receives is blue and has a flight of storks.
The meaning of this lantern may have something to do with
creation and joy of life.
It relates to the air because of the
blue color and the flight of the storks which also implies a
link with the spirit.
Gudrun's first lantern is yellow with
flowers and butterflies.
The butterflies implies metamorphosis
and the growth of the psyche.
Both lanterns have therefore a
positive implication.
They belong to the "silver river of
life".
The other two lanterns have a different connotation.
Ursula's is black and red with crabs in it.
Gudrun's is red and white with a cuttlefish.
She accepts it.
She rejects it