RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE

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two thirds of the book [Huxley] finds the rest of
it falling apart because of lawrence's lack of
belief in it. Doubt had crowded in on Lawrence
and 'had to be shouted down. But the louder he
shouted, the less was he able to convince his
hearers' (p.504).
I would agree with Huxley’s view.
Lawrence's lack of conviction
in the novel may be one of the reasons why soon after he completed
it he became severely ill.
Frieda, quoted by Moore, told Mabel
Luhan, 'I hope Lawrence is taking a new lease of life, that
Plumed Serpent took it out of him, it almost went too far' (p.
525).
Mark Spilka, in his fierce defense of Lawrence, can only
see the good side of this author.
His most ardent defense has
already been discussed in connection with Lawrence's homosexuality.
However, there are other ideas about Lawrence's novels which are
worth noting.
One of them is related to Sons and Lovers,
specifically to Paul's relationship with Clara Dawes.
Paul has
his first sexual intercourse with Clara outdoors, in a steep
river bank.
Before they make love Paul has given Clara a bunch
of red flowers which after the love making are smashed and look
like blood.
Spilka considers that the flowers have given
"benediction to the union" (p.54), and that the smashing of them
means Paul's "baptism of fire in passion".
On the contrary, I
believe that the smashed flowers which look like "splashed drops
of blood" imply Paul's sin and guilt. Firstly because Clara is a
married woman and secondly because later on Paul asks her if
they are not 'sinners'.
Spilka fails to see this connotation.
He prefers to close his eyes to such evidence.
The theme of conflict in Lawrence's novels, as Moore sees
it, is related basically to the author's struggle“to present the
fundamental problems of human relationships in society.
Women