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
271 'the boy' and 'the lad'. It seems again that Lawrence is intentionally putting a gap between the boy and the girls. Or it could be a way to say that Henry is no more than an adolescent looking for adventures. He is about twenty and the way he is introduced leads one to think of him as being younger than he really is. Another point is that though he seems at first scared by March's sharp tones, he is not. It seems that he will take advantages from his arrival at the farm run by these two women. What seems curious to notice is that the young soldier seems scared when he enters the kitchen, but he never really shows fear because of March's gun. In fact, instead of going back, he advances towards the girls: 'Why, what's wrong? What's wrong?' came the soft, wondering, rather scared voice: and a young soldier, with his heavy kit on his back, advanced into the dim light... The young man - or youth, for he would not be more than twenty, now advanced and stood in the inner doorway.(pp.92-3 - My underlining). And surprisingly what comes next proves that March is no longer herself: her man has just come: "March, already under the influence of his strange, soft, modulated voice, stared at him spellbound" (p.93). She is unable to do anything against the newcomer. Her sense of impotence grows before this youth. For her now he has become the fox. He is what she has been expecting. He is her male: But to March he was the fox. Whether it was the thrusting forward of his head, or the glisten of the fine whitish hairs on the ruddy cheekbones, or the bright, keen eyes, that can never be said: but the boy was to her the fox, and she could not see him otherwise (p.93). Previously I said that this young man arrives at the farm as if he were an animal looking for a prey and the way March behaves seems to prove my point: she becomes his prey (even though she
27 2 ♦ has a gun), unable to do anything. He is stronger than she is, and her behaviour is that of a hypnotized animal, unable to move, to escape. It seems that he is stronger in terms of some subtle will power, not in terms of explicit strength. This is perhaps why March is paralyzed. All she can do is to hide herself as a way to get rid of the influence this ’boy' has on her: March appeared in the doorway, took her [tea] cup, and sat down in a corner, as far from the light as possible... She shrank and shrank, trying not to be seen. And the youth sprawling low on the couch, glanced up at her, with long steady, penetrating looks, till she was almost ready to disappear... Her desire to be invisible was so strong that it quite baffled the youth. He felt he could not see her distinctly. She seemed like a shadow within the shadow. And ever his eyes came back to her, searching, unremitting, with unconscious fixed attention (pp.95-6). Thus, during this first contact with Henry Grenfel, March tries to be hidden from him (even though his eyes are always placing him in an inferior position). But despite March's desire to be hidden from Henry, she in fact draws his attention to her. tries to look for her in the dark, so as to dominate her. He Now, there is no need to talk. The intensity of the meeting has transformed them both into animals which act instinctively without any need to be seen. And as I said, March is in a kind of female "heat", which is proved by the atmosphere between Henry and March. She has become the female animal and he is identified with the fox. As two animals therefore, they (or at least he) can be seen as liberating a characteristic smell which can be recognized only by themselves. This implies that they are ready to mate: He was identified with the fox - and he was here in full presence. She need not go after him any more. There in the shadow of her corner she gave herself up to a warm, relaxed peace, almost like sleep, accepting the spell that was on her. But she wished to remain hidden... Hidden in the
- Page 229 and 230: 220 and for a young doctor who was
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- Page 233 and 234: 224 him to be. The interesting aspe
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- Page 239 and 240: everyone develops the "river of dis
- Page 241 and 242: Ursula: '... I think that a new wor
- Page 243 and 244: atmosphere of something hidden betw
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- Page 247 and 248: egathers itself in the water as if
- Page 249 and 250: 240 (p.252 - My underlining). His a
- Page 251 and 252: 242 the two because somehow he acce
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- Page 255 and 256: 246 energy. Hermione. That is how U
- Page 257 and 258: 248 'finger-tips'. The couple decid
- Page 259 and 260: 250 as you are always saying? You t
- Page 261 and 262: 252 turning suddenly to catch hold
- Page 263 and 264: 254 exploits Loerke and vice versa.
- Page 265 and 266: 256 which no one can escape from. H
- Page 267 and 268: 258 like nothing; she is like Geral
- Page 269 and 270: 260 shocked,to really blame Gudrun.
- Page 271 and 272: 262 can only feel the 'unison in se
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- Page 283 and 284: 274 next morning he simply goes to
- Page 285 and 286: The underlined sentences are the ke
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- Page 289 and 290: 280 to see the strange glow in his
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- Page 301 and 302: 292 and chiffon dresses. The Banfor
- Page 303 and 304: 294 From this point on, March has f
- Page 305 and 306: 296 to March. With Henry she will h
- Page 307 and 308: 298 and once more the answer goes b
- Page 309 and 310: 300 She looked up at him with tears
- Page 311 and 312: CHAPTER V THE PLUMED SERPENT - THE
- Page 313 and 314: 304 relations that Lawrence seems d
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- Page 317 and 318: 308 this fate implies punishment be
- Page 319 and 320: 310 and his sensuality and this see
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- Page 323 and 324: 314 Carlota. The fact that Ramon wa
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- Page 327 and 328: i 318 ... when she remembered [Cipr
- Page 329 and 330: 320 my soul. Let me close my prying
271<br />
'the boy' and 'the lad'.<br />
It seems again that Lawrence is<br />
intentionally putting a gap between the boy and the girls.<br />
Or<br />
it could be a way to say that Henry is no more than an adolescent<br />
looking for adventures.<br />
He is about twenty and the way he is<br />
introduced leads one to think of him as being younger than he<br />
really is.<br />
Another point is that though he seems at first scared<br />
by March's sharp tones, he is not.<br />
It seems that he will take<br />
advantages from his arrival at the farm run by these two women.<br />
What seems curious to notice is that the young soldier seems<br />
scared when he enters the kitchen, but he never really shows fear<br />
because of March's gun.<br />
In fact, instead of going back, he<br />
advances towards the girls:<br />
'Why, what's wrong? What's wrong?' came the<br />
soft, wondering, rather scared voice: and a young<br />
soldier, with his heavy kit on his back, advanced<br />
into the dim light...<br />
The young man - or youth, for he would not be<br />
more than twenty, now advanced and stood in the<br />
inner doorway.(pp.92-3 - My underlining).<br />
And surprisingly what comes next proves that March is no longer<br />
herself: her man has just come: "March, already under the<br />
influence of his strange, soft, modulated voice, stared at him<br />
spellbound" (p.93).<br />
She is unable to do anything against the<br />
newcomer. Her sense of impotence grows before this youth. For<br />
her now he has become the fox.<br />
He is what she has been<br />
expecting.<br />
He is her male:<br />
But to March he was the fox. Whether it was<br />
the thrusting forward of his head, or the glisten<br />
of the fine whitish hairs on the ruddy cheekbones,<br />
or the bright, keen eyes, that can never<br />
be said: but the boy was to her the fox, and she<br />
could not see him otherwise (p.93).<br />
Previously I said that this young man arrives at the farm as if<br />
he were an animal looking for a prey and the way March behaves<br />
seems to prove my point: she becomes his prey (even though she
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