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
327 relations with Kate. Does it imply that the bloodbrotherhood is also a relation of domination? Ramon has been complaining throughout the novel that women are ravishers of men and that they destroy men. Cipriano has proved to be a savage in his sexuality. Lawrence tells us that only men can achieve a perfect balance. What balance is this if Ramon does not want to be ravished and the man he chooses to be his partner is a sadist? Does it imply that Ramon does not want to be ravished by a woman but by a man? All these questions find no answer in the book. The principal factor which has led me to ask them is that Lawrence puts homosexual overtones into every single meeting between these two men. Let us take a look at some scenes in which both men are seen in a very close contact. First of all there is a relation of pure dependence uniting Ramon and Cipriano. Dependence mainly in the sense that Cipriano seems to know nothing about himself. He tells Kate that Ramon " 1... knows better what I am'" (p.88). This implies a blind faith in the man of soul who may be seen as deciding what the other man must be. Ramon is his master. It may be said that Cipriano wants to discover himself in Ramon. After they embrace each other in front of Carlota and Kate, Lawrence describes the sensation of the embrace: Ramon abstractly laid his hand on Cipriano's shoulder, looking down at him with a little smile. 'Que tal?' he said, from the edge of his lips. 'How goes it?' 'Bien! Mui bien!' said Cipriano, still gazing into the other man's face with black, wondering, childlike, searching eyes, as if he, Cipriano, were searching for himself, in Ramon's face. Ramon looked back into Cipriano's black,Indian eyes with a faint, kind smile of recognition, and Cipriano hung his head as if to hide his face, the
328 black hair, which he wore rather long and brushed sideways, dropping over his forehead (p.200 - My underlining). The first implication of this embrace is that Ramon, as the soul, is in a superior position to Cipriano. This is explained by the two men's features: Ramon is tall and Cipriano is embarassingly small. Also as the soul, Ramon occupies a higher position than Cipriano as the body. There is a clear idea that Ramon looked down at the other man and this stresses his inferiority. the master. The second implication is that of dependence on Cipriano looks at Ramon with a 'childlike' look. Ramon can be seen as the father with whom the son wants to be identified. the father. Cipriano, as the son, looks for himself in Ram5n, Third, there is the idea of Cipriano looking for protection in Ramon as when he wants to hide himself in the other man. This may imply his dependence on Ramon and perhaps a certain fear that other people (Kate and Carlota) perceive that he is not what he seems to be. Cipriano's eyes betray the quality of his attachment to Ramon. In watching him, Cipriano would feel love, fear, trust and incomprehension. The last element, incomprehension, may be understood by the fact that Cipriano cannot understand Ramon's language because it is not the language of the body but the language of the mind. Also there is the idea that when one cannot defeat his/her enemy one then must join him/her. This is exactly what happens to Cipriano: "He was always testing Ramon, to see if he could change him. When he found he couldn't, then he submitted, and new little fires of joy sprang upon him" (p. 210). It can also be said that this relation of dependence
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328<br />
black hair, which he wore rather long and brushed<br />
sideways, dropping over his forehead (p.200 - My<br />
underlining).<br />
The first implication of this embrace is that Ramon, as the<br />
soul, is in a superior position to Cipriano.<br />
This is explained<br />
by the two men's features: Ramon is tall and Cipriano is<br />
embarassingly small.<br />
Also as the soul, Ramon occupies a higher<br />
position than Cipriano as the body.<br />
There is a clear idea that<br />
Ramon looked down at the other man and this stresses his<br />
inferiority.<br />
the master.<br />
The second implication is that of dependence on<br />
Cipriano looks at Ramon with a 'childlike' look.<br />
Ramon can be seen as the father with whom the son wants to be<br />
identified.<br />
the father.<br />
Cipriano, as the son, looks for himself in Ram5n,<br />
Third, there is the idea of Cipriano looking for<br />
protection in Ramon as when he wants to hide himself in the other<br />
man.<br />
This may imply his dependence on Ramon and perhaps a<br />
certain fear that other people (Kate and Carlota) perceive that<br />
he is not what he seems to be.<br />
Cipriano's eyes betray the quality of his attachment to<br />
Ramon. In watching him, Cipriano would feel love, fear, trust<br />
and incomprehension.<br />
The last element, incomprehension, may be<br />
understood by the fact that Cipriano cannot understand Ramon's<br />
language because it is not the language of the body but the<br />
language of the mind.<br />
Also there is the idea that when one<br />
cannot defeat his/her enemy one then must join him/her.<br />
This is<br />
exactly what happens to Cipriano: "He was always testing Ramon,<br />
to see if he could change him.<br />
When he found he couldn't, then<br />
he submitted, and new little fires of joy sprang upon him" (p.<br />
210).<br />
It can also be said that this relation of dependence
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