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
359_ is also the assumption that apart from the man-to-woman relation there are additional alternatives, as implied by the Blutbrtiderschaft between Birkin and Gerald and a possibility of a female bonding as implied by Gudrun's clinging to Ursula in Hermione's home. As I pointed out in chapter IV, this novel has two cycles:a cycle of destruction and a cycle of creation. The first cycle is the one in which Birkin has lived for some time and it is the old world which Birkin wants to reject with all its components: Halliday's group and Hermione. Birkin's rejection of this world implies his search for a kind of rebirth. The old world, however, is not destroyed because apart from its permanent members, there are others who involuntarily enter it, like Gerald Crich. Gudrun is also a representative of this world. Two couples best represent these two cycles: Birkin and Ursula who want to find the new world, and Gerald and Gudrun who maintain the o‘ld world. When Birkin breaks off with Hermione and starts a new relation with Ursula, he tries to put in practice his theory of 'two stars balanced in conjunction'. However, as Birkin's theory does not match with his 'macho' practice, his relation with Ursula becomes very troubled and it is a long time till they find a certain equilibrium and they then decide to marry. The other couple, Gerald and Gudrun, embodies a relation of mutual destructiveness because of their sadomasochistic tendencies. The peak of their affair happens when they are in the Alps and Gudrun finds another man, Loerke, who begins to exert on her a strong attraction. This leads her to break with Gerald. Because of his self-destructive personality, Gerald seeks death in a cul-de-sac. Gudrun then flees to Dresden with Loerke.
360 The very end of the novel shows Birkin and Ursula back at the Mill, after Gerald's death in the Alps. What is most important in this part of the novel is that it brings back a discussion suspended when Ursula and Birkin got married: the man-to-man relationship. Birkin has struggled throughout the novel to have a bloodbrotherhood ritual with Gerald. This bloodbrotherhood between the two friends failed because Gerald, unable to cope with his latent homosexuality, rejects Birkin. Now, after his death, Birkin somehow blames Ursula as if she were responsible for the frustrated friendship with Gerald: Then suddenly he lifted his head and looked straight to Ursula with dark, almost vengeful eyes. 'He should have loved me,' he said. 'I offered him. 1 She, afraid, white, with mute lips, answered: 'What difference would it have made!' 'It would!' he said. 'It would'(p.471). This discussion is expanded in the Mill Where the couple has a fierce argument. Birkin still cannot cope with the fact that his friend is dead and that his death has destroyed something within him. Ursula, because she has become Birkin's wife, is somehow blamed, for if they were not married Gerald would have perhaps (in Birkin's eyes) accepted his bloodbrotherhood; then physical death would have no importance: Birkin remembered how once Gerald had clutched his hand with a warm, momentaneous grip of final love. For one second — then let go again, let go for ever. If he had kept true to that clasp, death would have not mattered. Those who die, and dying still can love, still believe, do not die. They live still in the beloved. Gerald might still have been living in the spirit with Birkin, even after death. He might have lived with his friend, a further life (ibid). The incoherence of Birkin's thoughts may be accounted for by his deep mourning, but he seems simply to have forgotten that Gerald was too much conventional and conservative to accept what he
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359_<br />
is also the assumption that apart from the man-to-woman relation<br />
there are additional alternatives, as implied by the<br />
Blutbrtiderschaft between Birkin and Gerald and a possibility of<br />
a female bonding as implied by Gudrun's clinging to Ursula in<br />
Hermione's home.<br />
As I pointed out in chapter IV, this novel has two cycles:a<br />
cycle of destruction and a cycle of creation. The first cycle is<br />
the one in which Birkin has lived for some time and it is the<br />
old world which Birkin wants to reject with all its components:<br />
Halliday's group and Hermione.<br />
Birkin's rejection of this world<br />
implies his search for a kind of rebirth.<br />
The old world,<br />
however, is not destroyed because apart from its permanent<br />
members, there are others who involuntarily enter it, like Gerald<br />
Crich.<br />
Gudrun is also a representative of this world.<br />
Two couples best represent these two cycles: Birkin and<br />
Ursula who want to find the new world, and Gerald and Gudrun who<br />
maintain the o‘ld world.<br />
When Birkin breaks off with Hermione<br />
and starts a new relation with Ursula, he tries to put in<br />
practice his theory of 'two stars balanced in conjunction'.<br />
However, as Birkin's theory does not match with his 'macho'<br />
practice, his relation with Ursula becomes very troubled and it<br />
is a long time till they find a certain equilibrium and they then<br />
decide to marry.<br />
The other couple, Gerald and Gudrun, embodies<br />
a relation of mutual destructiveness because of their sadomasochistic<br />
tendencies.<br />
The peak of their affair happens when<br />
they are in the Alps and Gudrun finds another man, Loerke, who<br />
begins to exert on her a strong attraction.<br />
This leads her to<br />
break with Gerald.<br />
Because of his self-destructive personality,<br />
Gerald seeks death in a cul-de-sac. Gudrun then flees to Dresden<br />
with Loerke.
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