1)Bring out the autobiographical element in “Sons and Lovers” by

D.H.Lawrence

Sons and Lovers is an autobiographical novel, as autobiographical as Arnold

Bennet’s Clayhanger and the first half of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield.
Lawrence was a tortured soul for the full forty-five years of his life. Being highly
sensitive, he reacted sharply, suffered intensely. His parents never enjoyed
conjugal felicity. The home atmosphere was embittered by their endless
bickerings. Repelled by the coarse brutality of his father, Lawrence developed a
deep attachment with his mother. She, too, frustrated in her marriage, leaned
heavily on her children, in particular on Lawrence, for emotional fulfillment and
for the realization of her ambitions. Gradually, there grew an unhealthy inter-
dependence between Lawrence and his mother, that rendered him unfit to establish
a healthy emotional relationship with other women. Lawrence grew into a self-
conscious neurotic. At the age of sixteen, he had met Jessie Chambers. He liked
and loved her. But the dark shadow of his Oedipal relationship with his mother did
not let him attain emotional fulfillment through Jessie. They hung on to each other
for nearly ten years, but finally broke off. The entire experience had been so
painful that in order to work out his catharsis, Lawrence had to relive it
imaginatively and express it in artistic terms. The result was Sons and Lovers. The
major characters of this novel are closely modeled after their originals; major
events have been transcribed straight from their life. Thus there is no doubt about
the autobiographical content of Sons and Lovers.

There exist certain written documents by Lawrence as well as by his sister Ada that
establish the close resemblance of Walter and Gertrude Morel with Arthur and
Lydia Lawrence. About his father, he says, “My father was collier, and only a
collier, nothing praise-worthy about him. He wasn’t even respectable in so far as
he got drunk rather frequently, never went near a chapel, and was usually rather
rude to his little immediate bosses at the pit.” Lawrence’s sister Ada remembers
him as a handsome, ruddy-faced man with dark flashing eyes and a beard. She also
reports that her father had never applied a razor to his face. Thus Walter Morel
presents a true picture of Arthur Lawrence.

Like Gertrude Morel, Lawrence’s mother Lydia belonged to a middle-class family.

She also was jilted by a refined Youngman in her youth. She met Arthur Lawrence
at a party at Nottingham and was attracted by his graceful dancing, his musical
voice, his gallant manner, and his overflowing humor and good spirits’. The
married life of the Lawrences was quite unhappy. It was an endless battle between
Lydia’s sophistication and Arthur’s coarseness, between her middle-class
pretensions and his animal-like zest for life. Lydia often infuriated her husband by
deliberately talking of poetry and religion, subjects in which he could not
participate, and he took his revenge by behaving coarsely at a party or by coming
home drunk when money was badly needed. On such occasions they violently
quarreled with each other, causing a terrible fright to the children. All this has been
faithfully depicted in Sons and Lovers.

Mrs Lawrence, after her disillusionment in marriage, turned to her sons, making
husband substitutes of them. As in the novel, Arthur (William) was her favourite,
and she had pinned all hopes of a respectable future life on him. But unfortunately,
Arthur died in London at a very young age, and in order to fill the emotional void
created by this untimely death, she turned to David (Paul). Like Paul, David was
sickly and delicate. A serious attack of pneumonia at the age of seventeen brought
his mother very close to him. The two ‘realised’ each other and a kind of bond was
sealed between them.

Lawrence met Jessie Chambers in 1901. In the novel, she has been presented as
Miriam. For some time Jessie was closely associated with its writing. Most of the
middle third of the novel dealing with Paul-Miriam relationship was written
directly under her supervision and from the notes supplied by her. Jessie was a
dreamy girl who (like Miriam) thought of herself as a Walter Scott heroine. She
was a year younger than Lawrence. Together they spent long hours reading
romantic poetry and their favourite novelists. Jessie offered a very perceptive
criticism of Lawrence’s manuscripts and paintings.

Clara, of course, does not have anyone original in real life. It has been pointed out
by Jessie Chambers that in the case of Clara, Lawrence drew inspiration from three
different women. Still, her portrayal is mainly Lawrence’s own. Other girls at
Jordan’s have also been presented with a slight difference. They were not the
respectable lot they are made to appear in the novel.

Not only did the characters resembling Paul, Miriam, Walter, and Gertrude exist in
real life but also the places and the incidents that took place. Bestwood in the novel
is actually Eastwood, the village where Lawrence was born. He had spent here
most of his childhood and had minutely observed the mining activity carried on
near the village. So in the novel, he has given a very realistic description of the
atmosphere including that of the Breach (The Bottoms in the novel)”where blocks
of houses had been erected by the mine owners for their workers”.
These examples offer ample evidence to believe that Sons and Lovers is an
autobiographical work. And yet it is not an autobiography, it is a novel. Eliseo
Vivas has rightly pointed out, “Sons and Lovers is not a mere transcription of
events in Lawrence’s life up to the death of his mother. From his remembered
experience, Lawrence had first to make a selection. He did not attempt to put into
the book everything that he remembered as happening to him or his family and
friends. Some episodes he discarded…….” And it is not merely in the selection of
a few episodes and the rejection of others that Lawrence applied his authority as an
artist; he gave an entirely new interpretation to many of the events. It is on record
that Lawrence himself was dissatisfied in his later life with the portrayal of his
father. He felt he had done injustice to him. Jessie Chambers was also quick to
register her indignation at Lawrence’s treatment of Miriam. She said she had felt
‘bewildered and dismayed’ at the Paul and Miriam portion. “The Miriam part of
the novel is a slander, a fearful treachery,” she wrote to Helen Corke. It is clear that
Jessie regarded this work as autobiography, whereas Lawrence was writing a
novel.
While the earlier assertion that Lawrence was using Sons and Lovers for his
catharsis cannot be denied, nor its autobiographical aspect ignored, it should be
borne in mind that Lawrence has a definite point of view to project in this novel.
He is trying to reinterpret his life as well as that of his parents in the light of that
point of view. His theme is man-woman relationship and through the exploration
of various kinds of relationships he is trying to determine what destroys and what
promotes the mutual harmony of a man and a woman thrown together through love
or marriage. The married life of the Morels is wrecked because Mrs Morel fails to
respect ‘the divine otherness’ of her husband and tries to dominate him, or rather
reform him. The poor fellow just disintegrates. Paul-Miriam relationship fails
because Miriam denies the flesh and because she also tries to ‘possess’ the soul of
Paul, who is already, inextricably in the grip of his Oedipal love. Paul and Clara
fail to achieve happiness together because their relationship is too superficial.
To conclude, we may say that Sons and Lovers should be read not as an
autobiography but as a novel that uses autobiographical material to put forward a
certain attitude to life, an attitude that the novelist thinks will promote human
happiness.

2)Autobiographical novel:
Sons and Lovers" by D.H. Lawrence is often considered a semi-autobiographical
novel, drawing heavily from the author's own life experiences. While not a strict
autobiography, Lawrence incorporated elements from his childhood and
relationships into the narrative. Here are several aspects that highlight the
autobiographical nature of the novel:
1. Similarities to Lawrence's Family:
 The Morel family in "Sons and Lovers" bears resemblances to
Lawrence's own family. Lawrence grew up in a coal-mining town in
England, similar to the setting portrayed in the novel. The dynamics
within the Morel family reflect aspects of Lawrence's relationships
with his parents and siblings.
2. Mother-Son Relationship:
 The intense and complex relationship between Paul Morel and his
mother, Gertrude, parallels Lawrence's own close relationship with
his mother, Lydia Lawrence. Lawrence's mother was a dominant
figure in his life, and this influence is reflected in the novel's
exploration of the mother-son bond.
3. Mining Town Setting:
 The depiction of the mining town and the struggles of the working-
class characters resonates with Lawrence's own experiences growing
up in a coal-mining community. The industrial landscape and its
impact on the characters' lives draw from Lawrence's observations of
the social and economic conditions of the time.
4. Artistic Aspirations:
 Paul Morel's artistic aspirations mirror Lawrence's own desire to
pursue a career in writing. Lawrence faced opposition from his
mother regarding his choice of vocation, just as Paul encounters
challenges in pursuing his artistic endeavors in the novel.
5. Characters Based on Real Individuals:
 Some characters in "Sons and Lovers" are believed to be based on
real individuals from Lawrence's life. While not direct replicas, the
characters are thought to be inspired by people Lawrence knew,
providing a sense of authenticity to the narrative.
6. Cultural and Social Commentary:
 The novel incorporates Lawrence's commentary on the cultural and
social changes of the time. The impact of industrialization, class
struggles, and the tensions between tradition and modernity in the
novel reflects Lawrence's observations of the changing world around
him.
7. Personal Struggles and Emotional Turmoil:
 The emotional struggles and turmoil experienced by the characters,
particularly Paul Morel, are believed to echo Lawrence's own
 psychological conflicts and struggles with identity. The exploration of
love, desire, and the complexities of relationships draws from
Lawrence's personal experiences.
8. Locations Reflecting Lawrence's Life:
 The novel's settings, including the mining town and the surrounding
countryside, are thought to be influenced by specific locations from
Lawrence's own life. Lawrence's attachment to the natural world and
his experiences in various places are reflected in the novel's
descriptions.

While "Sons and Lovers" is not a straightforward autobiography, it is heavily

informed by D.H. Lawrence's personal experiences, relationships, and
observations of the world around him. The novel serves as a semi-
autobiographical work that provides insights into Lawrence's upbringing, family
dynamics, and the socio-cultural milieu of his time

1)Sons And Lovers as psychological novel:

II. Brief Introduction to Freudian Theory on the Oedipus Complex

The most influential psychologist in the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud,
founded psychoanalysis and also established a new system for treating behavior
disorders. His research in psychology brought out many revolutionary and
controversial views on human behavior. One of the views he maintained is that
hidden layers in the child’s mind are animated by sexual and hostile motives
concerning its parents. A typical example is the Oedipus complex, consisting of
sexual desire toward the parent of the opposite sex and jealous hatred of the rival.2

According to Freud, the evolution of the mature love instinct begins as soon as the
child has sufficiently developed a sense of “the otherness”3 of its surroundings to
pick out its mother as the object of its affections. At first this totally instinctive and
unconscious affection begins as the natural result of the child’s dependence upon
its mother for food, warmth and comfort. From the mother the child first learn how
to express affection, and the maternal caresses and the intimate feeling which the
child get from its mother by the easy analogies to love when the child feels a
conscious passion for another individual of the opposite sex. Its mother, in a very
real sense of the world, is its first love.

However, through abnormal circumstances experienced in infancy or early

childhood, a male may develop an excessive love for his mother, usually
accompanied by a corresponding hatred for his father. The passing4 of the Oedipus
complex can be attained if the child develops the “castration anxiety”5 naturally by
seeing the sexual organ of the opposite sex. In a boy’s mind, the genitals of girls’
have been virtually castrated. He is afraid of having the same fate. Owning to the
castration anxiety, both his sexual desire towards his mother and hostility towards
his father will be weakened or depressed. Finally, the Oedipus complex will
gradually pass off. This is the most important and crucial factor affecting the
passing of the Oedipus complex.

Moreover, there are other factors enabling the passing of the Oedipus complex,
including the failure of the fulfillment of the child’s sexual desire towards his
mother, disappointment from the child towards his mother and the child’s physical
and psychological maturity. Although these factors can weaken the Oedipus
complex respectively, yet it is the overall impact from all these factors that
eventually eliminate the Oedipus complex. Thus, in the following analysis of the
causes for the non-passing of Paul Morel’s Oedipus complex, the author of this
thesis will take all these points into consideration.

III. Mother’s Strong and Abnormal Affections

Many factors concerning the Oedipus complex usually refer to the son. However,
the mother takes the same responsibility for the consequence. In Sons and Lovers,
without the strong love lavished by Mrs. Morel, Paul would not have been attached
to her that much. So it is obvious that the strong impact from Mrs. Morel’s
affections towards her son weighs much on the causes for Paul’s Oedipus complex.

We may wonder how it happens that the mother in this story come to lavish all her
affections upon her sons. The right person she should have loved is her husband,
while what she would have given to Paul is the pure and simple maternal love. It is
the failure of her marriage with Walter Morel whom she had hardly loved makes
her turn to the sons. First is the eldest one, William, and then the second, Paul.

In the opening chapter Mrs. Morel, the wife of a cool miner, is expecting her third
child, the boy Paul. Actually, at that time, her life with her husband has already
turned out to be a complete fiasco. He is a drunkard and a bully, a man with whom
she “shares neither intellectual, moral nor religious sympathies”6. Mrs. Morel
dreads the coming of the new baby, because she does not want to give birth to a
child who is conceived in a loveless relation between its parents. “With all her
force, with all her soul she would make up to it for having brought it into the world
unloved. She would love it all the more now it was hers; carry it in her love.”7
Towards Paul she feels, as to none of the other children, that she is guilty of doing
something unjust to him and that he must recompense her for all that she has
missed in her shattered love for her husband.

Alfred Booth Kuttner, a well-known critic, considers the early relations between
mother and child are full of a delicate and poetic charm.8 Paul admires his mother
very much and her presence can always be attractive to him. Often, at the sight of
her, “his heart contracts with love.”(p.67) Everything he does is for her, the flowers
he picks as well as the prizes he wins at school. His mother is his intimate and his
confidant. When his father is confined to the hospital by an accident in the mine,
Paul joyfully becomes “the man in the house.”(p.88) The interaction between
mother and son is complete, as if she lives in him and he in her.

In the end she shared everything with him without knowing… She waited for his
coming home in the evening, and then she unburdened herself of all she had
pondered, or of all that had occurred to her during the day. He sat and listened with
his earnestness. The two shared lives…”(p.114)

As the passage indicates, mother and son are actually one while the father becomes
merely a rival.

Another reason why Mrs. Morel concentrates all her affections on Paul is the death
of her eldest son, William. His death comes as a terrible blow to her, who loves
him passionately. This event makes her lose any interest in life, and remain shut
off from the family. However, only a few months later, Paul comes down with the
same disease as his brother did. Until then, does Mrs. Morel realize that “I should
have watched the living, not the dead.”(p.140) Now, the strong affections from
Mrs. Morel used to be shared by two brothers is being put into one. Being afraid of
losing her lover or her son again, Mrs. Morel turns to be more dominant in the
growth of Paul.

Being a woman with tough mind and strong will, Mrs. Morel’s love towards Paul
unconsciously becomes the tyranny over his life. And it is the subtle response to
Paul’s Oedipal affections that leads to the tragedy which almost ruins a young
man’s life. Frank O’Connor, who is an Irish writer and one of the masters of the
modern short story, holds the view that the only thing lacking between the boy and
his mother is sexual contact9. However, Lawrence could not agree with Freudian
psychology on this point of incest. He believed that the normal outcome of the
parent-child relationship was the result of impressions planted in the child’s
unconscious mind10. Therefore, in Sons and Lovers, the Oedipal love turns to be
spiritual rather than physical. And this spiritual love manipulated by the capture of
the boy’s soul is more overwhelming than any other forms Fruedism indicates. “It
hurt the boy keenly, this feeling about her that she had never had her life’s
fulfillment; and his own incapability to make it up to her hurt him with a sense of
impotence, yet made him patiently dogged inside. It was his childish aim…”(p.67)
This spiritual attachment to his mother defeats the sexual desire to physical contact
and finally transfers into another form of psychological incest which is deeply
rooted in Paul’s mind. In this sense, though the physical desire of sexual
intercourse cannot be fulfilled, the psychological desire of incest can be satisfied.
Therefore, one factor mentioned at the beginning, which enables the passing of the
Oedipus complex cannot be achieved. And Paul’s heart and soul will always be
with his mother’s even if death tears them apart physically. They will still be
lovers.

IV. Other Influences from the Family

In Sons and Lovers, among the other family members around Paul, his father and
his elder brother is very influential on the shaping of his manhood, because they
are the elder ones with the same sex. Actually, they are the models for the boy.
Thus their different influences on Paul’s growth cannot be taken for granted.

A. The great influence from the impotent father:

In most early analysis of the Oedipus complex presented in Lawrence’s Sons and
Lovers, the influence of the father was not as equally discussed as the impact from
the mother in its importance and decisiveness. However, the neglect of the father’s
role in the oedipal relation is vital and is worthy of mention, because the major
factor for the passing of the Oedipus complex-castration anxiety, consists in the
involvement of the father.

Kuttner explains the father’s influence to the child as saying that: besides its
mother’s, the influence of the father that other major constellation of our childhood
is also felt. Though not so gracious, he too is mighty, mightier than the mother,
since he dominates her. His presence brings about a striking change in the attitude
of the child, according to its sex. The boy, seeing that the mother loves the father,
strives to be like him. He takes his father as an ideal and sets about to imitate his
masculine qualities.11 However, it is a different case with Paul Morel, because his
father, Walter Morel is someone unwanted in the family. He is a man with many
disadvantages-“poverty, inadequate education and limited class expectation, work
that is physically exhausting while mentally undemanding, cramped housing and
political impotence”12. He is a symbol of the working class, while Mrs. Morel was
brought up in a middle-class family. So the conflict grounded in the difference of
social status put Morel in an unnatural position in the family. However, the mother
seems to have occupied an exceptional position in the family, and she evidently
dominated the household. Her disappointment towards Morel, a man who clearly
does not live up to her ideal of manhood certainly has influenced the children’s
impressions of their father. She even communicates her judgment to the children.
For instance, in scenes when the children learn from her to mock their father’s
manner, to belittle his work at the mine, to sneer at his lack of formal education
and in general to degrade his manhood, we can see that all the family members
dislike him and turn everything against him. “Walter Morel exiled from the
intellectual life of the family.”13 The home is dominated by the mother’s values
and the father has no place there except when working about his chores.

Paul’s relationship with his father, or rather say lack of relationship, make it
impossible for the boy to imitate his father. In Paul’s mind, his hostility towards
his father can be more expressed by his discrimination and hatred.

One example in the early chapters, when Paul was reluctantly suggested by his
mother to tell his father the prize he won in a competition, best shows his
discrimination upon his father.

“I’ve won a prize in a competition, Dad,” he said.

“Have you, my boy? What sort of competition?”

“Oh, nothing-about famous women.”

“And how much is the prize, then, as you’ve got?”

“It’s a book.”

“Oh, indeed!”

“About birds.”
“Hm-hm!”

And that was all. Conversation was impossible between the father and any other
member of the family. He was an outsider. He had denied the God in him.”(p.64)

Paul’s responses to his father’s questions are brief and unhelpful. In Paul’s eyes,
his father can only think of prizes and reward in financial terms; culture, inquiry
and the value of knowledge are alien to him. He is a man with shabby insights to
the things which the other family members value much.

Paul’s hatred towards his father is quite obvious. Once he witnesses a violent
quarrel between his father and his brother William. They are so furious that nearly
started a fight, with fists ready and knees crouched. “Another word, and the men
would have begun to fight. Paul hoped they would.”(p.p.59-60) “Paul hated his
father. As a boy he had a fervent private religion. ‘Make him stop drinking,’ he
prayed every night. ‘Lord, let my father die,’ he prayed very often. ‘Let him not be
killed at a pit,’ he prayed when, after tea, the father did not come home from
work.”(p.61) Had Paul been old enough then, he would have beaten his father in
the face. Showing no respect to Morel, Paul feels that his father’s figure is weak to
him though he is physically strong. There are few ideal masculine qualities in
Morel. So Paul is not afraid of his father as he might feel himself much stronger
than Morel. Unlike other boys, Paul cannot develop his anxiety of being castrated
by his father for loving his mother too much. And his ignorance of the father’s
dominance in the family is met and enhanced by Mrs. Morel’s depreciation of
Morel’s manhood. Hence Kuttner points out that in Paul’s case, the abnormal
fixation upon the mother is most obviously conditioned by the father, whose
unnatural position in the family is responsible for the distortion of the normal
attitude of the child towards its parents.14 The father ideal simply does not exist
for Paul; where there should have been an attractive standard of masculinity to
imitate, he can only fear and despise.

The major factor for the passing of the Oedipus complex-castration anxiety cannot
take place in Paul’s case; thus he is destine to be ruined by his attachment to his
mother. Or rather we say that Paul’s abnormal dependence upon the mother is
perpetuated because there is no counter-influence to detach it from her.

B. Paul’s imitation of his brother William:

William is the first victim of the Oedipus complex in the family. However, his
death at his early age makes him detach his fixation upon his mother. Mrs. Morel is
very proud of William, because she thinks that she has made him into a middle-
class gentleman successfully through years of education and nurture. William
shares the same feeling as Paul does in doing everything for his mother. When he
won a first prize in a race, he “only ran for her. He flew home with his anvil,
breathless, with a ‘Look, mother!’ That was the first real tribute to herself. She
took it like a queen.”(p.53)

William is a good person who enjoys everybody’s appreciation. And “he never
drank”(p.54), which shows a sharp contrast with his father. So the other children in
the family love him dearly, particularly Paul. He sets William as a great model for
himself, because he knows clearly that his mother loves William very much. And
what Paul wants is to be like his brother-quite successful in his work and be loved
by others. What masculine qualities cannot be found in his father can be found in
his brother now. William becomes someone Paul can imitate. He wants to be
another William to his mother and he tries very hard.

Another similarity which William and Paul share is that as soon as they come into
contact with women, there is a split. Lawrence thinks that “William gives his sex
to a fribble, and his mother holds his soul. However, the split kills him, because he
does not know where he is. Then Paul gets a woman who fights for his soul and
actually fights his mother. Paul decides to leave his soul in his mother’s hands, and
like his elder brother go for passion. He gets passion where the split begins to tell
again.”15 Paul really admires his brother and wants to do everything in the same
way as he does. This is a natural stage in a boy’s growth of finding a model of the
same sex to imitate. Here, William becomes Paul’s choice.

We can assume that Paul might share the same fate as his brother’s. Although he
survives the same disease as his brother gets, he suffers the same-patterned fixation
to his mother. In a letter to Edward Garnett, Lawrence told his friend about the
story he wrote. He mentioned “Paul is left in the end naked of everything, with the
drift towards death.”16 The “death” indicates the passing of Paul’s Oedipus
complex cannot be achieved when he is alive. He is destined to suffer the
frustrations along the other half way of his life.

V. Paul’s Dissatisfactions of His Love Affairs with Other Women

In Sons and Lovers, Paul’s failure in forming normal relationships with either
Miriam or Clara is mainly attributed to two reasons: one is his own psychological
immaturity, which is the major factor; the other is the block from Mrs. Morel.
A. The immaturity of Paul’s psychology:
If there were no strong love lavished by the mother and no great influence of the
father’s impotence, would Paul still be so attached to the Oedipal relationship that
ruins the two relationships with his two lovers- Miriam and Clara? There is no
certain answer to this assumption. However, one thing can be sure that Paul, to
some degree, will encounter difficulties in forming relationships with women too,
because his psychology is still immature.

During the growth into his manhood, Paul has always been taken care of.
Physically, Paul is more delicate than the other children so that his illnesses always
tend to further his mother’s concentration upon him. His mother and for a time his
sister Annie are his only real companions. His brother William is too old to be his
playmate and other children play no role in his early childhood. He is growing in
the intricate love from women and weak masculine qualities from men. He has
always been a good boy of his mother and he always holds his childish fantasy of
living with his mother. “But I shan’t marry, mother. I shall live with you, and we’ll
have a servant.”(p.244) He thinks at twenty-two as he thought at fourteen, like a
child that goes on living a fairy-tale. Even in the relationship with Miriam, he has
been called a child of four by Miriam. And it is true that she treats him as a mother
treats a perverse child. At the age of twenty-four, he still sums up his ambition as
the same as before.

Unlike other boys growing into their manhood, Paul cannot develop a kind of
independence a mature man should possess. He cannot live without his family and
his mother. Although he is physically mature at twenty-five, he still maintains a
heart of child. The self-maturity is one factor affecting the Oedipus complex
according to Freudian theory mentioned at the beginning of the essay. And it is the
major internal cause for the passing of the complex. Unfortunately, Paul does not
possess the psychological maturity, which is, along with other causes, responsible
for his deeply rooted Oedipus complex.

B. The failure of Miriam’s spiritual love:

Miriam Leivers is the first woman who attracts Paul outside his family circle. It
might be regarded as his puppy love that Paul is fascinated but uneasy and fights
shy of personal intimacy with Miriam. However, the intensity of her emotions
frightens him and impresses him as unwholesome. He finds her growing
absorption in him strangely discomfiting. Paul resists every intimation that he is
falling in love with Miriam. “We aren’t lovers, we are friends.”(p.173) And
Miriam has already gone so far. Paul can do nothing with her love because he
cannot return it. Love seems to him like a very terrible thing. The honest and more
impersonal passion that he feels for her frightens him.

However, Mrs. Morel makes her appeal. She fears that Miriam will absorb Paul
and take him away from her. “She is one of those who will want to suck a man’s
soul out till he has none of his own left.”(p.161) Her jealousy is being intensified.
Her comments on Miriam grow spiteful and satiric, and she no longer takes the
trouble to hide her jealousy. She makes the final, ruthless, cowardly appeal.

“And I’ve never-you know, Paul-I’ve never had a husband-not-really-“

He stroked his mother’s hair, and his mouth was on her throat.

“And she exults so in taking you from me-she’s not like ordinary girls.”

“Well, I don’t love her, mother,” he murmured, bowing his head and hiding his
eyes on her shoulder in misery. His mother kissed him, a long, fervent kiss.

“My boy!” she said, in a voice trembling with passionate love.

Without knowing, he gently stroked her face.(p.212)

Thus she wins him back. But there is still some resistance in Paul. His emotions
towards Miriam are constantly changing. But at last he tells her that he cannot love
her physically. “I can only give friendship-It’s all I’m capable of-it’s a flow in my
make-up…Let us have done.”(p.220) “In all our relations no body enters. I do not
talk to you through the senses-rather through the spirit. That is why we cannot love
in common sense. Ours is not an everyday affection.”(p.250) Miriam is totally
defeated in the fights for Paul’s soul.

At the same time, Lawrence makes clear that Miriam’s failure to attract Paul
physically, has led to her defeat in the spiritual conflict. The girl’s sexual failure is
deeply rooted, for example, in her own emotional make-up. As Lawrence
demonstrates, she is unable to lose herself in any simple pleasurable occasion, her
body is tense and lifeless, and her abnormal spiritual intensity is coupled with a
genuine fear of things physical.

C. The failure of Clara’s sensual love:

The failure of the relationship between Paul and Miriam makes Paul turns to
another try for sensual love. Clara Dawes is married, but lives separated from her
husband. She shows a frankly sensual attraction upon Paul. Like Mrs. Morel, she is
unhappy with her husband, which makes Paul feel less unfaithful to his mother.
She takes care of Paul’s sexual needs, and leaves plenty of him over for Mrs.
Morel. So the mother is not hostile to the idea of Clara. Paul is twenty-three when
he meets Clara, and she is about thirty. Clara really admires Paul’s animal
quickness: he brings her the promise of renewed vitality, and they draw close
together and make love. Thus Paul receives the impersonal love he needs, and
Clara comes to full awakening as a woman.

However, Clara is soon dissatisfied with impersonal love; like Miriam, she wants
to grasp hold of Paul and to possess him personally, Paul is even more disturbed
about another failure of relationship. At this moment, the novel turns to the death
of Paul’s mother. Paul meets Clara’s husband and has a fight with him.
Surprisingly, Paul brings Clara back to her husband and makes friends with
Dawes, after knowing that the husband is desperate to win his wife back. Then
Paul takes care of his dying mother and never leaves her until the end.

To sum up, Sons and Lovers presents Miriam not as a type of human love, but as a
type of spiritual love, Clara as a type of sensual love, and neither of them can
satisfy the heart of the young man who loves his mother.

VI. Conclusion
Psychoanalytic readings of Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence frequently discuss
Paul Morel’s psychology in terms of the classic Oedipus complex, because the
intimate nature of his relationship with his mother is so complete that he finds the
quality of love he can give to and receive from other woman deficient and
unsatisfying by comparison. Owing to this reason, there are different views on the
novel’s conclusion, with some believing that Paul is at last moving towards an
independent adult existence, and others contending that he is an emotional derelict
drifting towards death out of a desire to remain with his dead mother.

Whatever Paul will be in the future, the passing of his Oedipus complex cannot be
attained, due to the effects from different causes discussed above. Although his
mother is dead, she still captures his soul, which symbolizes the ecstasy of their
relationship and faithful love. The death of his mother cannot free him and life for
him is only where his mother is and she is dead. “My love-my love-oh, my
love!”(p.395) he whispered again and again. “My love-oh, my love!”(p.395) Paul
cries with a lover’s anguish.

Paul is bound to be a failure in forming any normal relationship with other women.
Because when he cannot go on loving his mother any more, “the next best thing he
 can do is to find a woman who resembles his mother as closely as possible.”17
Clara is such a case, for she is a married woman and unhappy with her marriage.
She satisfies Paul’s sexual desire in the incest sense. The love they make resembles
Paul’s expression of love towards his mother and hatred towards his father. When
Paul is through the despair caused by his mother’s death, he will hope again and
when he has compared one woman to his mother and found her wanting, he will go
on to another, in endless repetition.

Paul will maintain his faith and preserve his love for his mother in other forms. With
much faith and loyalty devoted by Paul to his mother, he can do anything which does
not produce an actual feeling of betrayal and unfaithfulness. Although the
autobiographical novel does not tell us clearly about in which form Paul will maintain
his faith, we can seek the truth in the real life of the autobiography writer-D. H.
Lawrence. One point of view which O’Connor holds through his analysis of the
similarity of other autobiography writers such as Andre Gide and Marcel Proust with
D. H. Lawrence, provides an assumption or better say it an answer.18 O’Connor
mentions all of them feel deeply under the influence of their mothers, somewhat in the
sense of the Oedipus complex. Gide and Proust remained homosexual for their entire
lives, while Lawrence showed strongly marked homosexual tendencies. The difference
only lies in the forms of preserving the faith and loyalty for the Oedipal affections to
the mother, maybe in the form of self-abuse, or in the form of homosexuality.
However, the truth is neither Lawrence nor Paul can ever escape the attachment and
fixation to their mothers. What Paul will exactly do with the rest of his emotional life is
uncertain, but the non-passing of his Oedipus complex will always define him as his
mother’s son and lover.

2)Sons and lovers as psychological novel:

Sons and Lovers” by D.H. Lawrence is often regarded as a psychological novel due
to its profound exploration of the characters’ inner lives, emotions, and
psychological states. Here are several aspects that highlight the novel’s
classification as a psychological novel:
Introspection and Inner Conflicts:

The novel delves deeply into the introspective thoughts and inner conflicts of the
characters, particularly the protagonist, Paul Morel. Lawrence meticulously
explores the psychological complexities of Paul’s relationships, desires, and
struggles, offering readers a nuanced understanding of his internal world.
Freudian Themes:

“Sons and Lovers” incorporates Freudian themes, particularly the Oedipus

complex. The intense and complex relationship between Paul Morel and his
mother, Gertrude, is a central focus, reflecting Freud’s theories about the
dynamics of family relationships and the impact on individual psychology.
Psychological Impact of Family Dynamics:

The novel thoroughly examines the psychological impact of family dynamics on

the characters. The Morel family’s relationships, conflicts, and the influence of
parental figures shape the psychological development of each family member,
contributing to the overarching psychological narrative.
Sexuality and Desire:

Lawrence explores the psychological dimensions of sexuality and desire. The

characters’ inner thoughts and conflicts related to romantic and sexual
relationships, as well as their evolving attitudes toward love, contribute to the
psychological depth of the novel.
Exploration of Mental Health:

The novel addresses mental health and psychological well-being, particularly

through the character of Paul Morel. Paul’s struggles with anxiety, depression,
and the impact of his family environment on his mental health contribute to the
novel’s psychological focus.
Symbolism and Imagery Reflecting Psychology:

Lawrence uses symbolism and imagery to convey psychological states. The mining
landscape, nature, and other symbolic elements serve as reflections of the
characters’ emotions and psychological experiences, adding layers of meaning to
the narrative.
Emotional Intensity:

The novel is characterized by emotional intensity, capturing the characters’

deeply felt emotions. Lawrence explores the psychological intricacies of love,
passion, and familial bonds with a sensitivity that emphasizes the emotional and
psychological dimensions of the story.
Stream of Consciousness:

The use of stream of consciousness contributes to the psychological nature of the

novel. It provides direct access to the characters’ unfiltered thoughts and
emotions, creating a narrative that closely mirrors the flow of their consciousness.
Psychological Impact of Industrialization:

The psychological effects of industrialization and the changing social landscape

are explored in the novel. The characters’ responses to the shifts in their
environment and the impact of societal changes contribute to the psychological
exploration of the narrative.
Individual Identity and Self-Discovery:
The novel revolves around the psychological journey of self-discovery and the
development of individual identity, particularly in the case of Paul Morel. The
characters grapple with their own identities, aspirations, and the psychological
conflicts that arise as they seek to define themselves.
In summary, “Sons and Lovers” can be considered a psychological novel due to its
in-depth exploration of the characters’ psychological landscapes, the influence of
Freudian themes, the examination of mental health, and the use of narrative
techniques that illuminate the inner workings of the characters’ minds.

The novel “sons and lovers” as both realist and

modernist.
“Sons and Lovers” is both a realist and modernist novel written by English writer D.H
Lawrence in 1913. The novel is structured upon the real life incidences of Lawrence
making it auto- biographical in nature; its chronological order places it in the genre of
bildungsroman, also Paul’s growth as an artist makes the novel a künstlerroman. Novel
portrays working class with an insider’s point of view along with protagonists’ encounter
with natural elements shaping their psychological state of mind making it a realist novel.
The sexual wholesomeness and passion of characters, rebellious female characters,
breakdown of family unit and focus on art makes the novel modernist. Written in the
20th century the novel retains elements of 19th century realism and explores the
modernist form of writing which was making its way after the First World War.

The realists portrayed real and everyday situation in contemporary settings with truth
and accuracy, they did not avoid the unpleasant and unhygienic conditions. Realism
often reflected the changes brought by industrial and commercial revolution. Main
elements of realist novels are details, transparent language i.e. simple language,
omniscient narrator, truthfulness, focus on class, rising literacy and social critique
(critiquing social and political conditions of society). The novel depicts life of working
class; Mr. Morel’s working class identity can be seen in textual touches like “he went
downstairs in his shirt and then struggled into pit trousers, which were left on the hearth
to warm all night”(p.35). The economic marker of proletariats/working class is that they
have to be conscious of every chilling and they have to take decisions carefully about
money. Mrs. Morel buys a dish and her normal housewife joy turns into puritanical guilt
because it was expensive (p.90). There is also a sense of illegitimacy visible in the
background of Mr. Morel; he gives shouts “uszza, uszza” (p.35) and the identity of
Walter Morel as a miner is established with a Derbyshire dialect which is the speech of
“insouciance and raw anger” says Ashok Celly. The surroundings are also realist; the
garden is holistic and Mr. Morel is happiest when he works in a garden, The unhygienic
conditions of the mine make him frustrated and irritable because of which he turns to
violence and as a result loses his position of a patriarch in the family. The social setting
of Bestwood is the excellent communication by miner’s wives. Mrs. Morel invites
clergyman over for tea and intellectual sympathy because Walter spoiled the party
(p.40-42)

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JC.F Littlewood says the first part is a classic of intensity of family life, love and loyalty.
Lawrence is writing in realist mode as he makes abundance use of images and symbols
to communicate his vision. Nature images are there to delineate emotional states and
psychological conflict among the protagonists. The first image is Mrs. Morel’s encounter
with the lilies. She goes out in night “seared with passion” and has a communion with
the lilies. “The tall white lilies reeling in the moonlight”(p.29). The lilies are a celebration
of life- force, the rebellion of Mrs. Morel says Ashok Celly. The lilies renew Gertrude
Morel’s faith in her life and her anger is sucked out. The second image is the orange
moon; Paul and Miriam spot an “enormous orange moon”(p.198). For Paul it helped in
releasing his passions and in Miriam it evoked a deeply religious emotion and because
of that Paul felt impotent. This tension disturbs their relationship. The last image is that
of a powerful stallion; Paul, Clara and Miriam come across Strelly Mill Farm. “The big
red breast” which “dances romantically” represents a phallic power according to Ashok
Celly.

‘Mill on the floss’ is another famous 19th century realist novel by George Eliot, it is
basically the tale of Maggie and Tom Tulliver, the novel is also a bildungsroman like
‘sons and lovers’ and in both the novel the position of women is highlighted. The society
has certain norms of its own and expects all members to comply with it. Maggie
develops an interest in education and helps Tom with his work but Miriam wants to be a
boy so she can educate herself, Annie on the other hand is educated and earns a living.
Maggie and Miriam are aware of the restrictions that society places on them but both
can’t do much to cure these restrictions except Maggie disobeying Tom and Miriam
wanting to be a boy. Morals are another similarity in both the novels, Maggie does not
approve to do as the society says because society blames women says Fahmida
Yasmin in her essay “the changing portrayal of women in the novels, Shirley, The Mill
on the Floss and Sons and Lovers”. Tom and William are the elder sons of the family
and their family has high hopes from their future. There is realist portrayal of the
surrounding of mill in the novel and how the society treats a disabled boy like Philip
Wakem. In both the novels there is visibility of class conflicts and simple language is
used along with truthfulness of the depictions of environment and conditions of society
and characters. Time is chronological; there is linearity of events and scenes presented
in the novels. It is not fragmented like modernists texts.
Modernist texts focused on the inner self and consciousness. It was in contrast with the
romantic writing which took solace in nature; Terry Eagleton calls the romantics
escapists. The modernist literature alienated individual and led to loneliness because
they saw cold machinery not technology and increased capitalism. There is no
distinguishing between male and female psychology. Mr. Morel loses out his role as a
patriarch because of his drinking habits and violent ways, the children see him as an
outsider invading their happy space. There is breakdown of the family unit, the Victorian
notion of family is not held up. The father is not the guiding figure any more neither is
the mother angel of the house like Sissy Jupe in Hard times. Mrs. Morel is frustrated
and rebellious. She is not submissive, has anger and Mr. Morel is afraid of her in their
fights. She does not leave the house because of her children and her hope is their
success. She joins the women’s guild where women “discuss the benefits to be derived
from cooperation and other social questions”(p.69) she resists violence by being violent
herself. When Mariam says she wants to become a man (p.170) Mrs. Morel says to
females wanting to be a male are not comfortable with their sexuality and it is unnatural.

The women in the novel are also examples of modernist characters, the most radical
being Clara Dawes. She is a suffragette and defiant of existing social standards. She
walks with ‘another man’ not her husband and does not regret it because she is
rebelling against social norms. Clara has a style of dress which expresses her radical
ideas and is not in society’s expectations; she is not an appropriate woman according to
society’s norms. She is actively protesting and is politically active. Clara’s character is
important because she facilitates his sexual growth and thus is very important in Paul’s
life. “After all it was Clara who taught young Paul Morel the ways of world and he had a
lot to admire in her”. Miriam does housework and because she has no opportunity she
expresses her frustration to Paul:

‘I want to do something. I want a chance like anybody else.

Why should I, because I ‘am a girl be kept at home and not allowed to be anything?
What chance have I?’

‘Chance of what?’

‘Of knowing anything-of learning, of doing anything.

It’s not fair, because I’m a woman’ (p.185)

Clara has a feeling of solidarity and sisterhood for individual women like Miriam and she
defends women when Paul complains that she asks too much of him demanding a
spiritual communion. Annie is also aware of women’s position in society she becomes a
teacher. There is a similarity between Maggie and Clara’s affairs; Maggie goes out with
Stephen Guest and Philip Wakem and the result is that her brother is angry with her and
she dies in the flood. Similarly Clara also has many affairs and she is seen as an
inappropriate woman by the society. The women characters are also different from ‘Mrs.
Dalloway’ and ‘Heart of darkness’. In Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf the focus is
primarily on Clarissa Dalloway and Rezia warren smith. The characters are much talked
of and acquire much of the space in the novel. In heart of darkness by joseph Conrad
the women characters don’t have a name, they are silent and rarely come on the
surface, misogyny of Conrad is visible in his portrayal of women. The fiancé of Kurtz
also does not have a name. In between these two novels lies the women of ‘sons and
lovers’ who are starting to be rebellious, have a strong identity, radical ideas and they
share equal space with the men in the novel. Seeing the strong female characters of
women we have to talk about the oedipal relationship between Mrs. Morel and her sons.

Freud’s theory on Oedipus complex came out at the end of 19th century. Ivy Low said
that the book is about Oedipus complex. Ashok Celly says the novel is about young
man’s excessive, even erotic attachment to mother, his jealousy of father and inability to
get love from other women. William is impatient; he has potential and aspires to fulfill his
mother’s dream unlike Paul. William tells his mother about many women and this makes
his mother anxious. Mrs. Morel feels betrayed when William stops sending him money.
After his death Mrs. Morel’s hope is Paul. He dreams of living in a “cottage with his
mother”(p.102) and scenes of intimacy are on the border of becoming incestuous. Kate
Millet sees Paul as cynical manipulator of woman; Miriam is Paul’s mistress and Clara is
sexual one according to Millet. He wants something more than just spiritual connection
from Miriam and he is partially satisfied with Clara. This is seen as his inability to be
completely satisfied with any woman. D.H Lawrence wasn’t aware of Freud’s theory
when he started writing but the relationship between sons and mother is that of
bordering Oedipus complex. The sons display hatred towards father just like in the
complex and the mother gets anxious when she gets to know about the relationships of
the boys with woman. But is the concern sexual? Can’t it be motherly concern ? Can’t
the hatred of father be because of his violent behaviors and beatings?

The new element of modernist literature was sexual wholesomeness or sexual

frustration. Sex is seen as something which is serious, normal and is the central pre-
occupation of mankind. Paul’s relationship with Miriam is a realization that without sex
marriage would not be able to succeed. “Baptism of fire in passion” is imagery for
seriousness of sex opposite to west Christian beliefs like Miriam says Ashok Celly; for
Miriam body is subordinate to soul and sexual pleasure is lowly for her .Paul’s passion
for Clara is serious and central to his growth, there is power and mystery in sexual
passion, it puts them in touch with non-human mystery and liberates them from their
pettifogging selves (p.368). Paul’s dissatisfaction with Miriam and partial satisfaction
with Clara tells us about the assertion of life of body.

Paul is an artist in the time when artists were not considered a part of the economic
growth system. According to him the best paintings were those where he doesn’t have
to focus on outer shape but focus on “shimmering inner protoplasm”. Paul explains his
painting to Miriam in terms of impressionism; to him sketches are true to life because
they don’t have any shadows in them. Jack Stewart in his essay ‘forms of expression’
says that Paul wishes to paint the dance of life not the dead shapes of mind. The
organic nature of an object is being focused on. Art doesn’t need to focus on surface.
Paul can survive in the city better than William because he has a better understanding
of the world. Paul is a painter and has two dreams first of living with his mother and
second of painting. When his mother dies life loses meaning and painting offers solace
to him. The novel is thus a künstlerroman and Paul grows as an artist by moving to the
city.

Raymond Williams says that education trains men of certain class and then makes them
different from other men. Lawrence’s education did not alienate him; he had strong
attachment with his mother but also wants to have his father’s instincts. Paul is an
example of Lawrence’s character “only from middle class one gets ideas and from
common people- life and warmth” (p.275). Like ‘Mill on the Floss’ this novel is also
autobiographical in nature says John Goode in his essay ‘individuality and society in
Sons and Lovers’. Lawrence was self-conscious and hyper sensitive, Walter Morel is
modeled on Lawrence’s father Arthur Lawrence and Gertrude Morel is modeled on his
mother who was refined and held high morels and principles. Mariam is based on his
teenage girlfriend Jessie Chambers. Paul moves from Bestwood to Nothingham and
discards traditional beliefs and values. He moves from a provincial setting to city and
this becomes an important part in his growth and the novel being a bildungsroman.

The novel written in 20th century has elements of 19th century realism and 20th century
modernism both. The autobiographical nature of novel, psychological realist depiction,
realist environment and surrounding settings and naturalism make the novel realist.
Psychoanalysis, strong female character, sexual wholesomeness, impressionism,
breakdown of family unit and movement to city makes it a modernist novel. Thus the
novel ‘sons and lovers’ is both a realist and a modernist novel.

Sons and Lovers in Terms of Modernism

The new literary discovery of the XX was the modernist movement. Modernism is the
art of a dehumanized era, the attitude towards humanistic values in modernism is
unclear, but the modernists world appears to be gloomy and depressing. Modernists
conceive human existence as a brief fragile moment; the subject may or may not be
aware of the tragedy, and the frailty of our absurd world. The author’s duty is to recreate
the day to day horrors of existence while at the same time express the beautiful
moments that life provides us with. One of the greatest modern authors was David
Lawrence and his novels provided that horrific, existential sub tone that often was
disliked by his readers.

The novel, Sons and Lovers (1913) is the first serious work by David Herbert Lawrence,
which brought worldwide recognition to the young writer, and in which the critic saw
signs of artistic innovation. This book became a kind of stage in the creative
development of the author. This is his third novel, completed before the war, when his
concept of man and art had not yet crystallized. This is a book of farewell to youth, a
book of searching for his own way in life and in literature, and, at the same time, it is a
novel that provided Lawrence with the fame of a master of words. It is important that in
this work both the traditions of the English novel of the XIX century and the innovative
discoveries of literature of the twentieth century are synthesized and manifested at
almost all levels of the work. Sons and Lovers, one of the best novels in world literature,
is about the problems of family relationships and intimate relationships between a man
and a woman. The main idea that the author tries to convey to the reader is the need for
harmony of human contacts, in the balance of physical and spiritual forces in human life.
Lawrence regards the spiritual and physical union of a man and a woman as the only
way to realize happiness. True love, according to Lawrence, consists in recognizing the
individuality of another person and the sacred respect for them. Every individual is a
separate being with a unique soul. You can destroy the individuality of that dear person
by trying to change him/her in your own way. The novel’s main conflict is based on the
position of the mother, Mrs. Morel, who, due to her own high education, unaware of the
natural spiritual “polarity” and relative independence of another person, destroyed the
individual integrity of her husband. With good intentions, she intensely tried to attract
the illiterate miner to serious reading, consistently instilled in him an increased sense of
Christianity, and thereby upset his sensitive emotional nature, causing his dissatisfaction
with life and involuntarily provoked his craving for drinking. Without realizing her own
guilt for the fate of her husband, Mrs. Morel transfers all of her power of unused
motherly passion to her younger sons in the hope that they will turn out to be a more
fertile material for her “creative” efforts.

The novel is overall written in the modernistic style; however, it also has a line of
traditional style in it also. The main topic of the novel is the tough love relationships
between four main characters, which are: Paul Morel, his mother Mrs. Morel, Miriam,
and Clara. Paul is a typical modern character who is stuck in a love square and cannot
quite realize his true intentions to any of the women. The shadow image of the mother
leaves a gloomy imprint on the relationship of youthful friendship and love of Paul and
Miriam. Paul’s need for a contemporary friend is more than the natural desire of a
young man to have a beloved girlfriend. Only Miriam understands him “like no one,” he
can talk with her “about everything in the world,” they read and discussed the “whole
library” with her, he learned about all the neighborhoods with her …, but the attraction
to Miriam for Paul is an unaccountable attempt to get rid of his excessive attachment to
the mother and her constant care, inhibiting the formation of Paul’s independence.
However, with all the desire, Paul cannot give Miriam all his love, he is forced to divide
himself between adult and young women, and this circumstance becomes the
underlying cause of the impending gap between young people. Paul cannot quite see
himself with Miriam. He wants to make himself love her, but the disapproval of his
mother and his own doubts push him away from Miriam. This allows Paul to get closer
to another woman named Clara that worked with him. This transition almost symbolizes
the shift in overall literary world of XIX century. From the traditional values, which were
upheld by wholesome, and true loving Miriam, to modernistic values in the face of Clara.
Clara is a personality that can be called a modern woman. She lives the way she wants
to. When she met Paul and got close to him, she was still a married woman. The
marriage is a traditional symbol. Clara upheld the traditional values when she got
introduced to the reader. However, just like the novel transitions from traditional style to
modernistic, Clara enters into a prohibited relationship with Paul. She desired the
change in her life, and this unlawful, physical romance excited her, just as much as it
excited Paul and the reader.

Another symbolical transition from traditional to modernism could be the relationships

between Mr. Morel, and Mrs. Morel, and her sons. Love is the force that united the
traditional families together. It is the glue of a healthy family. Morel’s family lacked that
pulling force between each other. Mrs. Morel could hardly stand her previously beloved
husband. She chose him, because he was different, he was not like her father, and that
factor alone attracted her to Mr. Morel. However, Morel was just a simple miner, and she
desperately tried to change him, which made him become a drunk. Mrs. Morel would
spend a lot of time with her sons, first William, and when he got older and moved, she
would spend time with Paul. Paul’s close relationship with his mother made him copy
her feelings towards his father. With that, the traditional values had crumbled. The Morel
family stopped being traditional, and, in fact, became “modern”. The father figure was
completely washed out. Mr. Morel became isolated in his own house. He grew cold to
every member of his family, because they were cold to him as well. Lawrence destroyed
the traditional picture of the father figure; of a respected man, who is loved by his
family. The novel shows the different picture of reality. The father is a drinker, and a
stubborn man who does not want to change for the good of the family. By the end of
the novel, Mr. Morel does not even act surprised or sad about the death of his wife, the
person that should be the closest to him in a traditional family. He separated himself
from everybody, and nothing bothered him anymore. He became a sort of nihilistic
character. Paul had a very similar ending. He separated himself from everybody, from his
mother, from Miriam who loved him despite his personal problems, and from Clara who
used him for her physical needs. Paul no longer belonged to anyone. Isolated from
everyone he proceeded to the city.

Lawrence shattered the true values of traditional love. The love “square” that Paul
created could be interpreted as the end of his personality. The close relationship with his
mother, and absence of a father figure in his life lead to his undeveloped sense of what
is right and what is wrong. Paul wanted everything and everyone but did not offer
anything in exchange. Unfortunately for Paul, the novel Sons and Lovers is not a fairy
tale story. The harsh realism of the novel shows that it is impossible to sit on two chairs
simultaneously, a man has to choose what he desires the most and pursue that.

Lawrence made Sons and Lovers in some way biographical in order to show that reality
is not the way it seems in books. Lawrence is as close as possible to his heroes, he looks
at the world through their eyes, the author’s narration incorporates their inner
monologues. The consciousness of Paul is the author’s “alter ego,” on equal terms with
other consciousnesses: Mrs. Morel, Miriam, Klara. The reader is presented with different
attitudes: male and female, youthful and mature, and this gives the novel the necessary
bulk, fullness, aesthetic completeness. Lawrence combines in his work the phenomenon
of the vision and recreation of the real world with philosophical symbols. Such narrative
is especially important for the novel, where the plot is not connected with the action,
but with the depth of character

2)Sons and lovers as buildungsroman

"Sons and Lovers" by D.H. Lawrence is often considered a Bildungsroman, a type of novel that focuses
on the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of the protagonist from childhood to
adulthood. In the case of "Sons and Lovers," the central character is Paul Morel, and the novel traces his
coming-of-age journey. Here are some aspects that highlight the Bildungsroman elements in "Sons and
Lovers":

Protagonist's Growth and Development:

The novel follows Paul Morel from his childhood into adulthood, providing a detailed account of his
experiences, challenges, and personal growth. The narrative explores Paul's evolving understanding of
himself and the world around him.
Complex Family Relationships:

The Bildungsroman genre often involves complex familial relationships that contribute to the
protagonist's development. In "Sons and Lovers," Paul's relationships with his parents, especially his
mother Gertrude, play a crucial role in shaping his character and influencing his decisions.

Struggle for Identity and Independence:

Bildungsroman novels typically depict the protagonist's struggle for identity and the quest for
independence. Paul Morel grapples with the influence of his overbearing mother, societal expectations,
and his own desires as he strives to carve out his individual identity.

Sexual Awakening and Romantic Relationships:

Bildungsroman novels often explore the protagonist's sexual awakening and the complexities of
romantic relationships. Paul's exploration of love and intimacy, particularly in his relationships with
Miriam Leivers and Clara Dawes, contributes to his emotional and psychological development.

Educational and Vocational Pursuits:

The Bildungsroman tradition often includes the protagonist's educational and vocational pursuits. In
"Sons and Lovers," Paul's aspirations as an artist and his experiences in the working world reflect his
journey toward self-discovery and fulfillment.

Social and Cultural Influences:

The novel explores the impact of social and cultural factors on Paul's development. The class struggles,
societal expectations, and the changing landscape of industrial England during the late 19th and early
20th centuries shape Paul's worldview and choices.

Internal Conflict and Self-Reflection:

Bildungsroman novels typically involve internal conflicts and moments of self-reflection for the
protagonist. Paul grapples with conflicting emotions, inner turmoil, and a quest for meaning,
contributing to the psychological depth of his character.

Transition to Adulthood:

The Bildungsroman genre often culminates in the protagonist's transition to adulthood. In "Sons and
Lovers," Paul's journey reflects his gradual maturation, with the novel ending on a note of both
resolution and ambiguity as he faces the challenges of adulthood.

Narrative Focus on Individual Growth:

The narrative structure of "Sons and Lovers" is centered on Paul's personal growth and experiences. The
novel prioritizes the inner life and subjective experiences of the protagonist, aligning with the
Bildungsroman tradition.

Symbolism and Allegory:

Bildungsroman novels often use symbolism and allegory to convey the protagonist's internal struggles
and growth. In "Sons and Lovers," the symbolism associated with nature, the mining landscape, and art
adds layers of meaning to Paul's journey.

Overall, "Sons and Lovers" aligns with the Bildungsroman tradition by vividly portraying the protagonist's
journey from adolescence to adulthood, exploring themes of identity, love, and self-discovery along the
way.