Sons and Lovers

Mrs. Morel

Sons and Lovers is the story of Gertrude and Walter Morel. The beginning of the
novel establishes the relationship between them when they meet at a dance party.
Gertrude is a young, well-educated and refined lady.

Walter Morel is quite the opposite of her, but he is humble and honest .And
this is why she is attracted to him. He is a miner, uneducated and energetic. She
decides to marry him, hoping that she will be able to make him a refined person.
But circumstances make her dissatisfied with him.

Mrs. Morel is dissatisfied with her husband because he is irresponsible and

could not manage money .The first year of their marriage passes happily but later
there is no real understanding between them.

When they have their first child,William, she begins to despise her husband
and take care of her child. Her husband begins to drink in pubs and their troubles
increased. This ends when he comes drunk and turns her out of the house.

Though she turns to her children for love she continues her attempts to make
him a refined man like her father and encourages him to stop drinking because she
has loved him.

Besides, Mrs. Morel feels superior to her neighbours and this leads to her
isolation and loneliness but she becomes happy and proud of her children.

Mrs. Morel becomes happy when William gets a job in London and becomes
a member of middle class society.

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 Her husband becomes more and more uncivilized ,beat his wife , drinks
heavily and eats in a brutal way .This behavior frightens the children who begin to
hate him and support their mother who becomes stronger than her husband .When
the children grow up ,the conflict becomes between father and children.

After William's death,Paul becomes the champion of his mother and does
everything she wants. When her children begin to manage their own business, she
becomes very happy because they will fulfil her plans and compensate for her
futile marriage.

New troubles begin when Paul begins to meet Miriam.Mrs. Morel becomes
jealous and tells Paul that she has "never really had a husband." This arouses his
sexual desires for Miriam. This leads Paul to deep spiritual love for his mother, and
he rejects Miriam though he suffers and struggles.

Paul faces the same problem with Clara because of his mother's spiritual
domination.

His mother's death puts an end to his struggles and his mother's influence.
He chooses his own way in life away from darkness.

From what has been mentioned, we realize that Mrs. Morel is dissatisfied in
her life .This has its bad results on her and her family.

She tries to make her husband better, but in vain .she does not accept any girl her
son William loves, and this has bad effect on him .He becomes very miserable and
dies .When Paul becomes a distinguished painter, she wants him to climb into the
middle classes but he says that he does not believe in classes, but in people
themselves.

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 To conclude then, one can say that she completely dominates her sons and
does not give them the chance to choose the women they love. Instead of helping
and advising them to choose the women they want, she finds faults in them.

This does not mean that she is the only responsible person for these results.
The blame should be laid on their irresponsible father, too, whose role in the
family is absent .we sympathize with her in the beginning, but we blame her for
her domination of her sons.

Paul

Right from the beginning of the novel we realize that Paul morel is the centre of
the action .This is very clear in the second part which witnesses his struggle and
development.

Because he is quiet and depresses , his mother pays special attention to him
and treats him in a way which helps him get rid of his loneliness.

His father's ill-treatment of his mother,especially when he comes drunk and beats
her ,strengthens the relationship between Paul and his mother and he begins to
despise his father .

After William's death, his relationship with his mother becomes very close
to the point that she completely dominates him spiritually, but this domination has
its bad disadvantages to Paul when he grows up.

This spiritual domination is followed by physical closeness when Paul is laid ill in
bed and she takes care of him, the matter which makes him enjoy this experience.

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 These circumstances force Paul to be completely dependent on her .This is very
clear when he finds a job in Nottingham and she accompanies him .They spend a
perfect afternoon together just like happy lovers ,rather than mother and son.

When he grows up, Paul begins to like girls .His mother does not like this because
it will weaken her effect and domination over him.

His first experience is when he goes to Willey Farm and meets Miriam .this place
is completely different from life atmosphere of his boring family life because this
country setting becomes the life place of his dreams.

Miriam's religious background is opposed to Paul who is frustrated and

wants her physically .Mrs. morel's jealousy and dislike of Miriam make Paul aware
of his mother's influence because his mother believes that Miriam will "suck"Paul's
soul .so the struggle begins between Miriam and his mother in order to win Paul.

Paul and Miriam have much in common but she cannot give him what he
really needs as a man, because she depends on him and he depends on his mother
.Paul wants to marry Miriam but his mother's influence prevents him from doing
that. His mother exploits him to serve her own need and refuses him the right of
having his independent life .

Thus, Paul feels divided between his mother and Miriam .He is full of inner
conflict which tortures him, and he finally decides to leave Miriam.

Paul's affair with Clara is another reason for his torture and self-division.

Clara is the opposite of Miriam because she is physically powerful and can
satisfy his needs but he still feels that he belongs to Mariam spiritually, in addition
to his mother's domination.

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 The readers realize thatPaul's affair is a study of emotional conflicts with his
mother, Mariam and Clara who cause his agony and disturb his future.
Paulstruggles for independence and his right to choose the life woman he wants.

This leads him to tell his mother that he cannot love any woman as long as she
lives. When his mother dies, he leaves Miriam and Clara to look for his own future
independently.

Oedipus complex

Sons and Lovers opens with a picture of the Morels' marriage. Mrs. Morel was
attracted to Mrs. Morel by his physical strength.

When they marry, love, sex and marriage are brought together and they live
happily for a few months.

But problems begin because of other considerations higher than physical strength.
Mrs. Morel tries to refine and elevate her uneducated and irresponsible husband,
but in vain.

When she fails in this she turns her attention to her sons William and Paul
.This introduce the theme of Oedipus complex in the novel. Paul and William , to
some extent, love their mother in a way that includes a sexual element.

Paul often kisses his mother and talks to her as to a lover. Once he tries to
convince his mother not to sleep with his father in the same bed. She refuses to
sleep elsewhere than in her own room. Paul accompanies her upstairs, and kisses
her close and goes in an angry way which must be jealousy.

The clever reader realizes that this relationship is normal in their

circumstances.

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 The father neglects his family, drinks in pups and wastes the money which
should be spent on his family. The absence of the role of the father led the
children, especially Paul, to be attracted to their mother who is deprived of her
husband's love and attention, and needs to compensate that in her children.

But one has to understand that both the sons and their mother have not
intended any sexual relationship, but everything happens unconsciously and
unintentionally.

Women's role in Paul's life

Three women play their roles in Paul's life: his mother, Miriam and Clara.

His mother, Mrs. Morel, plays an important role in Paul's life. The positive role is
that she tries all the time to take care of her children because they are neglected
and frightened by their drank father.

Her relationship with Paul develops after William's death. Paul becomes the
champion of his mother who obeys and satisfies her needs. But this will lead her to
dominate Paul spiritually and prevent him from having any love affair with girls,
the matter which causes his struggle till her death.

Miriam meets Paul when he comes with his mother to their farm. She is a
beautiful, religious and spiritual girl. She desires to have spiritual relationship with
Paul, but her purity prevents her from developing their relationship.

She begins to possess Paul spiritually but this causes the conflict between her and
Mrs. Morel who does not like any other girl to share her in possessing Paul's soul.

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Miriam submits to Paul physically believing it is a kind of sacrifice, butPaul ends
his relationship with her because each is looking for something the other cannot
give.

Clara is Paul'ssecond love .She is an attractive woman who is separated from her
husband .She is introduced in the novel when Paul becomes aware of his need for a
physical relationship with a woman .Clara is the opposite of Miriam because she is
physically strong whereas Miriam is spiritual with traditional and romantic views.

With Paul, Clara finds what she has been seeking .though she feels that Paul is
never really with her, she finds with him something she could never find with her
husband.

Clara can give Paul what Miriam cannot .She has warmth and mature womanliness
that Miriam lacks .She and Paul are passionately in love but it is a momentary
satisfaction because she feels that he is not with her .She continues lovemaking
with him out of pity .

But one can say , in the end , that these three women have played important roles
in developing Paul's character : Mrs. Morel in encouraging him in his painting
business ,Miriam in her sacrifice to make him happy , and Clara who has satisfied
his physical needs .

The main characters are prisoners of their circumstances.

To begin with one has to remember Mr. Morel and his bad effect on the whole
family, especially his wife who struggle to improve their conditions without his
help.

When her sons grow up they become completely dependent on their mother
who dominates them spiritually.

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 Her spiritual domination of Paul has its bad effect on Paul who struggles
with Miriam because of her religious ideas , and his mother's jealousy and dislike
of her .

Clara's circumstances led to her suffering because of her futile marriage and
interest in sex.She tries to find happiness with Paul but she realizes that he is
dominated by his mother and cannot go on with her thought she has satisfied him
sexually.

William, again, is a victim of his own circumstances. He finds and loves the
woman he wants but his mother tries to find faults in her .He struggles, falls ill and
dies.

Thus, we realize that the main characters in the novel are prisoners of their own
circumstances, including Mrs. Morel who is the victim of her sense of
responsibility.

The symbol of the Ash-Tree

The ash-tree has been effectively used by Lawrence to describe the sinister and
dark aspects of life. It is symbolic of the dark, mysterious forces of nature which
are the foreboders of tragedy in human-life. It is symbolic of the disharmony that
exists between the husband and wife in the Morel family. The persistent quarrel of
the parents becomes a terror for the children, who lying awake upstairs are unable
to coherently apprehend as to what would happen ultimately. The tree becomes a
symbol of the inner terror of children who strike and moan inwardly. It also
prophesies the future doom which is to beset the Morel family.

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The symbol of the Swing
The Swing at Willey Farm is symbolic of the love-hate relation that is
characteristic of Paul-Miriam relationship. Similar to the background and forward
movement of the swing, Paul loves Miriam for one thing but suddenly hates her for
another. Though, his hatred for her is also transitory and is soon replaced with
love. Hence, the movement of the swing symbolizes, the two extremes of their
attitude towards each other i.e. love for one moment and hate the other moment. It
is also expressive of their inability to hold on to each other for a very long time.
Miriam’s inability to attain a certain height on the swing as Paul does is
significant of her failure in her relationship with Paul. Thus, she fails to provide
Paul with the physical fulfillment that he is desirous of.
The Symbol of the blood tie between Paul and Mrs Morel
In the very beginning of the novel when Mrs. Morel has a quarrel with her
husband, in an outrage of anger she is hit with a drawer which is flung at her. The
wound bleeds profusely and two drops of blood fall on the hair of Paul who is in
the hands of Mrs.Morel at the moment. The blood is not cleared away but it gets
soaked in to the scalp of Paul. This small incident is symbolic of the disillusioned
and tattering relationship of the husband and wife and the subsequent reversal of
attitude of Mrs Morel towards her husband and the ultimate substitution of her sons
in place of her husband. The scene is also symbolic of the contract of soul between
the mother and son which is sealed with a blood tie.
The symbol of the Orange Moon
The emotional lives of the characters of Lawrence are much influenced by the
active participation of nature. Walking together one evening Paul and Miriam
witness a large orange moon staring at them. The passion in Paul is aroused by the
sight of the moon. Though Miriam is also deeply moved but Paul fails to get across

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to her. Violent passion is aroused in Paul, thus the orange moon becomes a symbol
of the aroused passion in Paul.
Symbols of Flowers
The most important of the flower symbols are presented in the scene where Clara
has just been introduced to Paul by Miriam. All three of them walk in an open field
with its many “clusters of strong flowers” they begin to pick flowers. Though,
there is natural beauty in flowers that Paul picks, yet he picks them scientifically.
He has a spontaneous and direct contact with the flowers. Miriam, though she
picks the flowers lovingly and reverentially yet she seems to derive the life out of
them. Her bunches lack elegance. But Clara does not pick them at all, defiantly
asserting that flowers should not be picked because it kills them.
Thus, on a closer reading of these floral symbols one feels, that it depicts the
attitude of various characters towards life. Mrs. Morel has a vital and healthy
attitude towards flowers. The scenes where Paul brings her flowers are warm and
gay. Since the love of Paul and Miriam develops in the midst of natural
surroundings, the flower is symbolic of its freshness and innocence. They also
symbolize the beauty and youth of Miriam.
There are various other symbols of the burned potatoes symbolizing
Miriam’s total absorption in Paul. On the other had the charred bread symbolizes
Paul’s total absorption in Miriam. Hope and optimism are symbolized at the end of
the novel with the help of the gold phosphorescence of the city. Hence, the
symbolism uses in Sons and Lovers is quite simple and easy to understand. They
are in no way complex but rather help to a better understanding of the novel.

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Colors symbols
Throughout Sons and Lovers, D.H. Lawrence uses colors to suggest the underlying
implications of the events taking place. Three colors in particular - red, black, and
white - seem to carry some sort of subtle connotation which reveals more about the
characters, their actions, and their motives for those actions, than the plot or the
setting alone. Tied to the color images are material images which carry the same
connotative meaning: the color red is associated with fire, black with darkness and
dirt, and white with cold. Landscape - the natural world: For Lawrence, landscape
– the natural world- is of the highest importance in the novel. Moreover, Lawrence
uses landscape symbolically, and its meaning serves a more important function
than to simply "flesh out" scenes.
CLASS CONFLICT
You can see Sons and Lovers as a novel that epitomizes the conflict between the
unskilled, ill- educated working class and the rigidly moral, emotionally and
sexually inhibited middle class. Walter Morel, a symbol of the working class, has
the positive qualities of instinct, warmth, and spontaneity. His wife, Gertrude, a
symbol of the middle class, embodies their work ethic and their intellectual and
social aspirations. Gertrude and Walter ought to complement one another with
their very different positive points, but in fact they, like the lower and middle
classes, can't get along. In Sons and Lovers, the lower class's hatred of snobbery
and phony propriety and the middle class's concern with money and social
advancement cause Gertrude and Walter to come to blows. Lawrence in his own
life and later novels sought a way of bringing these two social realms into
harmony.
Sons and Lovers can also be viewed as a working-class novel, a novel that focuses
on the everyday lives, trials, and tribulations of unskilled, poor laborers. Through
Lawrence's words, you get a vivid picture of what it was like to be a miner or a
factory worker around the turn of the century.

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Narrative structure
Sons and Lovers is told from the point of view of an omniscient, or all-knowing,
narrator. Most of the time, the narrator tells you more about the characters than
they themselves know. This helps you accept and understand actions that might
otherwise seem arbitrary or unmotivated.
Since this book is highly autobiographical, many readers identify the narrator with
Lawrence, who seems to be looking back and trying to come to terms with his own
youthful problems and feelings through the character of Paul Morel. The narrator's
subjectivity about Paul shows through. At times he sympathizes with Paul, and at
other times he condemns him. You may find the other characters judged in a
similar way. Some readers find the narrator's changing opinion indicative of
Lawrence's own confusion over his various past relationships. Others feel that the
narrator is simply reflecting how people naturally change their perspective
depending on the circumstances.
At times, the narrator seems to step aside and allow the characters to speak for
themselves in passages of dialogue. You may feel closer to them when the narrator
doesn't guide your view of their motivations. But don't forget that the narrator is
choosing the speech and actions to be revealed, in order to influence your
reactions.
Sometimes, instead of stepping aside, the narrator seems almost to take over a
character, even if the result is at odds with that character's personality. For
instance, when Gertrude Morel is locked out of her house in Chapter 1, she seems
mystically transported by her experience with the daylilies. But isn't she really "out
of character"? Some would say that the narrator (or author?) has stepped into her
shoes in such a totally subjective way that he reveals his own artistic and spiritual
nature rather than Gertrude's. Others might feel this is the only way to depict a
character's hidden inner feelings.
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