236483016 Summaries Grad II

8/9/2019 236483016 Summaries Grad II

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Women in Love Summary

The novel opens with the sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen chatting about marriage one morning at their father’s hous

Beldover. Gudrun has recently returned home from art school in London. The two later decide to drop by a local wedding, w

hey first see Gerald Crich and upert Bir!in, the two men with whom they will develop affairs that drive the action of the no

Bir!in is a school inspector with e"tremely unconventional attitudes about life, and Gerald is the heir to the local mining opera

hat is the central industry of Beldover. Bir!in and Gerald hate each other passionately at the beginning of the novel, but aft

hance encounter on the way to London they begin to become friends.

upert is haunted by his lingering attachment to #ermione oddice, an aristocratic woman whom he loathes but finds difficu

bandon. #ermione wants to marry Bir!in and have him dominate her completely. This situation complicates Bir!in’s growondness for Ursula, and #ermione and Ursula become enemies. $uring a wee!end gathering at #ermione’s estate, Breadalby

ecomes enraged and smashes a paperweight against the bac! of Bir!in’s head with the intention of !illing him. #e escapes

onsiders it the end of their relationship.

Bir!in decides to move into a mill house on %illey %ater La!e, and Ursula begins visiting him there. The two slowly start to

n love. &ne evening, the Crich family hosts their annual public party by the la!e, and the Brangwen sisters attend. They m

Gerald and Bir!in there and romantic spar!s fly, but this is interrupted by the tragic drowning death of Gerald’s sister, $Crich, and a young doctor who attempts to rescue her. 'fter the tragedy, Bir!in falls ill again and Gerald visits him. #e real

hat he loves Gerald, and as!s him to e"change a vow of lasting commitment between them. Gerald hesitates to do so althoug

lso loves Bir!in.

Gerald’s father Thomas Crich falls ill and is near death. #e and Gerald decide to hire Gudrun to tutor Gerald’s youngest sis

%inifred, in art. Gudrun begins visiting their home, )hortlands, nearly every day to teach %inifred. *r. Crich builds an arttudio for Gudrun to use, and she and Gerald grow closer. *eanwhile, Bir!in is frustrated with Ursula+s indecision and leaves f

vacation in the south of rance. Ursula hears nothing for some time, and one evening during a wal! sees Bir!in in front of

home. They tal! and e"change promises of love. The ne"t day Bir!in goes to Ursula’s house, intending to propose. #e meets

ather Tom Brangwen instead, and as!s the man for his daughter+s hand. Ursula is enraged and refuses him. Bir!in stomps aw

nd goes to see Gerald at )hortlands, where the two engage in a violently erotici(ed wrestling match.

*eanwhile, after a few days Ursula decides she is deeply in love with Bir!in and must fight to transform his passion to ma

hers. Time passes, and one afternoon Bir!in surprises Ursula at her school, offering to ta!e her on a car ride. )he agrees an

gives her a gift of three rings. This leads to an argument, and Ursula abandons him on the side of the road. &nly moments later

eturns to ma!e peace, and the two decide to go into town to ta!e tea. Their bond is solidified that night when they sleep toge

n the ground of )herwood orest. *eanwhile, Gerald struggles with his father’s illness, and *r. Crich finally succumbs to de

)everal nights pass, and Gerald finds himself wandering alone night, and eventually ma!es his way to Gudrun’s house. #e sn

nside and upstairs, and wa!es Gudrun up in her bedroom. #e spends the night there, asleep while Gudrun watches him.

'fter a violent argument with her father, Ursula decides to move in with Bir!in. The two marry soon thereafter, and Ge

roposes a winter holiday in -urope for the two couples. #e tal!s at length with Ursula and Bir!in about the trip, hoping it wi

n occasion to develop the romance between him and Gudrun. Gerald and Gudrun leave first, and stop for a night in Lon

where Gudrun meets Gerald’s former mistress*inette $arrington at the Caf /ompadour. Ursula and Bir!in eventually

Gerald and Gudrun at 1nnsbruc!, a pictures2ue 'ustrian retreat town. Things are lovely at first, but soon sour. The group lodge

small hostel outside of 1nnsbruc! and friction develops between them, in part due to a German artist named #err Loer!e

a!es an interest in Gudrun. Ursula begins to loathe the cold and convinces Bir!in to leave.

Gerald and Gudrun remain, and Loer!e continues to pursue Gudrun. &ne afternoon she and Loer!e are on a picnic that Ge

violently interrupts. Gerald !noc!s Loer!e to the ground and strangles Gudrun nearly to death. #e stomps away deeper into

mountains as the sun falls. #e free(es to death and his body is brought bac! to the hostel the ne"t morning by a rescue te

Gudrun sends a telegram to Bir!in and Ursula, who return immediately. Bir!in is devastated, and the novel ends with him insis

o Ursula that he believes a lasting and intimate bond with Gerald was possible, even while remaining married to Ursula.

About Women in Love

$.#. Lawrence began writing his fifth novel, Women in Love, in 3435 but it was not completed until Lawrence was livin

Cornwall three years later. 1t was first published in 3467 after several delays and editorial changes, some of which were due to

ontroversy surrounding the se"ual sub0ect matter of his earlier novels. Lawrence was deeply interested in the nature of desire,

n the repressive, controlling aspects of human psychology and social institutions. #e was both influenced by and critica

reudian psychoanalysis, and his novels investigate reudian concepts of the unconscious, repression, transference, and

sychose"ual development of the human. Women in Love also draws much thematic inspiration from the philosophy of reid

8iet(sche, and its critical perspective of modern -uropean morality, the valori(ation of wor! over art, and the suppressio

assionate and creative individual souls in the interest of collective productivity.

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Lawrence tells us in his preface to the novel that Women In Love was written in the midst of %orld %ar 1, though it 9does

oncern the war itself.9 1t is a se2uel to Lawrence+s 343: novel, The Rainbow, which narrates the lives of several generation

he Brangwen family, who live in *iddle -ngland. Women In Love is the story of sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen,

overs, upert Bir!in andGerald Crich, and the erotic attraction between the two men. There is an implicit affiliation between

haracter upert Bir!in and Lawrence himself, in their mutual estimation for art and their intense disdain for modern values nstitutions.

Though his initially censored wor! now seems tame, Lawrence opened up the door to representations of sensuality for count

writers after him. $uring his career, he was deeply resentful of the censorship brought against his wor!, which he belie

mounted to denying pure artistic aspirations. 1n his foreword to Women in Love, he claims that the creative soul should be val

nd that he owes no apologies to the critics and authorities that have accused him of writing pornography or degraded eroticism

Major Themes

Marriage and Work

The four central characters of Lawrence’s novel test the e"pectations of their society, chiefly through their unconventi

ttitudes toward the institutions of marriage and wor!. Gudrun and Ursula Brangwen are spirited and independent wom

lthough they are not from the upper class. *eanwhile, Gerald and Bir!in are their social superiors, but both men are drawn toBrangwens and pursue marriages that defy social norms. Bir!in views the hyper productivity of the modern era as a mista!e,

hin!s that wor! cannot save humanity. Gerald meanwhile throws himself into his wor!, but believes in the advancemen

echnology as a means of mastering the material of the earth.

The Triangle of Desire

Triangles of desire are everywhere in Lawrence’s novel, suggesting that human desire circulates in part by seeing and imitating

desire that another person displays. Gerald loves Bir!in, but sees him desiring Ursula, which contributes to Gerald’s desireBir!in, and also to his desire for Gudrun as a substitute. Bir!in sees Gerald desiring Gudrun, which heightens his attractio

Gerald and ma!es him hesitant to marry Ursula for fear of separating the two men. 't the end of the novel, a triangle emer

etween Gudrun, Gerald, and Loer!e, which spar!s Gerald’s violent attac! against them, and leads to his death by e"pos

Gudrun compares this situation ironically to the holy trinity, calling it a ;pretty little sample of the eternal triangle< and a ;tri

f hate.<

Decay and Rebirth

Bir!in is constantly unwell throughout the novel, and his body+s physical decay and degradation symboli(e the spiritual decay

he associates with -ngland, and more broadly with modern -uropean society. Bir!in philosophi(es throughout the novel abou

ssential lin! between creative life and destruction, associating the goddess of love, 'phrodite, with a power of dar! and u

destruction. Bir!in also compares leaving -ngland to the image of lice fleeing a dead corpse, as if the group’s trip to 1nnsbr

romises an escape from the inevitable destruction of -nglish life. Bir!in views the universe as endless cycles of decay and rebn forms that are organic and inorganic, natural and cultural. #e thin!s that society and its values must dissolve in order

humans to be reborn and inhabit a new, stronger and more passionate form of e"istence.

Repression and Instincts

The difficult relationship between instinctual desire and repression is central to Women in Love. The main character

Lawrence’s novel = Ursula, Gudrun, Bir!in, and Gerald = all suffer in various ways from the conflict between their desires and

dictates of social mores. Bir!in and Gerald desire one another, but repress and stifle their love in pursuit of marriages with

Brangwen sisters. %hen Ursula’s classroom receives an une"pected visit from Bir!in early in the novel, her desire is stirred b

reates an"iety. )he suffers over the course of the novel from her conflicted emotions regarding Bir!in, whose demands are hi

unconventional and force Ursula to e"amine her willingness to give all of herself to the love between them. Li!ewise, Gud

inds Gerald compelling but fearsome in his brute physicality. )he wavers between being compulsively attracted to and repe

y him. Gudrun’s situation is in turn mirrored by Gerald’s attitude towards her, since he finds her alluring and superior to him

pirit, yet he often moves to attac! or destroy her when she triggers feelings in him. Throughout the novel, human instinctsepresented as unpredictable and intense passions that trigger forms of repression.

acred ensuality

$.#. Lawrence was both an iconoclast and a Christian, and Women in Love presents a uni2ue concept of sacred sensuality. Un

orms of protestant Christianity that attempt to deny or rebu!e erotic passion, Lawrence’s ideal form of Christian life f

mbraces erotic passion as a holy e"pression of God’s creation. This idea is most clearly represented in the union of Ursula

Bir!in, which the novel describes in terms that evo!e the biblical tale of 'dam and -ve. %hen Ursula and Bir!in visit the in

Beldover for afternoon tea, Ursula suddenly sees her lover as an original son of God, an allusion to the boo! of Genesis. %hen

wo leave the inn and decide to spend the night on the floor of )herwood orest, Lawrence’s imagery evo!es the Garden of -

nd suggests that Bir!in and Ursula have a sacred union that is e2ual parts of carnal and spiritual sensuality. Lawrence’s n

deali(es a holy form of sensuality that unites the earthly passions of the flesh with the soul of creation.

!ihilism and Modernity

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Lawrence’s novel e"plores the connection between nihilism and modernity. 8ihilism is the philosophical view that the mod

world has completely severed itself from the once meaningful spheres of religious, moral, and political life. or nihilists, there

e no meaningful e"istence in the wrec!age of modernity. Lawrence’s novel does not suggest that nihilism is an ideal posit

ather, the character of upert Bir!in represents an understanding of nihilism that strives against its aftermath.

Bir!in ac!nowledges the apocalyptic ruins of modern life, but he is also a spirited and creative soul, illustrated by his attemp

tri!e a uni2ue contract of passionate partnership with Ursula, one that preserves their individuality while bringing them in

osmic con0unction, li!e two heavenly bodies perfectly aligned. Bir!in also values artistic e"pression and creativity, whic

llustrated through his many allusions to art and poetry, as well as his contemplative reactions to s!etches, paintings,

culptures over the course of the novel. 'll of these aspects of Bir!in’s character show that Lawrence’s novel re0ects the nih

osition in favor of attempting to transform the very terms of value that define human life in the modern age.

Animals and "umans

Lawrence’s novel consistently uses encounters with animals to symboli(e internal conflicts faced by individuals, passio

truggles between lovers, and the urge to forsa!e society. Gudrun Brangwen invo!es the image of a wolf as Gerald Crich’s to

nimal when she first sees him at his sister’s wedding in the opening chapter. 1n chapter 4, Gerald’s forceful control of his hor

he train crossing, which alarms both Ursula and Gudrun, symboli(es the violent human struggle over passion. Later, when

Brangwen sisters attend the annual party at )hortlands, they decide to escape into the woods. They begin to dance li!e fo

nymphs among a group of cattle, suggesting a mystical connection to the natural world and their desire to abandon so

onvention. 'nd both Gudrun and Gerald battle with %inifred’s pet rabbit, Bismarc!, whose fren(ied resistance to their con

mplies the dangerous status of the passion between them. Throughout the novel, Lawrence’s representations of animals show

humans can never fully abandon their primal nature, and they constantly strive to channel its power successfully.

ndustry and TechnologyLawrence’s novel e"plores the social implications of industry and technology through Gerald’s transformation of the Crich mi

peration. Gerald’s father operated the coal>mining business according to an older model of Christian moral beneficence. #e

he wor!ers perform their duties as they had for several generations, and focused his efforts on ta!ing care of them much

ather would care for his children. But Gerald’s vision is stri!ingly different from his father’s, and it represents the mod

valori(ation of productivity and wor! over all things. Gerald uses his willpower and education to transform the family indu

nto a model of e"treme efficiency. By bringing in the most advanced technological machinery and practices, he also transfo

he wor! that the miners perform. They become hyper>productive and intently focused on their labor as a collective effort, wh

rings increased productivity and wealth > to Crich+s poc!ets at least. Gerald’s desire to master the ;matter< of the e

ymboli(es the modern goal of sublimating and liberating humanity through wor!. Ultimately, Lawrence’s novel is critical of

erspective, because it denies the centrality of creative life and those passionate, spirited e"pressions of the human soul

annot be reduced to labor.

Life and ArtWomen in Love presents different perspectives on the relationship between life and art. Bir!in especially finds an essen

onnection of truth between the two. 't ?ulius #alliday’s house, Gerald ponders an 'frican carving of a woman giving birth,

s!s Bir!in what he thin!s of it. Bri!in tells Gerald it is real ;art,< and when Gerald as!s why Bir!in replies the piece 9conve

omplete truth< and contains a pure sensual !nowledge passed down for generations. or Bir!in, art is best when it successf

ommunicates a core aspect of human life without attempting to detach from its physical basis. Bir!in+s view of art contr

harply with Gudrun’s. )he believes, li!e #err Loer!e, that art and life must be strictly separate. %hen she discusses art w

Loer!e, she claims ;life doesn’t really matter = it is one’s art which is central.< or Gudrun, art is a supreme reality, and life

never be completely whole or true. )he believes that art elevates one’s being above the muc! of life, ma!ing it the purest form

human e"pression in its ideal state. Gudrun longs for forms of aesthetic e"perience and e"pression above all things = instance

reedom and autonomy from the physical limitations of life itself.

#nvironment and $sychologyn Women in Love, the environment or setting often communicates characters’ inner psychological attitudes. /erhaps the m

notable is the e"travagant water>party hosted by the Crich family, which presents a microcosm of the social world and

hierarchical class structure. *ost who attend the party fit conventionally within this regimented ideal, as illustrated by t

leasant behavior and mannerisms as they sport, go boating, and eat and drin! under the beneficence of *r. Crich. But u

rriving at the party, the Brangwen sisters immediately want to escape this social fabrication, and their choice to go into the wo

eflects their own independent spirits. Li!ewise, when Gerald and Bir!in decide to wrestle, Gerald loc!s them up in a clo

oom, and tells his servant not to disturb them for the rest of the evening. Their private 0iu>0itsu match is li!e their repressed er

truggle = they attempt to !eep it sealed off and loc!ed away from public view. 8ear the novel’s conclusion, the e"treme cold

hat develops between Gudrun and Gerald at 1nnsbruc! is constantly being aligned with the wintry and harsh environment. Urven tells Bir!in that the snowy cold has fro(en her inner being, and so she wishes to escape and leave 1nnsbruc! behind. T

heme culminates in Gerald’s death by e"posure to the elements, and Bir!in’s feelings of being fro(en to his core as he watc

ver his beloved Gerald’s fro(en body.


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uggested #ssay %uestions

&' At the beginning of the novel( the t)o *rang)en sisters discuss their vie)s on marriage' What is the key differe

bet)een +rsula and ,udrun( and )hy is it important for understanding the novel-

%hen they discuss marriage, Gudrun tells Ursula that having the ;e"perience< of marriage is probably a good enough rea

to marry. )he thin!s finding the right man is the only issue. Ursula, however, says that she thin!s marriage would be the ;

of e"perience.< Gudrun’s perspective changes, however, after she meets Gerald Crich and becomes less certain of marri

even as she falls in love with him. #e is ultimately too bound to a society she does not want to be a part of. Ursula meanw

falls in love with Bir!in, and comes to decide that marrying him is her fate, and she is able to preserve her self in tuncommon union. Lawrence’s novel develops by reversing the opinions toward marriage that each sister e"presses at

beginning of the story, while still subverting the strictures of traditional marriage.

.' Why is Rupert *irkin deeply dissatisfied )ith the society in )hich he lives-

Bir!in believes that modern society is in a state of apocalyptic decay. 1ndustrial technology and the overvaluation of w

have ruined the human spirit and destroyed man+s connection with nature. Bir!in desires to live outside of social convent

but also to see social convention itself destroyed. #e wants the world to be remade into something stronger, more crea

and truer to the passionate human soul. But he remains s!eptical that this transformation can ta!e place.

/' Describe ,erald 0rich and Rupert *irkin1s relationship' What does their struggle represent( and )hy is i

central to the novel-

Gerald and Bir!in are mirror opposites of and are deeply in love with each other. Bir!in is physically wea! but strong destructive in spirit, whereas Gerald is a perfect physical specimen whose inner spirit has decayed and given way to his de

to master the material earth through technology and wor!. They are drawn to each other but they repress their mutual des

and attempt to find satisfaction in marriage, which drives the novel to its tragic conclusion.

2' Describe the novel1s use of horse symbolism' What does it imply about human nature and relationships-

Gerald Crich’s harsh treatment of the mare at the train crossing shows his physical prowess and symboli(es the hum

attempt to bring violent, unpredictable passions under the control of reason. Gudrun+s lust and Ursula+s repulsion are pi2u

Gudrun+s physical attraction stuns her, as Ursula is shoc!ed by the brute force of the display she deems unnecessary. T

attitudes toward marriage and se"ual relationships are reflected in their reactions. Later, when Bir!in moves into the m

house, he tells #ermione and Ursula that women are li!e horses, split between two wills = the will to be free of their r

and the will to remain under the rider’s control. 8ear the end of the novel #err Loer!e’s sculpture of a young girl seated

stallion symboli(es his desire to master life through art, by elevating the aesthetic world over the material. These imagehorses represent human passion and its struggle with elevated forms of rational thin!ing and activity that try to harnes

control its energy.

3' La)rence1s novel connects humans and animals in compelling )ays' Discusses some e4amples from the te4t

e4plain their significance'

%hen the Brangwen sisters see Gerald Crich at the train crossing, he is astride a mare that symboli(es his attempt to con

or reign in the animalistic passions. Bir!in later compares female desire to the situation of a horse that wants both to esc

its rider and to stay under its control. %inifred Crich’s rabbit, Bismarc!, becomes a conduit of the violent passion

circulates between Gerald and Gudrun. *ino, Bir!in’s cat, serves #ermione as a symbol of her lingering hold over Bir!

character, which she uses to spar! 0ealousy and feelings of inferiority in Ursula. 'll of these e"amples suggest that hum

remain fundamentally bound to animalistic desires and impulses, which they can never fully escape or successfully maste

5' The t)o central female characters in Women in Love are both lively and independent( yet struggle mightily in t

)orlds' Why- What do the *rang)en sisters tell us about La)rence1s society-

Both Ursula and Gudrun desire to be independent from social constraints. Ursula constantly says she loathes being ;bulli by men, especially her father and Bir!in. Gudrun says that she values freedom above all things, and she pursues art a

attempt to reali(e e"periences of freedom that ta!e her away from the constraints of her society. 't the same time, both si

struggle with the possibility of marriage because they are drawn passionately to different men, who they thin! mi

parado"ically, help to free them from the limitations of class and social convention. Lawrence+s characters reflect his

feelings of contemporary society, and the Brangwen women illustrate the tension women of his day would have e"perienc

6' The t)o central male characters in Women in Love are spirited individuals )ho also struggle )ith their so

)orld( though in very different )ays' 0ompare and contrast *irkin and ,erald' Why are these differences significa


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Bir!in and Gerald are in many respects mirror opposites of each other. Gerald is physically commanding, strong

deliberate in his attempt to control the family business, firmly grounded in his social class, and e"tremely reticent to e"p

his feeling. Bir!in is sic!ly and unwell through most of the novel although his spirit is fiercely independent

unconventional. #e has no interest in pursuits of business or industry, and loathes society. These differences fuel the pas

between the two men, who come to love and depend upon each other as they repress their mutual se"ual attraction.

7' At various moments in the novel( ,erald 0rich is e4tremely impressed )ith ,udrun *rang)en1s spirited beha

Discuss some key e4amples( and e4plain )hy ,erald finds ,udrun appealing'

%hen Gerald and #ermione are boating, they come upon Gudrun s!etching water plants. #ermione as!s Gerald to ta!e

boat closer to Gudrun, and Gerald feels a strong sense of his and #ermione+s social superiority. This evaporates, howe

when #ermione drops the s!etchboo! yet Gudrun remains proudly unfa(ed. #er response and refusal to bac! down#ermione ma!es Gerald second guess the basis of his class>driven arrogance. Li!ewise, when Gudrun confidently stride

to ?ulius #alliday’s table at the /ompadour and ta!es bac! Bir!in’s letter, she displays a uni2ue individuality that Ge

desires yet cannot entirely comprehend. #e is enamored with Gudrun’s spirit in part because she overturns the so

standards that he so often relies upon as a source of his own power.

8' What is the significance of Rupert *irkin1s gift of three rings to +rsula *rang)en-

The ring is the traditional symbol of marriage and union, but Bir!in’s gift to Ursula illustrates the very non>traditio

e"pectations and attitudes of both characters. Bir!in tells Ursula ;ings loo! wrong on my hands,< suggesting that he is

fit for marriage. 'nd Ursula is afraid to try on the rings, because she thin!s her hands are too large. #er spirit and person

may prove too independent and great to fit properly into the e"pected role of a woman in marriage. Ultimately, though Ur

throws the rings at Bir!in in refusal, she comes to accept them > and Bir!in > as the gift and the man are unconventio

enough to suit her. 1n different ways, the ring gift episode shows the two characters straining against the conventionmarriage, even as they desire it.

&9' Women in Love contains many thoughtful literary allusions( most of )hich are made by *irkin' 0hoose some

e4amples and discuss the role they play during important scenes in the novel'

Bir!in refers to a poem by obert Browning when he travels by train to London. #is 2uotation calls up images of a

mythic past while commenting on the ruin of the present moment. Bir!in uses Browning’s poem to e"press his apocaly

perspective of modernity. %hen they visit the 0un! mar!et and decide to buy an anti2ue chair, Bir!in says it reminds him

something from a ?ane 'usten novel. This reference loo!s bac! to a moment in -ngland’s past that Bir!in thin!s was m

vibrant and full of spirit, when the production of crafts was an art. 8ear the end of the novel, Bir!in refers to %ill)ha!espeare twice > first to Romeo and Juliet and then to Hamlet . #e and Ursula choose to travel to @erona to act as the

crossed pair, even though the young lovers of literature came to a tragic end. This allusion adds a foreshadowing of roma

tinged with despair. 's Bir!in watches over Gerald+s corpse, he thin!s of lines in #amletA 91mperial Caesar dead, and turto clay %ould stop a hole to !eep the wind away.9 The passage comments on the decay of all physical life, imagining

body of ?ulius Caesar being reduced to nothing more than dust or clay to stop up a hole. Gerald+s beauty is gone, and only

body > and Bir!in+s memory of love > remains.


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Chapters 1-4

Summary

0hapter &: isters

The novel opens with the sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen chatting about marriage one morning, while they are sewin

heir father’s house in Beldover. Gudrun has recently returned home from art school in London. )he says she would cons

getting married if the right man suddenly materiali(ed, and claims that one should probably get married in order to have

"perience. Ursula seems less eager about the idea of marriage and its responsibilities, suggesting that marriage is rather the ;e

f e"perience. The two decide to stop sewing and go outside to have a loo! at a local wedding.

's they are wal!ing through town, Gudrun is disturbed by the common fol!, and feels out of place. The two sisters standwatch the churchyard as the wedding guests begin to arrive. Gudrun sees Gerald Crich arrive and is immediately attracted to

omparing him to a smiling wolf. Ursula is meanwhile captivated by#ermione oddice, a rich and beautiful bridesm

#ermione is the lover of upert Bir!in, a county school>inspector and the best man at the wedding. #ermione wants to m

Bir!in but he willfully refuses while !eeping her as his lover.

The bride’s carriage arrives but the groom and best man are both missing. Ursula suddenly notices their carriage approaching f

he road. The bridegroom 0umps out and begins to run into the church, while the bride playfully runs from him. %hen Ursula

upert Bir!in, she feels drawn to him but also finds him slightly cold. )he as!s her sister what she thin!s of him, and Gudrun

her he is very attractive, yet she is not a good 0udge of character. The wedding ends, and the Brangwen sisters watch up

#ermione, and Gerald Crich emerge from the church.

0hapter .: hortlands

The Brangwen sisters return home, and the wedding party moves to the Criches’ home near the la!e of %illey %ater. The wo

ustle about and chat while the men stand calmly in groups, paying no attention to them. Gerald Crich plays host while his faests.

*rs. Crich approaches the group of men and stri!es up a conversation with upert Bir!in. )he e"presses discomfort at

!nowing so many of the guests, and Bir!in suggests that people who are strangers don’t really matter. #e mentions that Geral

he only one of her children that he !nows. Their conversation trails off and, after ma!ing an impromptu reference to the Bib

tory of Cain and 'bel, Bir!in suddenly recalls that Gerald accidentally !illed his brother when the two were boys.

The servants sound a gong for the luncheon to begin, but no one heeds it. Gerald then blows a loud horn and the party move

he table. #ermione and Gerald begin a heated conversation about race, nationality, patriotism, and political economy. Bi

umps in, followed by Laura Crich, the bride. )he calls for a toast, the champagne is poured and Bir!in rudely downs his g

efore standing up to give a toast. The meal ends.

The men go outside. Bir!in and the groom, Lupton, begin spea!ing with *arshall, Lupton’s brother. Gerald Crich 0oins in. Tal! about Lupton and Bir!in’s tardiness, and Bir!in e"plains that Lupton was late because he was too busy tal!ing ab

metaphysical issues. *arshall critici(es his brother and leaves after Gerald tells him to do so. Bir!in and Gerald get into a he

discussion that ends with Bir!in saying that Gerald behaves as if he thin!s every man around him has a !nife up his sle

waiting to cut his throat. The narrator describes the two men as outward enemies who in truth suppress a strong mutual desire

ach other.

0hapter /: 0lass;room

n her classroom, Ursula is finishing up a lesson in botany. upert Bir!in une"pectedly enters and startles Ursula, who feels

epressed fears and desires rising up when she sees him standing in the doorway. #e observes the students as they s!etch cat!

Bir!in suggests that they use crayons to outline the female flowers with red, and the androgynous flowers with yellow.

#ermione oddice appears at the door. )he tells Bir!in she saw his car outside and decided to come watch him doing his dutiechool inspector. #ermione as!s Ursula if she minds her presence, and Ursula tells her she is welcome. Bir!in begins tel

#ermione about the fertili(ation process of the cat!ins, and #ermione becomes strangely enraptured by their beauty, referrin

hem as ;little red flames.<

The class ends and the children depart. #ermione remains in a da(e for a moment, then gets up and approaches Ursula. #ermi

s!s if her sister Gudrun li!es being home in Beldover. Ursula says no, and #ermione invites the two sisters to visit her at

home in Breadalby. #ermione then tells her that she is fond of Gudrun and li!es her artwor! = small carvings of animals

#ermione says are full of passion.

#ermione, upert, and Ursula have a long discussion about education and animal instincts. #ermione believes cultiva

!nowledge destroys instinct and the ability to be spontaneous. upert viciously disagrees and says that the problem is not

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much mind, but too little. #e accuses her of not reali(ing that her desire to be li!e an animal is itself routed through her consc

human mind. Ursula is frightened by the aggression that the two display toward each other.

upert continues his tirade, insisting that truly animalistic and spontaneous passion must rise up as a dar! and involuntary f

hat topples the conscious, deliberate self. The women laugh at him, and #ermione ma!es him feel emasculated. )he then rem

Ursula to come visit her at Breadalby. 't the same time, #ermione recogni(es that Ursula has become her new romantic r

Bir!in and #ermione depart together, and Ursula begins weeping but cannot tell if it is due to ;misery or 0oy.<

0hapter 2: Diver

&n the ne"t )aturday morning, Ursula and Gudrun decide to ta!e a wal!. They head for the local la!e, %illey %ater. %hen t

rrive at the la!e they see Gerald Crich emerge na!ed from a la!eside boathouse and dive into the water. Gudrun tells her sihat she is envious of him, since his gender ma!es it acceptable for him to shed his clothing and swim in the la!e. Gerald wav

hem and the two sisters continue on their wal!.

's they wal! along the road they come to )hortlands, the Criches’ estate. They remar! upon its appeal, and Gudrun says that it

he feel of the 3th century period, and reminds her of the novelist ?ane 'usten or the poet $orothy %ordsworth. Ursula rep

hat she doesn’t thin! the Criches fit that period, since Gerald is constantly bringing technological improvements and addition

he house, such as a private electrical plant.

$uring this conversation Ursula also as!s her sister if she !nows that Gerald accidentally shot his brother one day when the b

were playing with a gun. Gudrun was unaware of this fact, and Ursula e"plains that when they were very young, the two bound an old gun in their barn. They had no idea it was loaded, and Gerald blew his brother’s head off. Gudrun is saddened by

tory and wonders at the traumatic effect the event must have had on Gerald. Ursula suggests that perhaps some unconsci

rimal will was behind the act, while Gudrun insists it must have been purely accidental.

Their conversation is interrupted when they hear a voice ahead. The sisters discover #ermione oddice and Laura Crich on

pposite side of a hedge. Laura is struggling to lift open a gate, and Ursula helps her. #ermione bris!ly says hello and reminds

Brangwen sisters of her invitation to Breadalby. They say goodbye, and Ursula tells Gudrun she finds #ermione to be impud

Gudrun agrees, but says it shouldn’t bother Ursula because #ermione is simply an e"ample of a privileged aristocratic wo

who has decided to free herself from social constraints. Gudrun also tells Ursula that among such women, the truly ;chic< thin

o be completely unremar!able, li!e an artistic wor! of ordinariness. Ursula says such behavior is 2uite dull, and that she m

refers to act li!e a swan among geese. )he tells Gudrun that the only thing to do is to despise them all, and the two sisters re

home.

Analysis

Lawrence begins Women in Love with the discussion of marriage between Ursula and Gudrun in order to raise the essential th

f marriage plots within the tradition of the -nglish novel > so that he may subvert it in his own novel. Lawrence+s narrative ttempt to transform and reshape the traditional e"pectation that marriage should be the center of woman’s life through the ev

hat befall the two Brangwen sisters and their respective relationships with upert Bir!in and Gerald Crich. D$iBattistaE This

s foreshadowed by the two sisters’ different responses to the idea of marriage, neither of which seems completely favorabl

desirable. Gudrun suggests that marriage brings the ;e"perience< of se", while Ursula contends that marriage is more li!e

end< of e"perience, suggesting that it places an artificial limit on the possibilities of life.

Later, when Gudrun first sees Gerald Crich at his sister’s wedding, she remar!s, ;his totem is the wolf.< #er symbolic associa

f Gerald with this animal spirit establishes the role that animal passion and instincts will have in the novel, and it also conn

Gerald to Gudrun’s art = carvings that resemble little animal totems. Gudrun also wonders if cosmic fate connects them, anhere is some ;pale gold, arctic light that envelops only us twoF< #er words unconsciously foreshadow Gerald’s demise, as he

ree(e to death in the )wiss 'lps. The novel’s continuing associations of Gerald with a wolf>li!e, arctic spirit construct him

igure of 8ordic myth, trapped in a modern post>industrial world that will ultimately crush his innermost being.

n the second chapter, the scene shifts from the marriage ceremony to the wedding party at the Criches’ estate. This mov

erspective and setting allows Lawrence to continue to develop a series of familiar novelistic themes focused on the priv

domestic sphere such as gender relations, paternal authority, familial manners, and inheritance. The conversations that ta!e p

mong most of the guests are predictably boring and reflect conventional views of these matters. But when Gerald Crich is as

o stand in as host for the party because his father is feeling unwell, Lawrence shows that Gerald is ill at ease with this tas!. Tharacteri(ation adds to the tension that defines Gerald, who is split between the demands of familial or social duty and the pri

vitality that drives him.

Lawrence further develops this theme when he describes Gerald’s ;passion< for discussion, which leads him to debate heate

with #ermione oddice. Their dialogue brings upert Bir!in into the conversation, and they debate the roles of race, nationa

lass and private property in determining the rights and liberties of individuals. The tal! at the dinner table thus become

"tended metaphor for class politics in -ngland, and the disagreements between upert and Gerald set the stage for their he

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8/67

"change at the end of the chapter. $uring that episode, Lawrence reveals the passionate and wild nature of the attraction betw

he two men, which is a primordial mi"ture of love and hatred that both men actively repress. #e thus enfolds two reud

ategories of desire = -ros, or erotic attraction, and aggression, or the death>drive = in the spirited competition between the

men.

n chapter three, when upert Bir!in une"pectedly appears in Ursula’s classroom, Lawrence describes her reaction as a sud

pringing up of repressed and subconscious fear. &n the one hand this brings immediate anguish, but on the other hand it sugg

he compulsory nature of desire, and further develops Lawrence’s theme of the battle between primordial instincts and so

epression. The red of upert’s face and the red flames of the cat!ins symboli(e passion differently. The first image suggests

assion is a sudden, unconscious eruption and the second connotes a measured aesthetic appreciation, which involves study

ontemplation. The classroom scene implies that Lawrence, whose perspective is often represented by upert Bir!in, values

vital and unpredictably creative power of passion. #is defense of the dar! passion of a ;woman wailing for her demon lov

ma!es a literary allusion to )amuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem, ;ublai han,< and further aligns his character’s perspective

Lawrence’s own literary>philosophical views. 't the same time, the scene ac!nowledges the social dangers of such primor

mpulses, when Ursula and #ermione condescendingly dismiss Bir!in’s aggressive and spirited defense of such dar! and sen

orms of being.

%hen Ursula and Gudrun decide to ta!e a wal! to %illey %ater, Lawrence repeats the trope of a conversational stroll

ecomes an opportunity for the Brangwen sisters to reflect upon the nature of love and its relationship to society’s institutions.

novel first employs this techni2ue in the scene of the sisters’ wal! through the town of Beldover and their observation of the C

wedding. This time, however, the setting emphasi(es the power and freedom of the natural world that eludes the forms of w

discipline, and morality valued by modern culture. This is represented in an allegorical manner by the character of Gerald Cr

whose na!edness and unrestricted swimming in the la!e connect him to a radically autonomous nature. Gudrun envies this for

reedom that is socially unavailable to women, and Ursula’s comparison of Gerald with a ;8ibelung< further develops Lawrenharacteri(ation of Gerald as a mythical 8ordic figure. ;8ibelung< is the familial name of a powerful royal house in 8ordic

Germanic mythology. Ursula’s reference li!ely alludes to the ichard %agner opera, ;The ing of the 8ibelung,< which is an

wor! combining elements of ancient Gree! tragedy with 8ordic myth.

These associations contrast sharply with the setting of the second half of the chapter, where the Brangwen sisters leave

a!eside and stroll further up the road to )hortlands. Gudrun’s association of the house with the 3th century writers ?ane 'u

nd $orothy %ordsworth tie the Crich family and their estate to social conventions of marriage and family. But when Ur

bserves that Gerald does not fit this model of convention because of his interest in advancing technologies and improveme

Lawrence suggests that Gerald’s character cannot fit into the framewor! of familial duty and responsibility e"pected of him =

ecause of the mythic, spirited part of his being as well as his compulsion toward modernity. *eanwhile, when the si

une"pectedly meet #ermione oddice and Laura Crich, Lawrence associates Gudrun and Ursula with a desire to re0ect

onventional forms of marriage, wor!, and society implied by their view of the Criches’ home. Ursula’s spirit is compared young shoot growing in the ground that has not yet emerged to flourish in the sunlight. This metaphor aligns her life’s poten

with the vitality and passion of the natural world, but also implies that she may never succeed in brea!ing through the surfac

chieve a life fully lived.

0hapters 3;7

ummary

0hapter 3: In the Train

The chapter opens with upert Bir!in une"pectedly meeting Gerald Crich on the railway platform as both are on their wa

London. Gerald approaches Bir!in and suggests that the two travel together. They sit in the restaurant car and discuss a newsp

ditorial that calls for a new leader with new values to rema!e society. 's they reflect upon this idea, Bir!in constantly critic

he society’s emphasis on material wealth and production. Gerald suggests that people wor! because producing things issential part of life.

'fter perceiving a moc!ing tone in Gerald’s voice, Bir!in candidly tells him he hates him. Gerald says he !nows this is true

s!s Bir!in why he hates him, and Bir!in does not offer a clear reason. Bir!in instead as!s Gerald what he lives for, and Ge

eplies that he lives simply to live = to find things out, to have e"periences and to productively ma!e things go. Bir!in replies

he thin!s life should be centered on one single and pure activity, and he uses love as a !ey e"ample.

Bir!in then says he wants to be deeply in love with and married to a woman, and to have it define his life’s center. *eanw

Gerald says that he thin!s life has no real center and is simply held together artificially by the ;social mechanism.< The narr

describes Gerald’s unac!nowledged desire to be near Bir!in and en0oy the warmth and vitality of their interactions. *eanwh

Bir!in !nows that Gerald wants to li!e him and be near him, but not ta!e him seriously, which only ma!es Bir!in feel colder

harder.

The conversation turns to London, and Gerald as!s Bir!in where he plans to stay. Bir!in tells him he rents a room from a ma

)oho, but that he tires of the people who hang around there. #e describes them as Bohemian artists, musicians, and models, w

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ntrigues Gerald. Gerald then tells Bir!in he’ll be in London for several days, and suggests that the two may see each other. Bi

grees and invites him to go with him and his crowd of Bohemian Londoners to the /ompadour at /iccadilly Circus that night

's the train approaches London, Bir!in feels a disdain for man!ind growing in him, and 2uotes a few lines of obert Brownin

oem, ;Love 'mong the uins.< #e tells Gerald that arriving in London always fills him with despair and doom, as if it were

nd of the world. Gerald as!s if the idea of the world ending frightens Bir!in, who simply shrugs and says he doesn’t !now ust thin!s that people ma!e him feel badly. The two e"it the train and get into a ta"i together, where Bir!in as!s Gerald if he f

i!e one of the damned upon entering London. Gerald laughs and tells him no, and the chapter ends with Bir!in saying, ;1t is

death.<

0hapter 5: 0reme de Menthe

Gerald and Bir!in meet in the Caf /ompadour a few hours after they arrive in London. Gerald enters and sees Bir!in seated

able with a stylish, artistic blond girl. Bir!in introduces her as *iss *inette $arrington Da!a the /ussumE, and their conversaeveals that she is an artist’s model. Gerald feels a strong attraction to her, which is based on his sense of power over her and

ecognition that she is both a victim and capable of being easily destroyed by his cruelty. ?ulius #alliday, the owner of the h

n )oho where Bir!in rents a room, enters the caf and comes to their table. #e begins arguing with *inette, and Bir!in ca

him, suggesting that he 0oin their table.

%hile Bir!in and ?ulius spea! with others, Gerald and *inette begin a 2uiet conversation during which she reveals that she

een romantically entangled with ?ulius and is pregnant. )he resents the fact that ?ulius as!ed her to live with him, but now w

o !eep her away from London in a country home. ' young ussian, *a"im, 0oins their entourage. Bir!in orders oysters

hampagne for *inette.

%hile they are tal!ing another young man comes to the table and begins ma!ing fun of *inette. )he 0abs a !nife into his hand

he starts bleeding. ?ulius grows faint at the sight, and *a"im ta!es him away from the table. Gerald and *inette continue to

nd Gerald compares her to a young female panther. ?ulius returns to the table and complains about *inette’s behavior

uggests that they all leave the caf and go to his house.The group of five crowd into a ta"i, where Gerald and *inette s2uee(e in together. )he holds his hand, stirring Gerald’s pass

They arrive at #alliday’s house and are greeted by his servant. Upon entering the sitting>room, Gerald notices a sculpture

savage< woman giving birth, which he finds compelling. *inette sits on a sofa and ponders her situation, wondering how to

bout seducing Gerald in the house of ?ulius, her former lover. Gerald li!ewise wonders how he and *inette might manag

ome together under the circumstances. Bir!in rises to go to bed and says good night to Gerald. ?ulius then invites Gerald to

he evening, and Gerald agrees. *inette mentions that there are only two rooms open for four people, implying that ?uliu

laying a game to call out her intentions to sleep with Gerald. *a"im says that he and ?ulius will share a room, and *inette le

o go to her bedroom. *a"im then tells Gerald ;you’re all right< > an implication of consent for Gerard to sleep with *inette.

0hapter 6: coital bed. Gerald watches

leep and feels a mi"ture of attraction and pity, which arouses his lust. #e decides to let her sleep, however, and leaves

edroom.Gerald enters the sitting>room where he finds #alliday and *a"im, both na!ed and seated by the fire. Gerald finds *a"im’s n

ody animalistic and humiliating, whereas he compares ?ulius to the image of Christ in a /ieta. ?ulius tells Gerald he longs to

day to day without the need for clothing, and to be able to ;feel things instead of merely loo!ing at them.< Gerald loo!s agai

*a"im’s body and wonders why its healthy and well>made appearance nonetheless repels him.

Bir!in appears at the doorway, freshly bathed, ;aloof and white, and somehow evanescent.< Gerald as!s him to come in and

his opinion of the wooden sculpture of the woman giving birth. Bir!in says it is ;art< because it ;conveys a complete truth< abhe e"perience of giving birth. Gerald protests that it cannot be called ;high art,< and Bir!in responds that it shows a purenes

ensation and physicality that ma!es it supreme.

Gerald returns to the bedroom and finds *inette awa!e. )he recoils from him and he decides to leave her alone. The four m

now dressed, eat brea!fast together. *inette 0oins them at the end. Gerald leaves after they ma!e plans to meet again that n

nd attend a party, minus Bir!in. The narrator then describes the following two nights of increasing tension among the comp

which culminates on the fourth evening of Gerald’s visit. #alliday and Gerald nearly get into a physical altercation at the cuntil Gerald decides to leave.

Gerald is frustrated about leaving, because he did not give *inette any money. #e muses that *inette used him to ma!e #all

ealous, which led him eventually to ta!e her bac! under his protection. Gerald believes that this is because #alliday, *a"im,

ther such characters are not ;real< men, and therefore are easily manipulated by *inette. Gerald, meanwhile, is too manly

*inette to handle. But *inette has Gerald’s address, and he believes she may very well see! him out for money one day.

0hapter 7: *readalby

Chapter opens at Breadalby, #ermione oddice’s estate. Gudrun and Ursula are 0ust arriving for their second visit

#ermione. The sisters are embarrassed because #ermione comes outside to meet them on the path to the house, rather t

waiting to greet them formally inside. The sisters 0oin other guests, including upert Bir!in, and )ir ?oshua, a famous sociolo

or lunch outside. The Brangwen sisters find the conversation tedious, and #ermione consistently degrades Bir!in. Lunch e

nd #ermione’s brother, 'le"ander oddice, arrives with Gerald Crich. 'le"ander has 0ust been in London and he directs

onversation immediately to politics and education. #ermione says she highly values education, and )ir ?oshua rem

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!nowledge is, of course, liberty.< Bir!in sneers at them both and states that all !nowledge is only !nowledge of the past. Te

erved, and the group is surprised at how 2uic!ly the day has passed.

#ermione proposes a wal!, and everyone in the group agrees with the e"ception of Bir!in. %hen she as!s why, he tells he

doesn’t li!e ;trooping off in a gang.< $uring the wal!, the Brangwen sisters’ resentment toward #ermione grows, for her

ehavior toward Bir!in. %hen the group returns to the house, #ermione immediately see!s out Bir!in, who is in his room al#ermione as!s what he was doing, and sees that he was copying a Chinese drawing of a gaggle of geese. %hen she as!s w

Bir!in responds cryptically, saying that by copying the drawing he is able to perceive and feel the ;curious stinging bitter heat

goose’s blood.< #ermione is at a loss for words. )he feels that he has ;destroyed her with some insidious occult potency.<

The time for dinner comes, and the guests reassemble for an e"travagant night, with everyone dressed in evening wear e"cep

Bir!in and )ir ?oshua. 'fter dinner the guests go to the drawing>room, where they tal! heatedly and mentally e"haust

Brangwen sisters. #ermione proposes a dance or a song, and it is decided that Ursula, Gudrun, and the 1talian Contessa werform a ussian style ballet based on the biblical characters 8aomi, &prah, and uth. $uring the dance, Gerald and Bir!in

drawn powerfully to Gudrun and Ursula, respectively. 'fter the performance the guests begin a lively dance, in which Gerald

Bir!in show spirit. #ermione resents Bir!in’s sudden eagerness, and the Contessa compares him to chameleon for his r

hange in attitude.

The group brea!s up to go to bed. #ermione calls Ursula to her room briefly to tal!, but Ursula feels uncomfortable and lea

when #ermione’s maid enters. *eanwhile, Gerald and Bir!in begin a conversation in Bir!in’s bedroom about the Brangw

isters. Gerald learns that they are both teachers, that their father is a handicraft instructor, and that #ermione is upset

raditional class distinctions by inviting them to her home. Bir!in also tells Gerald that Gudrun ma!es compelling models, bu

hin!s she is too flighty ever to become a serious artist. Gerald informs Bir!in of his near altercation with ?ulius, and his desir

give money to *inette. Bir!in tells him not to bother, and to go to bed. Gerald lingers, and both men feel a faint sense of long

or each other. Bir!in sends Gerald off to bed.

irst thing ne"t morning, Gerald revisits the 2uestion of paying *inette, and Bir!in insists that he should simply forget abouThe two discuss the idea of marriage, and Gerald suggests that in the end it will not ma!e Bir!in completely happy. The men

down to the dining room for brea!fast, and are the last guests to arrive. #ermione is rude to Bir!in, and after assessing the ro

he decides to leave. #ermione suggests that the rest of the group go swimming. They all agree, e"cept for Ursula and Gudr

who watch the others swim in #ermione’s pond. Gudrun admires Gerald as he swims. Later, when Gerald as!s Gudrun why

hose not to swim, she tells him that she ;didn’t li!e the crowd.< Gerald decides he wants to please Gudrun, and ;fulfill her

f a man.<

't lunch, the group begins to discuss the social conditions of humanity. Gerald argues that society is a mechanism, and pe

hould wor! to fit their public roles while doing as they please in their private lives. #ermione says that all humans are e2ua

pirit and the struggle for power and domination should end. The guests fall silent, and most of the group leaves the table. Bi

ells #ermione that in fact people are 2ualitatively different in spirit. #e argues that one man is no better than another because

re irreducibly and uni2uely different, not because they are e2ual. #ermione feels a ;dynamic hatred and loathing< for him. Bi

eaves, but soon after decides to visit #ermione in her room and try to ma!e up with her. %hile he is standing with his burned, #ermione is overta!en by an intense aggression, grabs a paperweight and smashes it against Bir!in’s head with

ntention of !illing him. The first blow stuns him severely, but he turns around and protects himself from #ermione’s sec

tri!e. #e manages to escape and goes outside, heading for the nearest train station. #e writes a note to #ermione, saying that

need not worry about attac!ing him but that things are over between them, and he is heading into town.

Analysis

n Gerald and Bir!in’s conversation on the train, Lawrence ma!es fre2uent allusions to the philosophy of reidrich 8iet(schewhom the author was an avid reader. The newspaper column’s editorial piece calls for a new leader to establish a modern se

olitical and social values. This was a common call in Lawrence’s -urope, where *ar"ist socialism and reudian psychoanal

mong other sciences of political economy and psychology, were being championed as new paradigms that could lead

iberated humanity. But Bir!in’s character is s!eptical of such claims, and his position strongly resembles 8iet(sche’s concept

transvaluation of all values.< Li!e 8iet(sche, Bir!in suggests that the desire to replace social values = religious, polit

conomic, moral, etc. = with a new set of values cannot result in meaningful liberation. This is because such desire retains faithe false concepts of good and evil, which 8iet(sche argues are products of a wea!ened and dispirited form of morality, w

-urope inherited from Christianity. Bir!in reflects this 8iet(schean position when he says that in order to truly ;go for someth

etter< we must completely ;smash the old< and avoid ma!ing proposals that only amount to repetition of the same, tireless g

This is why Bir!in appeals to the idea of ;one really pure single activity< to occupy the center of life, driving the individual to

r her own truth.

's the train approaches London, Bir!in 2uotes a few lines from obert Browning’s poem, ;Love 'mong the uins.< The poe

melancholic memorial to a time long past, when heroic values and epic struggles defined human endeavors. Bir!in’s citatio

he poem implies a fallen, ruined condition of modernity = his contemporary -uropean culture lac!s the vital spirit that o

determined societal values. 1t also reinforces the association of Bir!in’s character with an apocalyptic view of humanity’s fut

This feeling sets the stage for their entry to London, where Bir!in and Gerald hobnob with a Bohemian, artistic group wh

nihilistic, decadent behavior lac!s meaning and vitality.


11/67

't Caf /ompadour, Gerald becomes infatuated with *inette, and is especially impressed when she grabs a !nife and stabs

hand of the man who insults her. Gerald then tells her that she is ;a young, female panther.< This metaphor recalls Gudrun’s e

ssociation of Gerald with a totem of the wolfA at this moment, Gerald’s animalistic and instinctual urges rise up. ' sav

roticism connects him with *inette, further developing Lawrence’s theme of the conflict between primal desires and so

onventions, through a miniature drama of aggression played out at a civili(ed caf table. This theme continues when the rrive at the home of ?ulius #alliday, and Gerald observes the totem>li!e sculpture of a woman giving birth, which

ymboli(es *inette’s imminent labor. The raw and unadulterated nature of the passion that Gerald and *inette feel is in s

pposition to the highly styli(ed artistry of #alliday’s home, and to the social decorum displayed when ?ulius invites Geral

tay. The night ends with an elaborate game of conversation that ends with *a"im indirectly informing Gerald that he may s

with *inette.

*a"im’s role as a ;go>between< who sanctions Gerald’s erotic consummation with *inette also encodes a homoerotic suggesf *a"im’s attachment to ?ulius. %hen *a"im announces that he and ?ulius will ;share a room< and the narrator mentions

*a"im and ?ulius ;were friends since -ton,< Lawrence suggests that the two men share an intimate and erotic connection, w

was established when they were schoolboys. This implication is more fully developed in chapter H, when Gerald emerges the

morning from *inette’s bedroom to find ?ulius and *a"im sitting by the fire, na!ed. 1n this chapter, Gerald both erotic

esthetici(es and loathes male bodies. #e compares ?ulius to a scene of the Christian pieta, while he finds *a"im’s na!ed fig

imultaneously well made and disgusting. These mi"ed reactions develop another angle on Lawrence’s theme of repressed de

n an e"clusively male setting at a time when homose"uality was e"tremely taboo in -nglish society.

n chapter , #ermione’s attac! on Bir!in can be read in light of their conversation regarding the nature of e2uality and the po

f the spirit. 1t also resembles *inette’s attac! on ?ulius in the previous chapter, although the social setting now is an upper>c

state rather than a seedy London nightclub. ?ust before she attac!s him, Bir!in rightly accuses #ermione of paying lip servic

n empty and abstract principle of e2uality when she states that humans are ;all e2ual in the spirit.< #ermione claims that

ecognition of this fact should put an end to the struggles for power and domination in society. But Bir!in forces #ermionecogni(e that her position is facetious, and that a vital spirit of difference must drive human endeavors if they are to have

meaning. Bir!in’s defense of a singular, uni2ue spirit understands humans to be radically different from each other, and

8iet(schean position suggests that only through combative striving can individuals lift themselves and their worlds to new hei

f achievement.

#ermione’s attac! against Bir!in represents her attempt to live up to this e"treme concept of spirited individuality, since sh

described as being overta!en by a ;delirium of pleasure< and ;ecstasy< when she smashes the paperweight against his head.

Lawrence also implies that #ermione’s response in this situation is a failed attempt, or a misunderstanding of this idea, becau

s based upon her resentment for Bir!in rather than a genuine act of creative, striving passion. #ermione’s failure is illustrated

he chapter’s concluding description of her e"treme feelings of ;e"clusive righteousness< and ;self>esteem< after attac!ing Bir

which only lead her into a state of self>assured indulgence.

0hapters 8;&.Analysis

0hapter 8:0oal;dust

%al!ing home one day after school, Ursula and Gudrun stop at the railway crossing. Gerald Crich rides up to the crossing

tately mare, and Gudrun admires him. 's the train approaches, however, the horse spoo!s. Gerald and the mare begin a ba

ac! and forth as the horse attempts to flee from the noise and presence of the oncoming train, and Gerald attempts to contro

horse and force it to stay put under his command.'s the Brangwen sisters watch the struggle unfold between Gerald and the mare, Gudrun first feels a compulsive attraction tow

Gerald, and feels herself falling under the grasp of his will. Ursula has the opposite reaction, and calls out that Gerald should

way until the train passes. Gerald becomes even more violent with the horse, driving his spurs into her side until she bleeds.

Gudrun grows faint at the sight. The train eventually passes, and the sisters hurry to open the gate and cross. Gerald rides a

2uic!ly while the train gate!eeper comments on Gerald’s masterful 0oc!eying. Ursula protests that it was a display of unneces

rutality. The gate!eeper responds that a show of dominance is a necessary part of the horse’s training, in order to ma!eapable of withstanding anything.

's the sisters !eep wal!ing home, they encounter a pair of unsavory wor!ing>class men on the road, who ma!e crude 0o!es ab

what price they would pay to prostitute the girls. The sisters continue, wal!ing through a neighborhood of miners’ houses. Gu

watches a miner bathe himself, and feels overwhelmed by the dar! physicality of the atmosphere surrounding the wor!ers.

inds it ;potent and half>repulsive,< and the narrator begins to describe Gudrun’s fre2uent, nostalgic wanderings among

miners’ section of town during evenings and wee!end mar!ets. %hile on these strolls, Gudrun often meets /almer, a yo

lectrician and scientist wor!ing for the Criches’ mining operation, who en0oys sociology. /almer is in love with Ursula

!nows her as a friend, but he spends time with Gudrun.

0hapter &9: ketch;book

Ursula and Gudrun sit beside %illey %ater one morning, s!etching. Gudrun is seated on a shoal, drawing water plants that sh

up from the mud. Ursula watches butterflies flit near the water. Both sisters are absorbed in their views of nature.

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Gudrun is brought out of her trance by the sound of oars clan!ing. )he loo!s to the water and sees #ermione and Gerald in a b

#ermione notices Gudrun, and tells Gerald they should go say hello. Gerald directs the boat to Gudrun’s spot on the sh

#ermione as!s Gudrun what she is doing, and then as!s to see her s!etches.

Gudrun reluctantly hands over the s!etchboo! to Gerald, and they share a loo! of intense feeling. #ermione loo!s thro

Gudrun’s s!etches and blithely points out the plants that Gudrun has drawn. Gerald as!s to loo! at the boo!, but #ermione ignhim. %hen he reaches for the boo!, #ermione releases it before he can grasp it, and it falls into the water. #ermione ma!

ushed apology and sneeringly as!s Gerald to retrieve the boo! from the water.

'fter Gerald fetches the dripping wet boo!, he hands it bac! to Gudrun. #ermione continues to apologi(e, offering to buy Gud

new boo!. Gudrun insists that the event is ;entirely trivial< and that if anyone bears blame for dropping the boo!, it is Ger

#e is meanwhile enamored of Gudrun’s cold yet calm handling of #ermione. %hen Gudrun tells #ermione that ;it doesn’t m

n the least,< she loo!s at Gerald and reali(es that she has subtly gained a secret power over him, and that ;a sort of diabreemasonry subsisted between them.< rom now on she !nows that he will be helpless under her control. #ermione and Ge

ay farewell and row away, as Gerald’s mind and attention remain focused in good humor on Gudrun, which infuriates #ermio

0hapter &&: An Island

's the previous chapters’ events unfold between Gudrun, Gerald, and #ermione, Ursula leaves %illey %ater and tre!s alongsi

tream, arriving at a nearby mill>house with a pond. 's she nears the pond she notices a man on the ban!, wor!ing on a small b

t turns out to be upert Bir!in. #e as!s Ursula if she can help him determine if his repairs to the punt, or boat, are sufficient

o!es that she will !now since she is her father’s daughter, and her father is an instructor in handicrafts. Ursula ta!es a loo!

dmits she !nows nothing about carpentry, despite the fact that her father is an e"pert. )he tells upert the craft loo!s fine, an

decides to test it by sailing onto a small island. #e comes bac! to pic! Ursula up and the two go on to the island.

They land under a willow tree and 0o!e about the idyllic scene. Ursula notices that Bir!in loo!s unwell, and as!s if he has been

#e says yes, but he doesn’t e"plain that he has been recovering from #ermione’s attac! on him with the paperweight. Ursula

f Bir!in was frightened to be ill, and Bir!in tells her he thin!s that real illness is a conse2uence of not living properly, and thaailure to live is more humiliating than illness itself. This statement disturbs Ursula because she senses its truth, and she fal

ells Bir!in that she is happy and finds life 0olly.

's they continue tal!ing, Bir!in tells Ursula that ;man!ind is a dead tree< and that people’s insides are ;full of bitter, corrupt a

#uman beings pay lip service to love, when in fact all they do is cultivate hatred. Bir!in claims he loathers humanity, and arg

hat the natural world would be better off without the e"istence of humans. Creation, Bir!in observes, in no way depends u

human beings. 't first Ursula protests against his ideas, but as she stops to consider a fantasy of the world without humans,

inds it appealing.

Ursula as!s Bir!in if he believes in love, and he replies that he thin!s it is simply one of many emotions that are part of

human relationship. Ursula finds Bir!in to be detestably ;priggish< yet chiseled and attractive. The duality of feeling goes d

nside her, and ma!es Ursula feel a strong hatred for Bir!in. They continue to debate what love is and whether it retains any

value for their world. Ursula tosses daisies into the water and they decide to return to shore.

The two fall into an uncomfortable silence, and in a brief moment of feeling Bir!in tells Ursula that he is now lodging at the house, and suggests that they can spend some time together. Ursula ignores the implication, and Bir!in becomes distant again

goes on to say that he detests his 0ob and thin!s he will 2uit, instead simply live on his I77 pound a year inheritance. Ursula

him about #ermione, and Bir!in e"plains that their relationship is completely over. The two hear dogs bar!ing, which Bir

!nows to be Gerald and #ermione arriving to inspect his new rooms. #e invites Ursula to 0oin them, which she does hesitantly

0hapter &.: 0arpeting

Ursula and Bir!in enter the mill house, where they find #ermione and Gerald spea!ing with *rs. )almon, the wife of the house laborer and careta!er. ' cage full of canaries chirps loudly. The group watches as *rs. )almon drapes a blan!et over

age, fooling the birds into thin!ing the evening has come so they will go to sleep. #ermione and Ursula marvel at how simply

anaries have been fooled, and #ermione compares one of the sleeping birds to a ;stupid husband.<

The group decides to inspect Bir!in’s new lodgings and measure the si(e of the rooms. *rs. )almon prepares tea for them, wh

hey decide to ta!e outside on the ban! of the pond. #ermione bossily ta!es over the 0ob of measuring the rooms, beginning w

he dining room and moving into the study, telling Bir!in she plans to give him an e"pensive rug for his study. The finmeasuring the bedroom and go outside for tea.

&utside, Ursula tells Gerald that she was upset with him the other day at the train crossing, for treating his horse so badly. Ge

esponds that he simply has to train the mare not to be frightened of loud noises, and to stand strong. This begins a discuss

mong the four friends concerning whether humans should naturally use their will to dominate the will of animals. Bir!in sugg

hat horses are li!e women, insofar as both have two wills acting in opposition = a will to toss her rider and run free, and a wi

e ruled by her rider through the power of love.

#ermione and Ursula detach from the men and stroll together, feeling a sense a deep affection. *eanwhile, Gerald is draw

Bir!in and to his statements about the dual will of horses. #ermione tells Ursula that she is tired of criticism and analysis of l

nd instead wants to appreciate the holiness and beauty of things. Ursula agrees, saying some things must be ;left to the Lo

They agree that Bir!in tears everything apart, and his over analysis of life doesn’t ;allow any possibility of flowering.< But

udden agreement mutates sharply into an e"treme mistrust and competitive revulsion. They re0oin the men, and Ursula decide

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go home. &n her way, she senses an internal conflict in her feelings about both #ermione and Bir!in, finding herself attracted

hostile toward both.

Analysis

%hen the Brangwen sisters encounter Gerald Crich at the train crossing, the setting recalls Gerald’s une"pected meeting w

Bir!in at the train station, on their way to London, in chapter :. #ere, however, the setting connotes Lawrence’s theme ofonflict between mythic naturalism and modern technological society, manifested through the character of Gerald Crich. 's he

stride his mare, he attempts to control her fear and primal urge to flee from the oncoming train. The horse is a metaphor for b

he human passions and the natural world that technology attempts to master, while the train represents the 2uic!>paced onsla

f technological advancement, which threatens to run out of control. The Brangwen sisters observe the struggle between Ge

nd the horse with fear and distaste, finding Gerald’s forceful discipline to be unnecessarily cruel. Ursula’s reaction in partic

epresents the idea that human attempts to master and control our natural instincts are a form of unwarranted violence againstrimal self. #er response is to cry out to Gerald to let the horse flee. But Gudrun finds this display of Gerald’s will enticing,

he feels that she cannot get out of his grasp. The sisters’ different reactions to the scene foreshadow upert Bir!in’s claim

hapter 36 that women are split between the will to run free and the will to be dominated in love.

's Gudrun and Ursula wal! through Beldover afterwards, Lawrence’s descriptions of the miners and their residences emphas

dar! physicality to wor!ing class life. -ven the dialect in which the miners spea! conveys an atmospheric thic!ness that Gud

eels enveloping her in a ;labourer’s caress.< The tone and setting evo!e a nostalgic attraction for wor!ing class life, of w

Gudrun is somewhat ashamed. This is her heritage, since her father is a handicraft laborer and she is a schoolteacher. But she

ongs to leave it behind, since she has studied art in London and now finds herself among the social elite. This conflict sets

tage for her view of Gerald on the boat in chapter 37, where she thin!s that Gerald can be the vehicle of her escape from

heavy slough of the pale, underworld, automatic colliers.<

The s!etchboo! scene in chapter 37 indicates that a powerful emotional transference is ta!ing place between Gerald and Gud

%hen Gudrun first sees Gerald she imagines he can help her escape her wor!ing class history, while Gerald thin!s that Gudrustill nobody< to him, and he will simply observe as #ermione goes about dissolving the class differences that ought to !eep

nd Gerald from bothering to spea! to Gudrun. But the dynamic of power suddenly and radically shifts in Gudrun’s favor, as

old yet strong demeanor captivates him. Gudrun manages to overturn Gerald’s confidence in his class standing, by sub0ecting

desire to a woman whose class status is below his own. This situation contrasts sharply with Gerald’s earlier estimation of *in

nd his power over her, which he found to be securely grounded in his superior class position and wealth.

n chapter 33, when Bir!in and Ursula arrive on the tiny island, they ma!e some significant allusions to wor!s of literature and

Bir!in first mentions /aul et @irginie, a rench novel in which two lovers live a utopian e"istence on the island of *aurit

Ursula then 0o!es that one could have ;%atteau picnics< on the little island they have, a reference to the baro2ue naturalism

rench painter 'ntoine %atteau. %atteau painted scenes of idyllic life and leisure in the natural world. But Bir!in and Ursu

llusions to these rench wor!s are ironic. They serve as symbols of decadence and empty values, which Bir!in goes o

hastise in his discussion with Ursula about love and human!ind. To live a truly vigorous, passionate life re2uires moving thro

eriods of destruction, according to Bir!in. ' life of ease and simplistic pleasures leads to an empty concept of ;love,< whicelieves has poisoned humanity.

%hen Ursula and Bir!in 0oin #ermione and Gerald at the mill house in chapter 36, their conversation returns to the metapho

he rider astride his horse that Lawrence introduced in chapter 4. Bir!in claims that horses are divided between the will to re

heir rider and flee, and the will to remain under the rider’s control. #e e"tends this analogy to the situation of women, argu

hat the desire to fall in love is a desire to ;resign your will to the higher being.< But Bir!in does not advocate this fate,

nstead tells the group that it is dangerous and unwise to ;domesticate even horses, let alone women.< This statement impliese0ection of conventional models of love and marriage, which he understands to stifle the passionate soul and become an obst

o deeper, truer love. But his outlandish perspective disturbs #ermione and Ursula, who remain bound to their more traditio

views of marital union, love, and beauty.

0hapters &/;&5

ummary0hapter &/: Mino

Ursula waits impatiently, and finally receives an invitation to tea from upert Bir!in. #e invites both Ursula and Gudrun

Ursula decides not to tell her sister so that she may go alone. 's she arrives, she begins to feel ta!en outside of herself. )he m

Bir!in and sees that he too feels uneasy. #e as!s about Gudrun, and when Ursula tells him she could not attend, he instan

guesses the truth behind Ursula’s words. They begin to tal! in earnest.

Bir!in tells Ursula that if they are going to be friends, she must commit to a ;final and irrevocable< sort of pledge > but not on

ove. Ursula as!s if he means that he doesn’t love her, and Bir!in tells her no. #e wants their connection to be founded

omething ;beyond JloveK, where there is no speech, and no terms of agreement.< #e tells Ursula he wants this truer aspec

heir individual selves, this impulsive and ;inhuman< part, to fully ta!e place and define their relationship. Ursula finds Bir!

omments to be wearisome. )he presses him, as!ing if he doesn’t find her attractive or have some feelings of love for her, why

he invite her to teaF )he believes he loves her, but will not admit it. Bir!in responds by saying 2uite earnestly that he wan

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strange con0unction< with Ursula, a ;pure balance of two single beings.< Ursula tells him this all seems a bit sudden, and

aughingly replies that it is best to read the terms of the contract before one signs.

The two watch as Bir!in’s male cat *ino rises from the couch and darts outside. They follow it to the garden, where they se

wild female cat that *ino is after. The two cats begin a game of wild flirtation, and *ino pounces on the stray, hitting her with

aws in a display of dominance. Ursula protests at *ino’s behavior, as Bir!in laughs and says it is naturally appropriate. Urrgues that it is a presumption of male superiority, and 0ust li!e Gerald Crich’s bullying of the horse, very ;base and petty.< B

ays without the *ino, the female cat is merely a stray, and compares the situation to a star !eeping a planet in its orbit. Urs

umps critically onto his metaphor, saying that it gives away his true feeling about the terms of their relationship > that he woul

he star and she the satellite, !ept in his orbit. Bir!in protests, and they are interrupted when the landlady calls them for tea.

's they sit for tea, Bir!in argues that he meant he and Ursula should be as ;two single e2ual stars balanced in con0unction,< ra

han one orbiting the other. Ursula changes the sub0ect by commenting on Bir!in’s fine china tea set, but Bir!in brings it bachis theory on the relation between a man and a woman. #e says that love must be a commitment to remain in a balan

on0unction. Ursula tells him she doesn’t believe that he actually wants to be in love, however, because he tal!s too much abo

nd doesn’t simply allow himself to love. #e retorts that her idea of love is to subordinate all aspects of the self to it, and t

ubservient. They haggle until they grow weary.

Bir!in shifts the conversation by as!ing Ursula to tell him about her family, the Brangwens. )he relates her family history as

s an account of her first love, )!rebens!y, while Bir!in listens attentively and finds her beauty compelling. #e 0o!es that all o

have suffered too much,< and Ursula agrees with laughter. )he moves closer to Bir!in and as!s him to tell he loves her, put

her arms around his nec!. #e !isses her and tells her in a half>moc!ing tone of submission that he loves her, and that he is ;bo

y the rest.<

0hapter &2: Water;party

The Criches’ annual party on %illey %ater la!e arrives, and the Brangwen sisters decide to attend along with their pare

Gudrun and Ursula dress stylishly and with flamboyance, and on the way to the party laugh at their parents’ more traditional atThe Brangwens arrive and upert Bir!in greets Ursula’s parents. #ermione oddice comes to them and escorts the Brang

arents to meet Laura Crich, who is acting as host, and Gerald Crich. Gerald helps to launch a boat full of party guests onto

water, and as!s the sisters if they would li!e to go on the ne"t turn. They tell him no, and Gudrun e"plains that she finds such

ides to be overly crowded with banal, wor!ing>class types.

The sisters as! instead if there is a small boat they can ta!e onto the water. Gerald offers to let them use his light rowboat, an

give them a picnic bas!et to ta!e along. The sisters happily agree, and Gerald calls after Bir!in to help him load the boat. Gud

notices that Gerald’s hand is inured and bandaged, and e"presses concern. #e tells her he crushed his fingers in some machin

ut that the hand is now healing. The sisters enter the water on the boat, and row over to a removed !noll where a small str

nters the la!e. emoved from the public eye, they decide to undress and swim. 'fter they swim, the two sisters dance in

unshine. They ta!e tea, and begin to sing. ' group of cattle watch them.

)uddenly they hear a voice call out and reali(e that Gerald and Bir!in have come loo!ing for the sisters. Gudrun e"presses s

nger at them for invading the sisters’ tea party, and marches away. Gerald follows her, while Bir!in goes to tal! to Ursulalayfully dances for her. *eanwhile, Gudrun begins to frighten the group of cattle, and Gerald warns her against it. This m

her all the more lively, and she ends up bac!handing Gerald across the face. ;ou have struc! the first blow,< he tells her,

Gudrun replies that she ;shall stri!e the last.< Gudrun turns away and goes bac! to the la!e. Gerald follows, and when he arri

Gudrun softly tells him not to be angry with her. #e responds that he isn’t angry, but he is in love with Gudrun. #e ta!es her h

nd they re0oin Bir!in and Ursula.

Bir!in has been teasing Ursula about the nearby marsh, telling her that it ;seethes and seethes< li!e

236483016 Summaries Grad II

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