Symbols/ symbolism in D. H. Lawrence's "Women in Love"
Symbolism is an important characteristic of Lawrence's fiction and Women
in Love is no exception. In Women in Love not only most of the
characters have a symbolic significance but the important incidents and important
physical objects also. Actually, symbolism is the key to Lawrence’s technique. He
uses a lot of symbols in Women Love to present his ideas and thoughts.
Birkin and Ursula symbolize the life creative forces, while Gerald and
Gudrun represent the death destructive force. Both Birkin and Ursula symbolize
the revitalization and vivification forces in life. Even though they are
likened to “flowers of dissolution”, they show great ability and openness to
growth and their relationship is free from sadomasochistic effects. Hermione
represents the power of the intellect over emotion. She intellectualizes
everything including even sex and therefore comes to grief. Loerke is used as
the symbol of dissolution and degeneracy which Gudrun also shares. He also
symbolizes sexual perversion and corruption; Birkin describes him as a man who
“lives like a rat in the river of Corruption”. He likes only young girls below
twenty years old.
Then there are the
animal scenes in the novel that can undoubtedly be called symbolic in their
significance. There is, for instance, Gerald's coercive handing of his mare at
a railway crossing. This scene surely shows the energy of will in Gerald as
something cruel and ruthless, but it is also a symbolic representation of the
outrage Gerald commits against the lives of the miners. Gudrun's encounter with
the wild bullocks shows in a symbolic manner the violence that lies hidden
within her. Immediately afterwards, she strikes Gerald on the face with the
back of her hand. The struggle with the rabbit scene shows Gerald and Gudrun in
a state of sadistic cruelty, which is at the same time masochistic. Both Gerald
and Gudrun experience a malicious pleasure in the subjugation of the rabbit.
The episode of the cats is intended as a symbolic action to develop the
relationship of Birkin and Ursula. The incident serves as an endorsement of the
positive values, which Birkin wants Ursula to establish in their relationship.
F. R. Leavis opines that the symbols in Women in Love can be categorized into two groups: images indicating life, vitality, hopefulness and prosperity; and images suggesting coldness, hopelessness, decadence and death. Images that accompany Birkin and Ursula are linked with the first group of images. The couple tries their best to escape the black ugly misery world and react against the mechanical civilization. They usually go to the places full of flowers, trees and grass which suggest nature and life. Primrose, hyacinths, fir-trees, thickets of hazel, tufts of heather, all these are likely to be associated with life, vitality and hopefulness. Their relationship has a quality of comforting and soothing warmth and a hopeful promise.
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