Sons and Lovers: D.H. Lawrence

SONS AND LOVERS
by
D.H. LAWRENCE
D. H. LAWRENCE
Born David Herbert Richards Lawrence

11 September 1885
Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England
Died 2 March 1930 (aged 44)
Vence, France
Notable •Novel:
Works Sons and Lovers
The Rainbow
Women in Love
Lady Chatterley's Lover
•Short Story: Odour of
Chrysanthemums The
Virgin and the Gypsy The
Rocking-Horse Winner
ABOUT THE NOVEL..
Sons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H.
Lawrence.
It is a semi-autobiographical work.
Paul Morel is the protagonist of the novel and he has

an extremely close relationship with his mother.
Like Paul Morel, Lawrence was the younger son of a mining

family.
He and his mother, Lydia, were very close, and his father was
violent.
The novel deals with a son who loved his mother too dearly, and
with a mother who lavished all her affection upon her son.
CHARACTERS
 Gertrude Morel - The first protagonist of the novel.
She becomes unhappy with her husband Walter and
devotes herself to her children.
 Walter Morel - Gertrude’s husband, a coal miner.
 William Morel - Their first son, who is Mrs. Morel’s

favorite until he falls ill and dies.
 Annie Morel - Paul’s older sister. When their mother

lies dying toward the end of the novel, she and Paul
decide to give her an overdose of morphine.
Paul Morel - Paul Morel takes over from his mother as
the protagonist in the second half of the book. After his
brother William’s death, Paul becomes his mother’s
favorite and struggles throughout the novel to balance
his love for her with his relationships with other women.
Arthur Morel - Paul’s younger brother, not central to

the plot.
Miriam Leivers - The daughter of the family at Willey
Farm. She befriends Paul and becomes his first love.
Clara Dawes - Clara is an older women estranged from

her husband, Baxter Dawes. She becomes Paul’s second
love, and they have a passionate affair.
Louisa Lily Denys Western - A girl William sees in

London, and to whom he becomes engaged. The rest of
the family is less than impressed with her when he brings
her home, and William shortly becomes sick of her as
well.
SUMMARY
Sons and Lovers tells the story of the Morel family, and in
particular, of Paul Morel.
Gertrude and Walter Morel live in a village in the north of

England.
Gertrude is clever and competent. Walter, her husband, an

uneducated coalminer, drinks his money away and is often
violent.
Divided by class, the two do not understand eachother, and

Gertrude is bitterly unhappy. She devotes all her love and
ambition to her four children.
Mrs. Morel transfers her affections from her husband to her
first son, William, who is intelligent and active. He is the
apple of his mother's eye, winning awards, doing well in
school and finding jobs easily.
When William goes to London for a job, Mrs. Morel is

devastated. William comes home, bringing with him his
fiancée, a young lady who treats the Morels like servants.
Having spent too much time at work and with his fiancée,
William catches pneumonia and dies.
With William gone, Gertrude’s love and hopes fall on Paul,

who is talented and artistic.
He gets a job at Thomas Jordan's, a surgical appliances
factory and strikes a friendship with Miriam Leivers.
Mrs. Morel does not like Miriam because in her view Miriam
takes all of Paul's energy, desire, and feelings with nothing left
of him for her.
Miriam introduces Paul to Clara Dawes, who is separated

from her husband, Baxter Dawes.
After Paul and Miriam have sex, he decides that they are not
good for each other, and breaks offtheir relationship.
Paul heads into an intensely sexualrelationship with Clara.

Miriam is jealous that the Morels have accepted Clara as
Paul's lover when they have not liked her atall.
Paul and Clara share a passionate, sexual relationship. As much
as Paul thinks that he is happy, his mother believes otherwise;
she knows in her heart that Clara will tire her son out.
Baxter Dawes and Paul have afight; the fight leaves Paul in
great pain and a great dislike for Clara's husband.
Mrs. Morel falls gravely ill because of a tumor. The doctor who
tends to her tells Paul that Dawes is in the hospital for his fever.
Paul calls on Dawes in the hospital and the two men somewhat
reconcile.
When Paul tells Clara that Dawes is ill, Clara unexpectedly

declares that her husband had treated her with morerespect
and had loved her more than Paul ever did. Clara returns to
Dawes.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Morel grows weaker.
Paul and Annie cannot stand to see their beloved mother

live in such pain that they give her an extra dosage of
morphine. Mrs. Morel dies.
Paul goes to see Miriam. They ponder getting married,

but Paul confesses that he has no desire nor any
intention of marrying her. Miriam decides to wait as long
as it takes for him to come to her.
He contemplates suicide but finally returns home,

thinking about the bond he shares with his mother. Their
love is still alive in him, even though she has died.

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SONS AND LOVERS

Born David Herbert Richards Lawrence

Paul Morel is the protagonist of the novel and he has

Like Paul Morel, Lawrence was the younger son of a mining

 Walter Morel - Gertrude’s husband, a coal miner.

 William Morel - Their first son, who is Mrs. Morel’s

 Annie Morel - Paul’s older sister. When their mother

Arthur Morel - Paul’s younger brother, not central to

Clara Dawes - Clara is an older women estranged from

Louisa Lily Denys Western - A girl William sees in

Gertrude and Walter Morel live in a village in the north of

Gertrude is clever and competent. Walter, her husband, an

Divided by class, the two do not understand eachother, and

When William goes to London for a job, Mrs. Morel is

With William gone, Gertrude’s love and hopes fall on Paul,

Miriam introduces Paul to Clara Dawes, who is separated

Paul heads into an intensely sexualrelationship with Clara.

When Paul tells Clara that Dawes is ill, Clara unexpectedly

Paul and Annie cannot stand to see their beloved mother

Paul goes to see Miriam. They ponder getting married,

He contemplates suicide but finally returns home,

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