Novel Fiction

Women In Love
Author Year Published Original Language
D.H. Lawrence 1920 English

OVERVIEW

Love, Death & In World War I–era England, two couples search for a new way to live—and
to love—in the face of the conflict, death, and decay that grips their personal
the Search for lives as well as society. In the snowy peaks of Austria, they find the new
world they seek: a world of rebirth, as well as death.
a New Way

Love & Relationships Old Way vs. New Way Hatred, Violence & Death

Breaking free of the prison of The old values no longer Love and hate, passion and
traditional marriage means serve, but new ones have yet violence, and life and death
redefining love. to be found. are thinly separated.

Author Main Characters

Ursula Brangwen Gudrun Brangwen

Gentle schoolteacher; Artist ruled by dark desires;

D.H. LAWRENCE passionate in her sensuality shares sexual passion and a
1885–1930 and drive to understand power struggle with Gerald

Lawrence wrote Women in

Love during World War I,
while struggling with the
same questions that grip its
characters. His writing has
been censored for obscenity
because of its sexual
content. Women in Love is
now regarded as a great
English-language novel for its Rupert Birkin Gerald Crich
exploration of passion in the
shadow of industrialization. Tortured, sickly philosopher Charming, aloof capitalist;
trying to find a new way; marries feels imprisoned by his
Ursula and loves Gerald relationship with Gudrun

Symbols

Horse Stoning the Moon Carpet

Represents the violence of Symbolizes impotent male Symbolizes Hermione

the unmoderated will anger at female power Roddice’s enduring control
over Rupert Birkin

nstead of chopping yourself down to fit

the world, chop the world down to fit yourself.
Rupert Birkin, Chapter 16

Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Modernism Lab

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