Book Review: Sons and Lovers by D H Lawrence

I’ve never read a book that was more aptly named. Sons and Lovers gives a complete description of a person’s life from start to finish – much like “Of Human Bondage.” It’s difficult to review this book without giving away the plot, so here’s my analysis of the book with the following warning:

PLOT SPOILER AHEAD!!

The main characters are a son and his mother. And if the story doesn’t depict an Oedipus complex, then I don’t know what does. The relationship is almost sexual. When I read some portions of it aloud to Anupa, she was stunned by the almost sexual relationship between the two. But it does a good job of not making a villain of any one person. The entire first half of the book is devoted to the miserable life of the mother and how she can only take refuge in her two sons. And when one dies, she overwhelms the other to the extent that he can never find another woman.

The son later tries to hook up with two women, both of whom fall flat on their face in light of his overpowering attachment to his mother. He can’t leave her, and is angry with her for not being young. In the end, he’s left miserable and alone when she dies. His entire life is bound up and can never be free.

It’s difficult for me to find sympathy with either the son or the mother. The mother doesn’t know when to give up her hold on the boy and the boy himself doesn’t understand that unless you let go of your mother’s apron strings, you can never be free. As it stands, it looks as if he wants to climb back into her womb and stay there forever.

END OF SPOILER

It’s a very penetrating book and bravely states what other authors gloss over. The nature of love is specially exposed and Lawrence shows how hate can peacefully co exist with it. Conversely the love of nature is shown too – perhaps a tad too much for me, but it’s not too bad.