Sons and Lovers
by D. H. Lawrence
Dubbed the most widely read English novel of the twentieth century, D. H. Lawrence's largely autobiographical Sons and Lovers tells the story of Paul Morel, a young artist who grows into courage in an English working-class community near the Nottingham coal fields. Paul's mother, Gertrude, who was unhappily married to her drunken father, devoted all her energy to her son. They develop strong and passionate relationships, but over time, tension arises when Paul falls in love with a girl and tries to avoid family ties. Torn between his desire for independence and his unwavering devotion to his loving but oppressive mother, Paul tries to define himself sexually and emotionally through his relationship with two women – the innocent, old-fashioned Miriam Leivers and the experienced, provocatively modern Clara Dawes. Proclaiming Lawrence's mature era, "Sons and Lovers" vividly evokes the all-consuming nature of possessive love and sexual desire. Wonderfully revealing and deeply emotional, it is rich in universal truths about human relationships.
