As fair warning: this is probably going to get awkward. Freudian discussions ahead!
I read DH Lawrence's Sons and Lovers for my British Novel in the 20th Century class. I had heard of Lawrence before, mostly discussed in conversations regarding banned books (and Lady Chatterley's Lover), but I had not read any of his books. A brief and extremely incomplete summary of the book could be boiled down to this: Overbearing mother rejects all potential partners for her sons and attempts to smother them with all the love she no longer has for her husband.
Of course there is much more to the novel, but that just about sums it up nicely. Class discussions mentioned Freud many a time, and the various romantic triangles that ensue. Mind you, these are romantic triangles according to English Majors and Freud alike, and these triangles positively abound: Gertrude (mother), Paul (son), Walter (father). Gertrude, Paul, William (other son). Gertrude, Paul, Clara/Mariam (Paul's lovers). There was a very intense relationship between Paul and his mother throughout the novel, and it frustrated me to see him constantly abandoning these nice girls to run home to his mother, well into adulthood. He never moves out of the house, for as long as his mother lives. And the fact that there is such sexual tension between Paul and Miriam, in particular before anything actually comes to fruition was enough to make me scream at the novel. (I didn't scream, but I did complain loudly to my friends a lot!) The whole will-they-won't-they was dragged on for absolutely forever, and I suppose that was a story well written by Lawrence, because it helped invest me in the novel and in the characters.
Freudian conversations always fascinate me, because although I don't necessarily believe in his theories (I will specifically speak about the Oedipus Complex here) I do see some merit in them when they are not applied explicitly. The Oedipus Complex theory, to my understanding, is that the son feels threatened by and jealous of his father because the son wants to sleep with his mother (and the same, vice versa for daughters, fathers, and mothers). My less crazy and interpretation of the application of this theory is that the son will likely find and marry a nice girl who reminds him of his mother, who has similar values or something. (I think I can hear psychologists cringing from the other side of the internet...)
The merit I see here is this: While there is absolutely no way that I want to ever marry or sleep with my father, I recognize that there are many qualities that my father has that I find attractive in other men. He raised me in such a way to value things that he sees value in, such as intelligence, passion, and dedication. Of course I want to share those values with a potential partner. It is in that respect that I see merit in the Oedipus Complex, not in the whole awkward "I want to have sex with my parent" thing, but in the lessons and values that I have been taught, I seek in a potential partner.
Applying this to the novel, the Gertrude instills her values on her sons who subsequently go and see out potential marriageable women in the world. Unfortunately for them, anyone they bring home will not be their mother, and so will never be good enough, either for their OR for their mother's approval. Even the one woman who the mother most approves of, Clara, is still not good enough. Gertrude only likes Clara because Clara is not a threat to the mother's relationship with her son in the way that the other love interest, Miriam, is. Miriam actually can take Paul away (in marriage) whereas Clara is already married to another man and wouldn't be able to.
All said and done, I really enjoyed the ride that this book took me on. I look forward to rereading it someday!
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