Sons and Lovers is a famous novel written by English novelist, David Herbert Lawrence. The novel was originally published in 1913. The story of “Sons and Lovers” describe the relation of mother and son. The main theme of novel is Family and Psychology.
Synopsis of Sons and Lovers By D.H Lawrence
Summary of Sons and Lovers By D.H Lawrence
The story of “Sons and Lovers” begins with character, Gertrude Coppard, an intelligent young woman from middle class family. She goes in Country dance where she meet a man named Walter Morel. Gertrude and Walter get attracted to each other and ends up marrying in few months of their meeting.
After few months of marriage, Mrs. Morel get pregnant. Their marriage was solely on attraction with no love so after marriage they loose interest in each other but still Gertrude stays with Mr. Morel because of her child. Mr. Walter Morel work as a miner which means he is not rich and lives in rented house. As well as Mr. Morel’s relation is not quite good with his neighbor. Gertrude is not happy with her marriage life, she is just sacrificing everything for her child.
Thereafter, Mrs. Gertrude Morel gives birth to a boy named William. Mrs. Morel loved her son with all her heart and she can sacrifice anything for him. She is living with Walter is just because of her son, William. There is no love and attraction between Mr. Morel and Mrs. Morel. They just have friendly relation nothing else. Mr. Morel has stopped coming to home daily as he enjoy with his friends by drinking.
As the story progresses, Mrs. Morel gives birth to second child named, Annie. Mrs. Morel again get pregnant with third child but she don’t want to give birth to her third child because of their financial status. Mr. Morel is just a miner which is not enough to fulfill a big family needs. So to afford a three child is very challenging and difficult for their family. As Mrs. Morel dearly loves her child so she decides to give birth to third child. She gave birth to a boy named Paul.
As the time passes, Mrs. Morel feels embarrassed because she did not want to give birth to third child. She decides that she will not produce any more children. The story now shift focus to Mr. and Mrs. Morel’s sons. In novel, William is characterize as very handsome, charming and active person. While Paul is characterized as serious and thoughtful person.
As William is grown up now, he got great job opportunity but in another city. When William leaves his home for job his mother feel very bad as she is very close to him. Mr. Morel is happy as his son is growing in life but Mrs. Morel is very sad.
The story now features new character, Louisa, a fiance of William to whom he meet in his job city. William’s mother, Mrs. Morel does not like Louisa and as well as she saw how badly William misbehave with Louisa. Mrs. Morel feels very bad as William is not a son he used to be.
As the story progresses, William suffered from disease, pneumonia and died. As William was very close to his mother so his death make a bad impact on Mrs. Morel’s health. On the other side, Paul is an intelligent son and work as a clerk. Paul work as a clerk and works for long hours which is affecting his health. Afterwards, Paul suffer from disease, pneumonia. Mrs. Morel is still lost in the grief of her elder son and has no focus on her younger son.
When Mrs. Morel learns about Paul’s disease, she realized how lost she was and forget that she also has has one more son to look after. Mrs. Morel immediately goes to Paul and started taking care of him. She helps him in recovering from pneumonia. She also apologize to Paul for not looking after him. Mrs. Morel spends time with Paul through which their bond become stronger and stronger. Paul goes at a farm where he meets a girl named Miriam.
Miriam is very religious person who has her own beliefs. She is very different from Paul who is thoughtful and deep thinker. Mrs. Morel doesn’t like Miriam, she doesn’t like her behavior and don’t like her religious nature. She believes Miriam is not a good girl for her son, Paul. So she tells Paul to keep distance from Miriam. Paul has never dated a girl before so in terms of love both of them are immature. Paul and Miriam both knows that they are attracted to each other but doesn’t know how to express their feelings.
On the other side, Mrs. Morel is getting jealous of Miriam as her son is spending more time with Miriam instead of her. There comes new character, Clara, a married woman who had fight with her husband, Baxter so now both lives separately. Clara is not a good person and she thinks bad about men. Paul doesn’t like Clara as her thinking is very bad about male and he also don’t like Baxter because he had a fight with him in first day of their meeting.
In spite of all this, Miriam and Paul love story is still going on, as well as both doesn’t know how to express their heart feelings to each other. Soon Paul and Miriam engaged but Paul soon get bore with his engagement and break up with Miriam. Paul starts new relation with Clara but does not stop meeting Miriam.
We all can say that Paul is very confused and doesn’t know with whom to spend his life. When Baxter learns that Paul is in relation with Clara, he comes to fight with Paul. After fight, Baxter get injured so Paul take him to hospital through which they ends up becoming good friend. The story now shift focus to Mrs. Morel who is getting older and her health getting worse slowly-slowly.
As the time passes, we learn that Mrs. Morel is suffering from cancer, when Paul get to know that her mother is suffering from cancer. He leaves everything behind and goes to his mother to look after her. Paul keeps friendship with both Miriam and Clara but has no interest in both of them.
Mrs. Morel health is getting worse day after day and she is in so much pain that Paul gives her poison so that she can be free from her suffering. Paul buried her mother next to his elder brother grave. Thereafter, Paul leaves her house and shift in another city because he can’t live in a house where his mother is not there.
After some time of Mrs. Morel’s death, Paul goes at a sea side trip with Baxter and Mrs. Clara. He help both of them in improving their relationship. Clara improves her relation with Baxter and started living with him. Paul become a suicidal person after his mother death but at the same time Miriam comes and propose Paul for marriage.
Paul denied her marriage proposal which broke Miriam’s heart and she told him that she will never see his face again. The story of novel ends with Paul who goes at field and thinks about his mother. He decides not to end his life so he come out from field and goes in his town.
ABOUT AUTHOR : –
David Herbert Lawrence is an English writer and poet who was born in 11 September 1885. D.H Lawrence wrote on topics like Sexuality, Emotional Health and instinct. His famous work include Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow and Women in love.