Lesson 7

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Lesson 7, Modernism Disintegration 2: D. H. Lawrence & James Joice
Goals: 
Have an overview of the main features the works by D. H. Lawrence;
have an overview of the main features of the works of James Joyce.
Introduction:
In this second lesson on Modernism, we will study the works of two renowned and talented writers: D. H. Lawrence and James Joyce. Both of them were born at the dawn of the 19th Century and witnessed the beginning of the new Century. They were both raised in families who encouraged them to go beyond their social backgrounds and look for ways of surviving in a different world. While Lawrence was brought up in a middle-class family who taught him the love for books and arts, Joyce was raised in the poor suburbs in Dublin in a family who had to fight very hard to survive.
How Much do You Remember About Modernism?
In our last lesson we started studying about Modernism. How much can you remember? Below you will find 15 statements; some of them are true, some are false. 
Tick the ones you consider to be true and then check your answers. If you still have any doubts, go back to Lesson 6 and revise the items that are not clear to you.
Click on the icon below.
1. □ Modernism came as a reaction against Realism.
2. □ Modernism is divided into 3 different periods and encompasses the whole 20th Century.
3. □ Modernist writers were worried in imprinting their own views of reality.
4. □ Modernists had a tendency to reject history, social systems, and emphasize alienation in modern urban and industrial societies.
5. □ One of the concerns of Modernist writers was the rejection of religion and anger against the effects of the World Wars.
6. □ The plot, characters and themes of Modernist texts are always presented in a linear way.
7. □ Virginia Woolf tended to conform to the rules of her times.
8. □ One of the features of Woolf’s novels was the stream of consciousness.
9. □ By using the stream of consciousness, Woolf introduced her reader into interior life of 
a character by a reproduction of what society was like in the beginning of the 20th century.
10. □ As a woman of her time she had hardly any scope to have any knowledge of 
the sordid and brutal aspects of life.
11. □ Mrs. Dalloway is consistent with other modernist works as the events of the story fall within the category of the everyday life.
12. □ In his novels and essays Aldous Huxley played the role of a critical observer of 
accepted traditions, customs, social norms and ideals.
13. □ Huxley conformed to the potentially harmful applications of the so- called scientific 
progress to mankind in his writings.
14. □ Brave New World is a novel of ideas, where the characters and plot are secondary, not to say simplistic.
15. □ Brave New World is an ironic commentary on contemporary values.
KEY: Items 1/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 8/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 14/ 15 are true.
In this lesson we will continue focusing on Modernist writers. This time our attention will turn to D. H. Lawrence and James Joyce, two important literary figures of the 20th Century.[1: David Herbert ]
D. H. Lawrence 
D. H. Lawrence is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. He was born David Herbert Lawrence in 1885, in the small mining town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England. His father, Arthur John Lawrence, was a coal miner, and his mother, Lydia Lawrence, worked in the lace-making industry to supplement the family income. Lawrence's mother had come from a middle-class family and had become well educated and a lover of literature. She was the one to instill in Lawrence a love of books and the desire to rise above his blue-collar origins. Lawrence’s working-class upbringing made a strong impression on him and made him write extensively about the experience of growing up in a poor mining town.
Lawrence developed a number of theories about the flaws of modern civilization which helped him justify his literary endeavors. He continually sought means to overcome the alienation which was typical of industrialized society through a fusion of man with woman, man with man, and man with nature. Lawrence showed interest in relationships between men, although he strongly disapproved of homosexuality. His theory of blood-brotherhood gave emphasis on the regenerative powers of an authentic male friendship and valued physical but non-sexual intimacy between men highly, as can be observed in scenes of wrestling in Women in Love (1916) and massage in Aaron’s Rod (1922).
Lawrence read Nietzsche and Freud and became convinced that sexual repression was the cause of the deterioration of English civilization. Particularly he blamed Christianity for its repressive division of the self into spirit and flesh and its privileging of the spirit. He found in Freud’s Oedipal theory material for the development of his own views of the mother-son relationship, which he explored in his autobiographical novel Sons and Lovers (1913). He shared the expressionist ideal of the work of art springing from the depths of its creator’s unconscious life. His efforts to depict sexuality honestly made him a leading practitioner of modern fiction. His fourth novel, The Rainbow (1915) became a target of the National Purity League.
The novel was attacked for its descriptions (which would be considered rather restrained by today’s standards) of its heroine’s sexual relations with lovers of both sexes. Court proceedings were taken against the publisher, Methuen, not the author, and Methuen chose not to defend the novel. Much of the first edition was destroyed, and Lawrence could not find a British publisher for the sequel, Women in Love.
D. H. Lawrence
Reviled as a crude and pornographic writer for much of the latter part of his life, D.H. Lawrence is now widely considered as one of the great modernist English-language writers. His linguistic precision, mastery of a wide range of subject matters and genres, psychological complexity and exploration of female sexuality distinguish him as one of the most refined and revolutionary English writers of the early 20th century. Lawrence himself considered his writings an attempt to challenge and expose what he saw as the constrictive and oppressive cultural norms of modern Western culture. He once said, "If there weren't so many lies in the world ... I wouldn't write at all." D.H. Lawrence died in 1930, at the age of 44, in France, leaving a legacy of novels, short stories and poetry behind.[2: verb [ T ] /rɪˈvaɪl/ formal to criticize someone strongly, or say unpleasant things to or about someone]
D.H. Lawrence, The Poet
Although being best known for his novels, Lawrence also wrote almost 800 poems, most of them relatively short. His first poems were written in 1904 and two of his poems, Dreams Old and Dreams Nascent, were among his earliest published works. His early works clearly place him in the school of Georgian poets, a group of poets named after the reigning monarch.
What typified the entire group, and Lawrence's poems of the time, were well-worn poetic tropes and deliberately archaic language. Many of these poems displayed the tendency to ascribe human emotions to animals and even inanimate /ɪˈnæn.ə.mət/ objects.[3: used very often or too often][4: noun [ C ] UK ​ /trəʊp/ US ​ /troʊp/ ​specialized art, literature something such as an idea, phrase, or image that is often used in a particular artist's work, in a particular type of art, etc.:Human-like robots are a classic trope of science fiction.]
D.H. Lawrence, The Writer
Four of the most well-known novels written by D. H. Lawrence were: Sons and Lovers (1913), The Rainbow (1915), Women in Love (1920) and Lady Chatterley’s Lover (1928). What do you know about these novels? Click on the icon and do a test.
Test
Match the titles to their brief summaries:
Sons and Lovers
The Rainbow
Women in Love
Lady Chatterley’s Lover
(4) [Lady Chatterley’s Lover] Thisis Lawrence’s most controversial novel, and perhaps the first serious work of literature to explore human sexuality in explicit detail. It features some of his most lyrical and poetic prose style alongside the theme of class conflict – acted out between an aristocratic, and her gamekeeper-lover Mellors. Some feminist critics now claim the novel to be deeply misogynistic, because part of its argument is that women will reach true fulfillment only by submitting themselves to men.
(2) [The Rainbow] This is Lawrence’s version of a social saga, spanning three generations of the Brangwen family. It is the women characters in this novel who remain memorable as they strive to express their feelings. The story concludes with the struggle of two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun, to liberate themselves from the stifling pressures of Edwardian English society.
(1) [Sons and Lovers] This is Lawrence’s first great novel. It’s a quasi-autobiographical account of a young man’s coming of age in the early years of the twentieth century. Set in working class Nottinghamshire, it focuses on class conflicts and gender issues as young Paul Morrell is torn between a passionate relationship with his mother and his attraction to other women. He is also engaged throughout the novel in an Oedipal struggle with his father.[5: /kweɪ.zaɪ-/][6: noun [ S ] UK ​ /ˌkʌm.ɪŋ əv ˈeɪdʒ/ US ​ /ˌkʌm.ɪŋ əv ˈeɪdʒ/ Someone's coming of age is the time when that person legally becomes an adult and is old enough to vote.; the time when someone matures emotionally, or in some other way]
(3) [Women in Love] This novel features the Brangwen sisters as they try to forge new types of liberated personal relationships. The men they choose are trying to do the same thing – so the results are problematic and often disturbing. Many people regard this as Lawrence’s finest novel, where his ideas are matched with passages of superb writing. The locations combine urban Bohemia with a symbolic climax which takes place in the icy snow caps of the Alps.
KEY: 4/2/1/3
Sons and Lovers
Sons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It has been placed ninth on their list of the 100 best novels of the 20th century. While the novel initially incited a lukewarm critical reception, along with allegations of obscenity, it is today regarded as a masterpiece by many critics and is often regarded as Lawrence's finest achievement.[7: adjective UK ​ /ˌluːkˈwɔːm/ US ​ /ˌlukˈwɔrm/ A liquid that is lukewarm is only slightly warm. = morno; not interested or enthusiastic]
DH Lawrence summarized the plot of his novel by saying the following:
Sons and Lovers
It follows this idea: a woman of character and refinement goes into the lower class, and has no satisfaction in her own life. She has had a passion for her husband, so her children are born of passion, and have heaps of vitality. But as her sons grow up she selects them as lovers — first the eldest, then the second. These sons are urged into life by their reciprocal love of their mother.
— urged on and on. But when they come to manhood, they can't love, because their mother is the strongest power in their lives, and holds them. It's rather like Goethe and his mother and Frau von Stein and Christiana — As soon as the young men come into contact with women, there's a split. William gives his sex to a fribble, and his mother holds his soul. But the split kills him, because he doesn't know where he is.[8: Noun informal a frivolous or foolish person. ]
The next son gets a woman who fights for his soul — fights his mother. The son loves his mother — all the sons hate and are jealous of the father. The battle goes on between the mother and the girl, with the son as object. The mother gradually proves stronger, because of the ties of blood. The son decides to leave his soul in his mother's hands, and, like his elder brother go for passion. He gets passion. Then the split begins to tell again. But, almost unconsciously, the mother realizes what is the matter, and begins to die. The son casts off his mistress, attends to his mother dying. He is left in the end naked of everything, with the drift towards death.[9: (formal) to get rid of something because you no longer want or need it]
(http://abcjournal.ulbsibiu.ro/Alina%20Onet.html, accessed on June 6, 2013)
Sons and Lovers
This is a novel which speaks directly to the modern reader, eliciting both sympathy and empathy as Paul tries to become his own man.  Lawrence’s ability to tap into universal feelings and needs elevates this novel into a sensitive study of love in all its forms, not just in the case of Paul Morel, but on a deeper, grander scale. Though the novel is almost a hundred years old, it is as fresh and rewarding to read today as a contemporary novel, even when one considers the mores [conventions] and prohibitions of that time period. Lawrence, ahead of his time, has created one of the enduring classics of English literature, one which supersedes time and place.
You may be interested in reading Sons and Lovers in its original version, so you may want to check the page http://www.classicly.com/download-sons-and-lovers-pdf.
James Joyce
James Joyce was one of the most preeminent [/ˌpriː ˈemɪnənt/ (formal) outstanding] Irish authors of the twentieth century. Known for his literary innovation such as a strictly focused narrative and indirect style, Joyce brought the aforementioned writing methods to an unparalleled height.
Joyce is well known for his experimental use of language, symbolic parallels and extensive use of monologue. However, during his lifetime his works were often criticized by literary critics, rejected by publishers and misunderstood by readers.
James Joyce wrote poetry and fiction. Chamber Music, a collection of 36 love poems was published in 1907. Dubliners, a collection of short stories portraying Dublin was published in 1914. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, an autobiographical novel, published in 1916 and the play Exiles in 1918 figure among his works. At the beginning of World War I, he moved to Zurich where he began working on the early chapters of Ulysses, his most famous novel, published 1922.
James Joyce’s works include:
Chamber Music (poems, 1907)
Dubliners (short-story collection, 1914)
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (novel, 1916)
Exiles (play, 1918)
Ulysses (novel, 1922)
Pomes Penyeach (poems, 1927)
Collected Poems (poems, 1936)
Finnegans Wake (novel, 1939)
The Cat and the Devil (a children's book, 1936)
Joyce’s works were considered revolutionary in comparison to the canons of traditional novel. Like other writers of that time, Joyce gave less importance to the action and more importance to psychology of the characters. The three major characteristics of the work of James Joyce are the stream of consciousness technique, the interior monologue and epiphanies. [10: [countable] (literary) a sudden and surprising moment of understanding]
• The stream of consciousness is a free association of thought, impressions, memories which suddenly breaks into the mind of the protagonists stimulated by a perfume, a color, music or a banal gesture. 
• The interior monologue is the expression of thoughts of the characters, usually expressed by the character himself. 
• The epiphany is a psychological revelation suddenly manifested in an unexpected way, like a gesture, an object or a banal situation.
The influence of the medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri on Joyce’s works is a subject that has often been noted. The majority of critical attention has been devoted to defining Joyce’s adaptation of Dante and his use of allegory as they operate in his major works, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, and, to a lesser extent, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
The importance of Dante in Joyce’s first work, Dubliners, is often overlooked. Regarding the book’s fifteen short stories as sketches of immorality and despair, critics often relegate the influence of Danteto a mere list of allusions meant to remind the reader of a convenient framework for categorizing various types of sins, as Dante does in the Inferno, his version of hell and the first volume of The Divine Comedy.[11: /ˈrel.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ to put someone or something into a lower or less important rank or position]
Dubliners is a stepping stone to a larger, more complex Dantean allegorical vision that does not emerge until Joyce’s later work, and the hopeless moral depravity that pervades its stories is set aside as a product of the pessimistic frustration of a young writer who had not yet established his own artistic and aesthetic vision.[12: an event or experience that helps you achieve something else = passo]
Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak, and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences. They center on Joyce's idea of an epiphany. The initial stories in the collection are narrated by child protagonists, and as the stories continue, they deal with the lives and concerns of progressively older people. This is in line with Joyce's tripartite division of the collection into childhood, adolescence and maturity.[13: [INTRANSITIVE/TRANSITIVE] to move with a sudden violent movement, or to make something move like this]
Major Themes in Dubliners
The Stages of Life
As already pointed out, Dubliners is organized into a framework chronicling a human life: beginning with younger protagonists, and then moving forward into stories with increasingly aged men and women. Although this is a broad generalization, the stories also tend to increase in complexity. "Araby," "An Encounter," and "Eveline," for example, are fairly simple and short tales. "The Dead," the final tale of the collection, is nearly three times as long as the average story in Dubliners. It is also the richest of the stories, weaving together many of the previous themes of the book. Joyce's portrait of Dublin life moves not only across a small range of classes (the poor and the middle class) but also across the different periods of a human life.
Poverty and Class Differences
Poverty is one of the most pervasive themes of the novel. Joyce usually evokes it through detail: the plum cake Maria buys in "Clay" for example, is a humble treat that costs her a good chunk of her salary. Characters fight against their poverty. Lenehan in "Two Gallants" sees no future for himself and sits down to a miserable supper consisting only of peas and ginger beer. Farrington of "Counterparts" stays in a hateful job because he has no other options. We catch glimpses of slums, as in "An Encounter" when the two young schoolboys see poor children without fully comprehending what their ragged clothes imply about the small children's home conditions and prospects in life. Dublin's poor economy is also the reason why characters must fret about keeping even miserable jobs. Poverty is never pretty in Dubliners. For every gentle, poor soul like Maria, there are numerous revolting characters like Corley and Lenehan of "Two Gallants." Joyce explores the negative affects poverty has on the character.[14: [intransitive, transitive] fret (about/over something) | fret (that…) (especially British English) to be worried or unhappy and not able to relax]
Defeat, Powerlessness, Stasis, Imprisonment, and Paralysis[15: stasis noun /ˈsteɪsɪs/[uncountable, countable] (pl. stases NAmE /ˈsteɪsiːz/ ) (formal) a situation in which there is no change or development]
These five themes are closely connected. The colonization of Ireland is paralleled by the sense of defeat and powerlessness in the lives of individuals. In many stories, characters are so trapped by their conditions that struggling seems pointless. In "Counterparts," for example, Farrington is allowed one moment of triumph when he publicly humiliates his tyrannical boss. But for that one moment, Farrington is made to grovel in private, and he knows afterward that his life at work will become even more unpleasant.[16: [intransitive] grovel (to somebody) (for something) (disapproving) to behave in a very humble way towards somebody who is more important than you or who can give you something you want. Synonym→ crawl]
Joyce conveys this powerlessness through stasis. In Dublin, not much moves. At times the paralysis is literal: note Father Flynn in "The Sisters". At other times, the stasis is a state of life, as with the frustrated Little Chandler of "A Little Cloud". This feeling of stasis is closely connected to a feeling that Dublin is a kind of prison.
Many characters feel trapped. The entrapment is often caused by a combination of circumstances: poverty, social pressure, family situation.
Sometimes, the imprisonment comes from the guile of another character, as with the hapless Mr. Doran in "The Boarding House."[17: noun [ no plural ] ​ /ɡaɪl/​(formal) clever but sometimes dishonest behaviour that you use to deceive someone = astúcia][18: /ˈhæp.ləs/ (formal) unlucky and usually unhappy: miserável]
The frustration caused by this stasis, impotence, and imprisonment has a horrible effect on the human spirit. Often, the weak in Dubliners deal with their frustration by bullying the still weaker. Mahony of "An Encounter" picks on small children and animals, Little Chandler and Farrington, in two back-to-back stories, take out their frustrations on their children.[19: adjective ​ /ˌbæk.təˈbæk/ happening one after another, without interruption = seguido]
Longing for Escape
A longing for escape is the natural complement to the above themes. Its first expression comes from the boys of "An Encounter" whose dreams of the American Wild West provide an escape from the tedium of Dublin. Unfortunately, most of the characters are unable to escape. Eveline finds herself too frightened to leave Ireland; Farrington finds even alcohol unsatisfying; Little Chandler realizes he'll never find the focus to be a poet. The greatest barrier to escape is sometime psychological, as it is with Eveline. Dubliners has some profoundly lonely characters in it, but the theme of isolation does not end there. Isolation is not only a matter of living alone; it comes from the recognition that a man or woman's subjectivity is only their own, inaccessible to all others. Failed communication is common throughout the stories. In other stories, conversations are striking [easily noticed] for how little meaningful communication takes place. The supreme example of this theme in Dubliners comes in “The dead”, when Gabriel and Gretta leave the party. While Gabriel thinks about his life with Gretta and how much he desires her, Gretta cannot stop thinking about the young boy, her first love, who died for need of her. Husband and wife have been in the same room, but they may as well have been on different planets.
Mortality
Mortality is another theme, a natural result of Joyce's stages-of-life structure. But the stories at the end of the collection, where the characters tend to be older, are not the only ones to deal with mortality. Dubliners begins with "The Sisters," a story about a young child's first intimate experience with death. Thus, the collection begins and ends with the theme of mortality. The preoccupation with mortality puts a bleak spin on the themes of stasis and paralysis: although it often feels in Dublin like time isn't moving, Joyce reminds us that the steady crawl toward death is one movement we can count on.
If you are interested in reading Dubliners to the full, check you can download the PDF
 .planetebook.com/Dubliners.asp.
In this class, you:
Had an overview of the main features the works by D. H. Lawrence; 
had an overview of the mainfeatures of the works of James Joyce. 
Next class, you will study:
Next class you will continue studying Modernism through the works of George Orwell.