Sons and Lovers

It is possible to love someone so fiercely and yet destroy them at the same time? Paul Morel certainly seems very capable of doing just that! Will he ever mature and think for himself instead of continuing to live under his mother’s influence?

As an adult, Paul is so attached to his mother, he cannot commit to and form a loving relationship, though he falls in love with two women; Miriam who is younger than him and loves him dearly, and Clara the older woman who is similar to his mother and married.

D. H. Lawrence’s semi-autobiographic classic novel 'Sons and Lovers' is set in late 19th century England. He tells his tale with detailed insight into each character’s thinking and behaviour. We see the people in the story behaving with simultaneous love and hatred of others, having a strong desire for someone while not really wanting them at all.

'Sons and Lovers' was adapted into a 1960 British drama directed by Jack Cardiff and starring Trevor Howard, Donald Pleasence and Wendy Hiller. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and entered in the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.



David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930) was an English writer of novels, short stories, poems, essays, and literary criticism. Among his central themes are the problems of emotional health, sexuality, and the human condition. He faced severe criticism and censorship after the publication of one of his most famous and explicit novels, 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover'. Other prominent works of his are 'Women in Love', 'The Rainbow', 'Sons and Lovers', and 'The Plumed Serpent'.