D.H. Lawrence's Short Stories Thread

[Dark Muse]

Here are the passages I found that talk about the differences of the mustaches between the two men.

A couple things I found interesting, one at the begining of the story there were several mentions of the husbands mustache, while the lovers was only mentioned once.

These first passages are refering to the husband.

He caught sight of his own face in a little mirror, pulled his brown moustache, and an alert interest sprang into his eyes.

He twisted his moustache

"I hope she'll be quick," he said, pulling his moustache.

He looked at her as he drank his coffee; he sucked his moustache, and putting down his cup, said phlegmatically:

"I bet you've had a lot of past"

One of the things I found interesting here, is that his moustache must always be doing something, or he must always be doing something to it, it cannot simply be there.

Perhaps all the pulling, and twisting is a sign of the anxiety and agitation he feels about his wife.

Here is when she is talking about her lover.

His black hair was brushed smooth and bright, his moustache was waxed.

Another thing which I notcied, is that it seems everything about the lover is black, while her husband, is brown.

Her husband is said to have a brown moustache, and at the end of the story, it says that he has brown eyes,

while the lovers hair and eyes are both noted to be black.

[Virgil]

Hands clearly are intended to play some imporant role here, as at the end of the story, when the Husband confronts the woman, the story makes a point of pointing out the husbands hands, almost in comparrison to that of the lovers, while he has the strong hands of a millitary man, her husbands hands are that of a laboror.

There is also one scene in talking about the husband which states




Another thing I notcied though I do not know if it has any meaning, but it just sort of stuck out to me, is that the story made a point of refering in someway to both the husbands, and the lovers mustache.

Good observations, and both men smoke tobacco I noticed.

[Virgil]

But are they intelligent?

Genius, frankly. Einstein in the fingertips.

[Virgil]

One of the things I found interesting here, is that his moustache must always be doing something, or he must always be doing something to it, it cannot simply be there.

Perhaps all the pulling, and twisting is a sign of the anxiety and agitation he feels about his wife.

I don't know if there is any psychological significance. It is a writer's technique to sometimes have a character play with a an article of body part. It is time passing by while hlding on to the scene. But the mustache is a particularly masculine thing.

[Dark Muse]

Good observations, and both men smoke tobacco I noticed.

Yes, I noticed that both men were pointed out as smoking a pipe

Though a part of me also wondered if perhaps it was just that both pipes and moustache's were rather common for men of the day.

[Janine]

Yes, I noticed that both men were pointed out as smoking a pipe

Though a part of me also wondered if perhaps it was just that both pipes and moustache's were rather common for men of the day.

Dark Muse, thanks for taking the time to quote those references to 'mustaches' from the book. That was helpful. It seems you and Virgil have covered the subject well.
I still get the feeling reading about the husband, that he had more crudeness about him with the big working hands and the sucking of his mustache while drinking his tea, but maybe doing so was also common to the day. I think using tobacco and smoking a pipe definitely were common and acceptable of the day, but interesting that the man in the garden doing so, seemed to be particularly emphasised by the author, since he started to leave his tobacco behind. I thought perhaps, this was to show the man was a little forgetful or daft, being lame in his mind. Of course, all these things might just be everyday occurances. Lawrence did paint such a realistic picture with words, he would maybe include these mundane things, to bring more realism to the story and involve the reader more intimately. I have dedected this in other works of Lawrence's and did not think they had any particular significance except to present to the reader a more realistic image of the characters and their personalities. Still they are quite interesting to note and pay heed to any clues, that give the reader more ideas about the characters.

[Janine]

Genius, frankly. Einstein in the fingertips.

I have a new nickname for you -- Einstein! You must change your hair though.

[Dark Muse]

I still get the feeling reading about the husband, that he had more crudeness about him with the big working hands and the sucking of his mustache while drinking his tea, but maybe doing so was also common to the day. I think using tobacco and smoking a pipe definitely were common and acceptable of the day, but interesting that the man in the garden doing so, seemed to be particularly emphasised by the author, since he started to leave his tobacco behind. I thought perhaps, this was to show the man was a little forgetful or daft, being lame in his mind. Of course, all these things might just be everyday occurances. Lawrence did paint such a realistic picture with words, he would maybe include these mundane things, to bring more realism to the story and involve the reader more intimately. I have dedected this in other works of Lawrence's and did not think they had any particular significance except to present to the reader a more realistic image of the characters and their personalities. Still they are quite interesting to note and pay heed to any clues, that give the reader more ideas about the characters.

I also remember, that there was some mention about how sloppy the tabacoo was packed into the pipe, I think it said something about it hanging over the side of the pipe or something of that nature.

[Janine]

I also remember, that there was some mention about how sloppy the tabacoo was packed into the pipe, I think it said something about it hanging over the side of the pipe or something of that nature.

Was that the husband you were referring to? I will have to check that out. I don't recall it. Interesting. Thanks for pointing it out to me.

[Dark Muse]

That was the lover

here it is:

She watched his hands with fine strong fingers. They had always inclined to tremble slightly. It had surprsied her, long ago, in such a healthy man. Now they moved inaccurately, and the tabacco hung raggedly out of the pipe.

[Quark]

1000 Posts!!!

Sorry, couldn't help it

[Janine]

That was the lover

here it is:

"Quote:
She watched his hands with fine strong fingers. They had always inclined to tremble slightly. It had surprsied her, long ago, in such a healthy man. Now they moved inaccurately, and the tabacco hung raggedly out of the pipe."



Oh , thanks - this makes it seem that he had always been the nervous type, with his 'hands slightly trembling'. She said also he had 'fine strong fingers'. Also that he had been 'healthy'. This paragraph says much about the man but still makes one wonder and wish for more information on him, doesn't it? Seems by using the word 'Now' it points out he difference in his character - that he has undergone this degeneration into a more careless man, with his wits being diseased.

[Janine]

1000 Posts!!!

Sorry, couldn't help it

I don't get it? who has 1000 posts???

[Dark Muse]

I think it was this forum that had 1000 posts, it says in the corner the number of each thread posted

[Janine]

I think it was this forum that had 1000 posts, it says in the corner the number of each thread posted

Oh Quark meant this thread only. Now I see what you mean. He posted on the 1000th in Lawrence Short Stories - how cool! Wow, we have been busy in here haven't we? That deserves a dancing