D.H. Lawrence's Short Stories Thread

[Dark Muse]

That is an interesting view of it Quark, and it does make sense. I have also condisered the possiblity that it might have been some sort of foreshadow, to the events that were to happen with Maurice and Bertie in the barn. Though it was not truly "evil" or "sinisther" needless to say Bertie was less than pleased with what happend, and at the end, I was given the impression, as if in the event, Maurice took something away from Bertie, or took some part of Bertie with him after what was done.

Bertie took the lantern and opend the door. The cat dissapeared. The two men went in silence along the causeways. Isabel, as they came, thought thier footsteps sounded strange. She looked up pathetically and anxiously for thier entrance. There seemed a currious elation about Maurice. Bertie was haggard, with sunken eyes.

I found it interesting how the cat is said to have "dissapeared" in this scene after what had passed between the two men.

And the image of "sunken" eyes gives an almost ghostly apperance or something ghoulish.

and then:

But she was watching Bertie. She knew that he had one deisre-to escape from this intimacy, this friendship, which had been thrust upon him. He could not bear it that he had been touched by the blind man, his insane reserve broken in. He was like a mollusk whose shell is broken

The image of the mollusk with a broken shell, made me feel as if he was left empty in someway, or had something precious taken away from him. As if the shell of a mollusk were broken that which was within would start to leak out untill only the empty shell was left behind.

It is as if Bertie's very soul was in someway violated or touched by what had happend.

[Quark]

Quark, I am not sure if that is correct, but hey, it sounds good for now and I really don't have anymore thoughts on it presently. If something comes to me, I will post a random thought.

I didn't think it was that much of a reach, although I did mistake what part the cat was in. I thought the cat was clawing Maurice when they were inside the house, but the cat part is actually later when they're in the barn. Still, the cat performs a similar function--only for Bertie and not Maurice. It's Bertie who's uncomfortable in the barn, and the sinister appearance of the cat shows is meant to make the reader feel how odd and somewhat scary this must be for Bertie.

The image of the mollusk with a broken shell, made me feel as if he was left empty in someway, or had something precious taken away from him. As if the shell of a mollusk were broken that which was within would start to leak out untill only the empty shell was left behind.

It is as if Bertie's very soul was in someway violated or touched by what had happend.

The shell just seems to refer to Bertie's defensiveness or shyness. The sentences before that one indicate what Lawrence means. He says,

But she was watching Bertie. She knew that he had one desire--to escape from this intimacy, this friendship, which had been thrust upon him. He could not bear it that he had been touched by the blind man, his insane reserve broken in. He was like a mollusk whose shell is broken.

Bertie doesn't appear to have any desire to leak out of his shell. He wants to retreat and get away from this newfound intimacy with Maurice.

[Dark Muse]

I was not saying that he wanted to leak out of his shell, but rather it was something forced upon him, like Maurice pried into him and took something away from him that left him feeling somewhat empty.

[Quark]

I was not saying that he wanted to leak out of his shell, but rather it was something forced upon him, like Maurice pried into him and took something away from him that left him feeling somewhat empty.

That's certainly true. He does feel like the friendship was forced upon him. At least it sound like it when you read, "Bertie could not answer. He gazed mute and terror-struck, overcome by his own weakness. He knew he could not answer. He had an unreasonable fear, lest the other man should suddenly destroy him." What do you think is taken from Bertie, though?

[Dark Muse]

It is hard to explain, it is just a sort of general feeling I got from reading the story. That at the end of the story, the impression I wass left with, was that Bertie was somehow empty in someway after the experince with Maurice.

He had lived so long in this sort of isolation within himself, though he surrounded himself with other people, he never really made connections, than Maurice violated that.

Afterwards, Bertie is not quite himself while Maurice seems improved in someways. It was like some part of him was taken away, and transfered into Maurice.

Now Bertie quivered with revulsion. Yet he was under the power of the blind man, as if hypnotized. He lifted his hand, and laid the fingers on the scar, on the scarred eyes. Maurice suddenly covered them with his own hand, pressed the fingers of the other man upon his disfigured eye-sockets, trembling in every fibre, and rocking slightly, slowly from side to side. He remained for a mintue or more, whilst Bertie stood as if in a swoon, unconcious, imprisoned.

Bertie could not answer. He gazed mute and terror-struck, overcome by his own weakness. He knew he could not answer. He had an unresonable fear, lest the other man should suddenly destroy him. Whereas Maurice was acutally filled with hot, poignant love, the passion of friendship. Perhaps it was this very passion of friendship which Bertie shrank from.

Maurice seems to establish a certain power or hold over Bertie, yet it seems to be something of an uneven and unqueal transfer between them, as Bertie does not seem to hold anything over Maurice in the same way. They do not truly unite together, but rather Maurice estbalishes himself over Bertie, even if that was not his true intent.

[Quark]

It is hard to explain, it is just a sort of general feeling I got from reading the story. That at the end of the story, the impression I wass left with, was that Bertie was somehow empty in someway after the experince with Maurice.

He had lived so long in this sort of isolation within himself, though he surrounded himself with other people, he never really made connections, than Maurice violated that.

Afterwards, Bertie is not quite himself while Maurice seems improved in someways. It was like some part of him was taken away, and transfered into Maurice.

Maurice seems to establish a certain power or hold over Bertie, yet it seems to be something of an uneven and unqueal transfer between them, as Bertie does not seem to hold anything over Maurice in the same way. They do not truly unite together, but rather Maurice estbalishes himself over Bertie, even if that was not his true intent.

Bertie is mentally and physically drained after the contact with Maurice. The sunken eyes and near swoon point to that, but it sounded like you were saying some part of Bertie's personality is drawn out--as though there is some kind of transfer going on here. The language doesn't seem to indicate a swap or stealing or any other kind of transaction, though. It just describes contact which is what goes on at the end. Maurice gets more out of the experience because he's comfortable and open whereas Bertie's trying to resist this the whole time.

[Janine]

Bertie is mentally and physically drained after the contact with Maurice. The sunken eyes and near swoon point to that, but it sounded like you were saying some part of Bertie's personality is drawn out--as though there is some kind of transfer going on here. The language doesn't seem to indicate a swap or stealing or any other kind of transaction, though. It just describes contact which is what goes on at the end. Maurice gets more out of the experience because he's comfortable and open whereas Bertie's trying to resist this the whole time.

Yes, I have to agree with you on this one Quark. I think that believing that Maurice took something from Bertie, is stretching the interpretation a little too far. Bertie is definitely taken aback and shaken by this close encounter with another human being; but that could be with a sighted person, as well. He is fighting the whole 'intimacy' idea, but he will not be permanently damaged by this incident, as if something were stolen from him and given to Maurice. No, sorry to disagree with you, DM, but he might not be quite the same after the experience, but I don't think Maurice is intentionally trying to lord power over Bertie, unless I am reading that incorrectly. I thought of the story "Prussian Officer", with one man lording his power over another, but I don't see that sort of maliciousness in this encounter in the barn. I felt the encounter was more tender than malicious. I think Bertie may never feel exactly the same again about Maurice or other humans, but he will still probably remain in his 'isolated' world, that he has created to shield himself from his own emotions.

[Janine]

Such an odd thing; last night I resumed my listening to the audio Cd's of "Women in Love" - two scenes stood out to me and I hope to post some excerpts from the text for each. One was again the mention of the fascination that Lawrence seemed to have for the thighs of a man. The other was a section where you feel that the people are actually blind and relate as the blind man did in this story - in a tactile way and in a 'blood consciousness' sense, which enhanced the touching sensations; also words were not needed but everything was dependent on pure touch. I thought immediately of this story when I read/listened intently to these two sections of text. I hope I can locate the text online. I think that "Women in Love" is available on this site. I will go and check. The parallels are so interesting and can help us to better understand this story, through the eye's of Lawrence....no pun intented there.

[Virgil]

Well, I finally finished my second reading of the story and fianlly have a little spare time to join you. I have not read all the comment, so please forgive me. I will try to do so. This isn't that complicated a story where we have to break down the sections and see how Lawrence builds it. I think we can agree that the story is a contrast between two characters, Maurice and Bertie, and the climatic interaction. The story then is about what makes them different and why Maurice is happy and satisfied, despite being blinded tragically, and why Bertie, despite his success and intelligence, is at his core not. Please forgive me if I've repeated what you have discussed. The key passage I think is the following. Maurice has gone into the barn for the evening and Bertie after a while decides to see what he's doing. When he finds him, Bertie seeks to understand Maurice.

'Isabel tells me,' Bertie began suddenly, 'that you have not suffered unbearably from the loss of sight.'

Maurice straightened himself to attend, but kept his arms folded.

'No,' he said, 'not unbearably. Now and again one struggles against it, you know. But there are compensations.'

'They say it is much worse to be stone deaf,' said Isabel.

'I believe it is,' said Bertie. 'Are there compensations?' he added, to Maurice.

'Yes. You cease to bother about a great many things.' Again Maurice stretched his figure, stretched the strong muscles of his back, and leaned backwards, with uplifted face.

'And that is a relief,' said Bertie. 'But what is there in place of the bothering? What replaces the activity?'

There was a pause. At length the blind man replied, as out of a negligent, unattentive thinking:

'Oh, I don't know. There's a good deal when you're not active.'

'Is there?' said Bertie. 'What, exactly? It always seems to me that when there is no thought and no action, there is nothing.'

Again Maurice was slow in replying.

'There is something,' he replied. 'I couldn't tell you what it is.'

I assume you guys have discussed that Maurice is associated with blood consciousness and Bertie with mental consciousness. Certainly there are plenty of examples. Maurice feels comfortable with the earth and animals while Bertie is a lawyer and a philosopher (I think). So why is Maurice satisfied with life, despite being active? Maurice is at peace with his situation and the inactivity is actually a plus. Above he responds with "'Oh, I don't know. There's a good deal when you're not active.'" And he couldn't tell you what exactly is the reason. The reason is that Maurice has achieved the Lawrencian ideal of life. He is like a flower bloomed out and thriving in the rich earth and blessed nature. He doesn't need intellectual stimulation or progress or riches or personal development. He just is in nature, like the animals that live with him.

[Janine]

Well, I finally finished my second reading of the story and fianlly have a little spare time to join you. I have not read all the comment, so please forgive me. I will try to do so. This isn't that complicated a story where we have to break down the sections and see how Lawrence builds it. I think we can agree that the story is a contrast between two characters, Maurice and Bertie, and the climatic interaction. The story then is about what makes them different and why Maurice is happy and satisfied, despite being blinded tragically, and why Bertie, despite his success and intelligence, is at his core not. Please forgive me if I've repeated what you have discussed. The key passage I think is the following. Maurice has gone into the barn for the evening and Bertie after a while decides to see what he's doing. When he finds him, Bertie seeks to understand Maurice.

Oh welcome back, Virgil. I hope you are rested up by now. Well, it might help for you to try sometime to skim our posts, if you can't actually read them all. We have been discussing the differences in the two characters and the fact that Maurice can connect to life and nature and Bertie cannot, and of course, many more aspects of the story...we have covered it pretty well, but it is always good to get your perspective on the text...I know only good can come of that...you will see things we had not perceived and you can explain some parts or concepts better than I can, such as the 'blood consciousness'.

I assume you guys have discussed that Maurice is associated with blood consciousness and Bertie with mental consciousness. Certainly there are plenty of examples. Maurice feels comfortable with the earth and animals while Bertie is a lawyer and a philosopher (I think). So why is Maurice satisfied with life, despite being active? Maurice is at peace with his situation and the inactivity is actually a plus. Above he responds with "'Oh, I don't know. There's a good deal when you're not active.'" And he couldn't tell you what exactly is the reason. The reason is that Maurice has achieved the Lawrencian ideal of life. He is like a flower bloomed out and thriving in the rich earth and blessed nature. He doesn't need intellectual stimulation or progress or riches or personal development. He just is in nature, like the animals that live with him.

Yes, we brought up a good deal about the 'blood consciousness' idea, as opposed to Bertie's 'mental consciousness'. There are many examples in this one story, that is true. I sighted the part when Maurice was alone at the top of the stairs and felt his way to the bathroom. I posted that whole section and blantantly Lawrence comes out with the whole idea in that part of the story and text, he states the blood consciousness words, I believe. I posted some of the text on that part and pointed that out a few pages back.
This is a good point you have stressed: "Maurice is at peace with his situation and the inactivity is actually a plus. Above he responds with 'Oh, I don't know. There's a good deal when you're not active.' And he couldn't tell you what exactly is the reason. The reason is that Maurice has achieved the Lawrencian ideal of life."
I agree with that.
Also, I like the way you discuss the 'flower' idea. I had not touched on that idea of Lawrence's, but you are absolutely right. Maurice is even anchored to the earth, as a flower would be. As I said, in listening to certain parts in WIL, last night, I really got the fuller/richer meaning of these Lawrence ideas - the blood consciousness and the flower idea and the tactile idea in darkness, which made the 'blood consciousness', so much more real and apparent; important to the characters.

[Virgil]

Virgil, do you think the ending is a transfiguration for the two males?

No I don't. Maurice is not in any need of transfiguration. He transfigured one would assume before the events of the story, perhaps with war event that blinded him. Bertie defnitely does not undergo a transfiguration.

[Virgil]

This first part though stands out to me in that now Isabel is taken into the blind world of the blind man by entering the darkened barn - she is experiencing her own transfigurative experience by feeling blind herself within the confines of the darkness. If you notice the smells in the barn and the kitchen have been enhanced and when she completely immerses herself in the blackness she experinces sounds and odours completely as new in experience and greatly enhanced. Here it the text to the parts I am referring to:



I underlined the key words and also note twice light or white is mentioned since Isabel will soon be emersed in darkness and obscurity as her husband is in his blindness. Then below is the actual experience in the darkness as she progresses into the sightless night. I thought this writing was brilliant:



Interesting last line since a few stories I have read of Lawrence's refer to a tower of light for a man and not of darkness. Yes, this line is so significant in this story to my mind and says so much. Amazing writing. Now back in the house - going through the passages back to Isabel's world of sight:



What a contrast at first to her view of him in the yard with feet planted firmly on the ground. Now in the house he "wavered, and went cautiously".



This last part one can see that transition again back into Isabel's world of sight and how unsure the blind man is at first coming back into this world, until he gets his bearings again. Then when he goes upstairs, again he is enveloped in his own world of sightlessness and darkness:



Here is where the Lawrence idea and philosophy of blood consciousness comes into the story strongly stated. The writing is so poetic and flows as the consciousness does. Wonderfully expressed in this last paragraph!





This further expands on the idea and how when he is not intune with the blood consciousness or given over to it his life is then in chaos.

Very good points in here Janine. I might quibble with the statement that Isabel has her own transfigurative experiece as I put your words in bold above. I would characterize it as she has come in contact with that other world that Maurice is in contact with and so she has been enriched by it. But I couldn't claim that Isabel understands that world or really is enveloped in it. The blindness is very interesting. Maurice actually can see a different world than the visual healthy people. Lawrence believes in this other world. This other world is the same world that animals see and experience. It's a world outside of reason. I don't think Isabel sees this other world but does come in contact with it. If that makes sense.

[Virgil]

Yes, when I was reading over the story, it seems to me that in someways, Isabel seems to take her husband's blindness on to herself. As when he husband is in darkness, or when she could not see him, he becomes invisible to her, and she becomes frightend of him, and she is only reassured once she can see him again.




Yes, I rather liked the line, and in many ways, Isabel seems to take a comfort within the blindess of her husband, though sometimes it becomes overwhelming and frightening, it seems to her also exhilierating, as it does not seem he attempts in anyway to prevent her from acting within the world outside of him, but she seems to choose to live in isolation with him, and seems content in doing so.

The anxiety she feels in the darkness is a suggestion that she cannot see the same world that maurice sees. Her satisfaction seems to be as a result of her contact with Maurice. Not that she lives a life of blood consciousness. If Maurice were to leave her for some reason, I think Isabel would be more like Bertie.

[Virgil]

Virgil will comment on Lawrence's blood philosophy

Here is the quote that explains Lawrence's blood philosophy.

From 8 December 1915 letter to Bertrand Russell,
page 470 of The Letters of D.H. Lawrence: June 1913-October 1916.

I have been reading Frazer’s Golden Bough and Totemism and Exogamy. Now I am convinced of what I believed when I was about twenty—that there is another seat of consciousness than the brain and nerve system: there is a blood-consciousness which exists in us independently of the ordinary mental consciousness, which depends on the eye as its source or connector. There is the blood-consciousness, with the sexual connection, holding the same relation as the eye, in seeing, holds to the mental consciousness. One lives, knows, and has one’s being in the blood, without any reference to nerves and brain. This is one half of life, belonging to the darkness. And the tragedy of this our life, and of your life, is that the mental and nerve consciousness exerts a tyranny over the blood-consciousness, and that your will has gone completely over to the mental consciousness, and is engaged in the destruction of your blood-being or blood-consciousness, the final liberating of the one, which is only death in result. Plato was the same. Now it is necessary for us to realise that there is this other great half of our life active in the darkness, the blood-relationship: that when I see, there is a connection between my mental-consciousness and an outside body, forming a precept; but at the same time, there is a transmission through the darkness which is never absent from the light, into my blood-consciousness: but in seeing, the blood-percept is not strong. On the other hand, when I take a woman, then the blood-percept is supreme, my blood-knowing is overwhelming. There is a transmission, I don’t know of what, between her blood and mine, in the act of connection. So that afterwards, even if she goes away, the blood-consciousness persists between us, when the mental consciousness is suspended; and I am formed then by my blood-consciousness, not by my mind or nerves at all.

He wrote the letter to Bertram Russell, who I believe was the Bertie Reid was based on.

[Virgil]

Yes, this is very true, and this is something of which I have first hand experince with. My boyfriend was in Iraq, and was sent home becasue of injuries he sustained, and he suffers from PTSD, and infact, though he is not completly blind, one of the affects of his injuries, as his vision. He has very low vision now, in such a way that it does impact his daily life and a lot of some of the things he use to be able to do, he cannot anylonger

Oh sorry to hear about your boyfriend's injuries D-M. Those brave men and women who are soldiers have my heart. I hope he recovers fully. But now that I have read this story twice and digested it, I don't think there is any the war theme in it. The war is just the mechanism by which Maurice experiences his accident.