Brief Summary for the novel Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence

 

Women in Love

-        D. H. Lawrence

Women in Love is concerned with Lawrence’s philosophy of love. This novel depicts the story of two sisters who struggle with their own feelings, attitude and desires. This novel narrates the tragic involvement of four characters, Rupert Birkin, Urusula Bragwen, Gudrun Bragwen and Gerald Crich. Both of these sisters are educated and intellectual, but of contrasted nature. Their contrary character is brought out as the novel opens. Gudrun says bitterly on marriage. She doesn’t have any thought for bearing children. But Urusula seemed different in thought.

The Bragwen sisters experienced boredom with the wedding of Gerald’s sister. Rupert’s involvement with a domineering aristocratic woman ceases as he becomes increasingly attached to Urusula. In turn, Gerald pursues and captures the artist Gudrun, and the four decides to vacation together in the Alps.

Birkin disliked Ursula’s womanly feelings, her beauty or intimacy, Urusula is naturally puzzled at Birkin. Gudrun’s love for Gerald was born out of pity arising from his forlorn condition after the death of his father. In her first meeting she admires his gleaming beauty. Both of them are opposed to marriage but are physically involved. She gets attracted towards his maleness and not for his wealth. The love of Gerald fades as he meets Loerke.

In this novel Lawrence observes through Birkin, that the modern industrial humanity was an ugly blot on the otherwise fair universe. No romantic poet has given natural description so various, so vivid, so glowing and so deeply pulsating with emotion as Lawrence.