You may also like: D.H. Lawrence for Leaving Cert English
Write an introduction to the poetry of D.H. Lawrence for readers new to his work. In your answer you should discuss subject and themes, and his use of language and verse forms.
Essay credit: Emma Flanagan. Some exotic but well-founded interpretations ahead. Excellent essay.
Born in Northern England during the height of the Industrial Revolution, D.H. Lawrence was a rebellious poet and writer. He grew up in a working-class, coal-mining family, and his bleak childhood greatly influenced his outlook on life and the themes espoused in his work; namely nature, death, sexuality and identity. He was a creator of raw, sincere poetry, with a tendency to challenge social norms and address society’s taboos. Contrary to the industrialised and modern society that he was surrounded by, he shunned materialism and instead glorified nature and its incandescent beauty. Whilst adopting a number of varying tones throughout his poetry; ranging from tender to savage – depending on his point of view, his work remains fundamentally honest. His poems are largely experimental with regards to structure and language, reflecting his incessant inquisitiveness about the world.
D.H. Lawrence uses deeply poignant language in the moving elegy “Call into Death” in which he laments the death of his mother and outlines his yearning to be with her. This poem confronts one of society’s greatest taboos – the transience of life. The use of unique metaphors mirrors the bewilderment and confusion associated with the grieving process. His plain, honest, conversational expression; “Since I lost you, my darling” conveys genuine emotion and suggests his anguish at being separated from his “dear” mother. The notion of his immense pain is furthered when he claims that “the sky has come near”, indicating that the weight of his grief is an all-encompassing power. His “tenacious feet” also embody the harsh reality of his inescapable torment – he is shackled to his suffering. It is clear that Lawrence feels isolated from his mother, and his beautifully heart-wrenching turn of phrase eloquently communicates his feelings of loneliness. I personally am quite taken with his haunting image of “a white bird among snow-berries”. The colour white symbolises purity and represents the perfect, unblemished nature of their bond. Simultaneously, it demonstrates the camouflaging of the bird with its surroundings, alluding to the invisible yet inevitable inclusion of death in life. I found Lawrence’s macabre musings into the omnipresence of death to be both utterly chilling and incredibly emotive.
A similarly emotional poem is “Piano”. For me it was emotional on many levels, not least because I myself am beginning my adult life and could partially relate to Lawrence’s nostalgic tone as he recalls “the glamour of childish days”, but also, I was completely moved by Lawrence’s sheer candidness as he speaks openly about expressing his emotions, railing against the stiff upper lip stereotype to which Victorian men were expected to adhere to. His reluctance to recall his childhood, “in spite of myself”, suggests he is initially trying to remain stoic and apathetic, holding fast to the rigid gender roles instilled in him by society. However, the aural imagery of “the boom of the tingling strings” coupled with “the insidious mastery of song”, unravels his composure and he is rendered helpless to the entrancing music that “betrays me back”. The syntax becomes disjointed, “the heart of me weeps”, reflecting his obvious distress at this deep-rooted yearning “to belong”. I think it is very important to note that Lawrence never clarifies what it means to him to “belong”. Does he long to fit in with his peers and be a typified pillar of masculinity? Or does belonging to him mean true self-expression and the freedom to live without masquerading? In typical Lawrence style, he doesn’t exactly specify his meaning, leaving it up to the reader to interpret in a fashion that resonates most profoundly with them.
“The Mosquito” is another vague poem with hazy meanings. In the many convoluted epithets, the speaker has a one-way conversation with the insect. Many critics debate what the “winged blood-drop” mosquito symbolises. I personally am of the view that it is an extended metaphor for Lawrence’s sexual awakening. This poem is written in free-verse, thus setting it in the present tense and this has the effect of creating cinematic imagery as the action takes place right before our eyes, like we too experience his epiphany. Initially Lawrence speaks of the mosquito playfully, and almost in an endearing manner; “When did you start your tricks, Monsieur?”. His language is frivolous and his tone, admiring when describing the “weightless” insect that can “weigh no more than air”. He then mentions “a woman” and “the Winged Victory”. The divine feminine imagery catapults the plot of the poem and the tone instantly shifts to fear and panic. This clearly indicates to me that his sexuality was already fragile, like the rickety, frail mosquito, and then upon interacting with a woman, he is left reeling with the realisation that he is not heterosexual. His carefully chosen vocabulary of malicious insults; “frail corpus”, “phantom shred”, “a dull clot of air”, “ghoul on wings”, “you speck”, all result in a very charged atmosphere as he grapples to accept his sexuality. His confusion clouds his mind and consumes his thoughts, “your evil little aura, prowling, and casting a numbness in my mind”. The mystical imagery of “filthy magic” and “tricks”, coupled with the sibilant “streaky sorcerer” creates an overwhelming sense of danger and peril. I think it can be undisputedly stated that Lawrence is alluding to the fact that homosexuality was criminalised at this time, and that the speaker fears for his fate. The brutal ending is bittersweet. Lawrence tries, albeit unsuccessfully, to convince both us and himself that he has conquered and vanquished what society perceives to be evil and impure, “what a dim dark smudge you disappeared into!”. However, I think this is only a temporary release. He is trying to regain a sense of power and take control of his circumstances but cannot truly do so, due to the fact that his feelings will inevitably rearise, akin to the circle of life. The nature imagery that pervades the entirety of this poem acts to acknowledge this, while also ingeniously highlighting the reality that sexuality is not a choice, but something intrinsic and instinctive. D.H. Lawrence’s masterful storytelling prowess in “The Mosquito” is awesome and it is irrevocably my favourite poem on the Leaving Cert course.
“Snake” is very different thematically to the aforementioned poems. It mainly focuses on judgement and guilt. It is an incredible example of Lawrence’s talent for creating phenomenal imagery. The language is accessible and undressed, and the syntax is that of normal speech, “And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid”. This propels the storyline and makes it impossible to stop reading. The repetition of “and” and the rhetorical questions also pique interest. The snake is an extended metaphor for the unconventional, and the taboo. Lawrence’s conscience is conflicted, and instincts challenge indoctrination, “The voice of my education said to me / He must be killed… But must I confess how I liked him”. It is refreshing to see Lawrence be confident and unapologetic in his behaviours, “I longed to talk to him”, “I felt so honoured”. The vivid description of the snake returning to the “burning bowels of the earth” is fascinating but also melancholic. The frequent use of colour – “black” and “blackness” illustrates the dark existence of this creature living underground, hiding its existence from society. It is not accepted, and thus moves “slowly”, wearily. However, Lawrence’s initial awe vanishes as he succumbs to social mores and judges the snake, obeying “the voices of my accursed human education”. He turns violent and throws “a clumsy log” at it, and it “writhed like lightning”. His remorse is instantaneous, “I immediately regretted it”. The whole notion that Lawrence could cave fully to society’s diktat is a powerful symbol of the control and influence that is exerted over us by our communities. The overriding message of this poem is to be wary of letting ourselves be ruled by the opinions of others. Again, the nature imagery highlights the struggles of finding one’s place in the natural world.
To conclude, I found D.H. Lawrence’s vigorous poetry to be incredibly interesting and it provided great insight into the complex inner workings of his mind. The defining feature of his poetry is that it is deeply introspective but still manages to dissect universal themes, and experiences that resonate with all. His use of imagery is unparalleled, and remnants of his memorable musings will forever be etched in my brain. As Kenneth Rexroth said, “the accuracy of the mind of Lawrence’s observations haunts the mind permanently”.
