Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence | Part 1, Chapter 4: The Young Life of Paul

Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Part 1, Chapter 4: The Young Life of Paul from D.H. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers.


D.H. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers deals with an English mother and her incestuous relationships with her male children.

Stymied by her coal miner husband's lack of affection for her, Mrs. Morel turns her attentions to her eldest son. As her sons age, they seek love from other women.

When her husband dies, she then focuses her love on her youngest, who appears to return her feelings.

Still, he engages in dalliances with two other women, hoping to find fulfillment in their sexual engagement. One is intent on marriage and the other is already married but not particularly concerned with her prior relationship.

As his mother ages and grows ill, he becomes disgusted with her and his romantic feelings diminish. Eventually, he and his sister poison her with morphine in the hope that her death will emancipate him from his feelings.

He considers returning to a relationship with his first young love, but instead decides to pursue an independent life.

D. H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers was first published in 1913. Heralded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and best known for his controversial, erotic novels—including Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Sons and Lovers—Lawrence wrote works steeped in human sensuality and desire.

The dramatic novel Sons and Lovers contains many central themes, including an Oedipus complex, as Mrs. Morel’s suffocating love keeps her sons from pursuing their passions; passion and love, as characters swing violently between love and hate as they define relationships; and bondage, as societal mores, addiction, and fear keep characters from their dreams. Important symbols include the swing, fire, and stockings.


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