Paul—Clara Relationship in D. H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers

Sons and Lovers is one of a myriad of novels by D. H. Lawrence where he brilliantly examines the antagonism between spirituality or emotional attachment and sexuality or carnal attachment as part of an essential element of his philosophy of life— ‘the religion of blood’. As also suggested by Sigmund Freud, a human being’s main task is to keep these two key attributes in harmony. An imbalance of any of these attributes can cause disturbance in the progressive development of a person and/or his or her relationship as is seen firstly in the relationship between Paul and Miriam owing to the latter’s excessive spiritual musings and later on between Paul and Clara— a topsy-turvy.

Unable to reciprocate Paul’s overt sexual needs Miriam ends up introducing Paul to her friend Clara in a bid to hopefully fulfill these needs. Clara is a suffragette, who is separated from her husband and temporarily lodged with her mother which results in her engaging in a passionate sexual relationship with Paul, notwithstanding her scornful attitude to men. Since Paul has never had any sexual experiences Clara amazes him thoroughly because she is so sensual, unlike Miriam who is afraid of any physical contact and his mother who is not in a position to offer him such things. During their relationship, Paul matures from a boy into a man not only physically but also mentally. With Clara, there is a feeling of pervasive joy, untarnished by any tensions and reservations. But there is a very quick decline of their relationship. Clara too fails to satisfy Paul for any length of time. In fact, both of them tire of each other. Clara is too physical to keep his soul steady for long. It is through their relationship the novelist seems to be echoing Ray Bradbury’s dictum that is “Too much of anything isn't good for anyone”, and also emphasises the importance of both the soul and the body in the attainment of sexual harmony.