An Psychological Analysis on Paul Morel’s Oedipus Complex

Abstract: Sons and Lovers is a famous autobiographical novel written by D. H. Lawrence. Based on Freudian theory of Oedipus complex, this thesis discusses Paul Morels Oedipus complex through the description of his love towards his mother, Miriam and Clara, so as to dig out the reasons for Pauls Oedipus complex.

Keywords: Oedipus complex; Sons and Lovers; Paul Morel

Sons and Lovers is an autobiographical story telling a working class boys growth in English Midlands. The setting of Sons and Lovers is in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire area of England in the 20th century. The Morels complicated relationship is the main clue of this novel. Paul, the little son, is unable to get rid of his mother, even after her death. This abnormal relationship is the main theme presented throughout the novel.

Ⅰ．Freudian Theory of Oedipus Complex

The concept of Oedipus complex refers to an ancient Greek mythology: a hero named Oedipus killed his father and married his mother unknowingly. According to this legend, Sigmund Freud posed the theory of Oedipus complex.

In Freuds opinion, in the early age of a boy, the first sexual partner he fancies is his mother. He wants his mother all to himself; finds his father in the way, becomes restive when the latter takes upon himself to caress her, and shows his satisfaction when the father goes away or is absent. (Zhu 107) According to the concept of Oedipus complex, if a child can not smoothly pass through this mental stage, there should occur an “infantile neurosis”.That is an important forerunner of similar reactions during the childs adult life. The superego also has its origin in the process of overcoming the Oedipus complex. Freud considers the reactions against the Oedipus complex the most important social achievements of the human mind. (106)

Ⅱ．The Development of Oedipus Complex in Sons and Lovers

Mrs. Morel, born in a middle-class family, doesnt enjoy a happy marriage life. She holds an unforgivable hatred towards her poor husband. They always quarrel with each other, even fight. She transfers her love to her two sons and treats them as her lovers. She plays the role of psychological dependence in the two boys mind. When Paul falls in love with Miriam, Mrs. Morel disapproves, for she is actually jealous of Miriam. When Paul stays with her, Mrs. Morel feels that he is absent-minded because of Miriam. She thinks “Miriam exults as she carries him off from me; she is not like an ordinary woman, who can leave me my share in him. She wants to absorb him. She wants to draw him out and absorb him till there is nothing left of him, even for himself…” (Lawrence 57) So she always treats Miriam as her rival. Bur Mrs. Morel allows Paul to stay with another girl named Clara, for she thinks Clara can only get Pauls body instead of his soul. So she can still get Pauls love and heart.

Paul does not feel free to fall in love with the woman he loves because of his deep love for his mother. When he is a boy, he loves his mother deeply and hates his father. He treats his father as a love rival. At the bottom of his heart, he wants to completely possess his mother. What makes him happy is that he can sleep with his mother. “Sleep is still most perfect, in spite of hygienists when it is shared with a beloved. The warmth, the security and peace of soul, the utter comfort from the touch of the other, kits to sleep, so that it takes the body and soul completely with its healing. Paul lay against her and slept, and got better, whilst she, always a bad sleeper, felt better and fell into a profound sleep that seems to give her faith”. (Lawrence 212)

When Paul falls in love with Miriam, he can not feel free to love her, because he is unconsciously influenced by his mother. He can not live on his way. Eventually, he ends the relationship because he loves his mother more. He obeys all her opinions and does all she wishes him to. As he grows up, he becomes completely enslaved by her. Every time he gets close to other women, he feels uneasy and guilty. He loves Miriam, but when they get very intimate, he wants to escape from her, because his mother takes the most important position.

Ⅲ．Reasons for Pauls Oedipus Complex

The primary reason for Pauls Oedipus complex is the inhumane living conditions brought by industrialization development under Capitalism, which destroys the happiness of a family and devastates the healthy development of peoples spirit. The Industrialization development under Capitalism makes Mr. Morel a working machine and destroys the harmonious relationship between his families. It also forces Mrs. Morel to pour her crippled love on her sons. Lawrence holds the opinion that Industrialization brings everyone an unforgettable scarce, weakening their character, narrowing their horizon, enslaving them under the machine, driving them with the productivity and consumption.

The second reason accounts for Pauls Oedipus complex is his inharmonious family environment. His mother pours too much care on him and misleads him to consider that care as sexual love. Paul spends too much time with his mother, and the character of father is ignored in his mind.

The third reason is Mrs. Morels character defects and her son-fixation. She dominates her sons and makes them fall in love with her. Thus, the disastrous effect occurs. If Mrs. Morels is satisfied with her marriage and sexual life, she will not allow this tragedy to happen. Mrs. Morel over-cares Paul, which causes the sons strong dependence on her body.

Conclusion:

Paul is really unlucky. His Oedipus complex influences his growth, making him become a man with character defects. In order to get rid of his mothers dominance, he longs for true love. But both of his lovers fail to provide a refuge for him. He tries to find the harmony between the spirit and flesh but in vain. Through his life, he still cannot find a direction for the future. His tragic destiny is inevitable, and it is hard to say whether or not his tragic fate can be ended.

Oedipus complex can be a serious even disastrous problem in human life. We should treat it seriously and prevent it from happening in our life. To live a happy and harmonious life and have a nice family, we should pay much attention to it, not only keep a healthy relationship with children but also give a right education to them. We should stick to the moral principle of having healthy love.

Works Cited

[1]Bernard, Knox. Oedipus the King. Oxford: Pocket Press, 1994.

[2]Champion, Neil. Life and Works of D. H. Lawrence. England: Wayland Ltd, 1989.

[3]Lawrence D. H. Sons and Lovers. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 1994.

[4]Zhu, Gang. Twenties Century Western Critical Theories. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001.

作者簡介：谢娇（1988-），女，四川成都人，四川外语学院研究生部2010级英语语言文学专业硕士研究生，研究方向：英语文学。