Comment on Oedipus complex reflected in "Sons and Lovers"

David Herbert Lawrence is a great novelist of human psychology. His novel “Sons and Lovers” is based on modern psychology. He has a wide knowledge of human character. He has drawn many distinguishing characters in his novel. The relationship between Paul and his mother is a case of ‘Oedipus complex’.

          ‘Oedipus complex’ is a phrase. It means the excessive affection of a child for the parent of the opposite sex to him or herself. In other words, it means that a mother’s love for her son and a son’s love for his mother are fundamentally based upon the attraction between opposite sexes. According to an ancient myth, a man called Oedipus had killed his father and married his mother.

          William is the eldest and favourite son of Mrs. Morel. He loves his mother very much and in the same way his mother also loves him very much. Mrs. Morel had been cherishing high ambition about his son’s future. She had been feeling very proud of him. Especially she had felt proud when he got a job in London on a decent salary. She felt a little disappointed when he fell in love with a superficial girl, Lily Western. William had loved his mother deeply too. That is why; when he had gone to London he kept writing loving letters to her. Now, the love between William and Mrs. Morel was not a case of ordinary love. The love part on William’s as an example of ‘Oedipus complex’.

          After the death of her eldest son, Paul becomes the focus of her life. But Paul has a love relationship with Miriam. Mrs. Morel does not tolerate the absorbing nature of Miriam. Mrs. Morel thinks that she is becoming neglected by her son because of his relationship with Miriam. At that time, Paul tries to console his mother by telling that he loves his mother not Miriam. But his mother cannot understand it. She again and again tells that she cannot bear it at any cost.  Here Paul’s love with Miriam is neglected by his mother. This extract shows the Oedipus complex.

          Mrs. Morel’s love for Paul had an element of anguish in it, because she was all the time feeling uneasy over the thought that Paul was wasting his time and energy over the wrong girl. Later, Mrs. Morel wanted Paul to give up his relationship even with Clara because Clara was a married woman. Paul had developed a sexual relationship with Miriam; and at the same time, he had developed a sexual relationship with Clara. But he could not discuss this matter with his mother. It was another part of Oedipus complex.

          There is another touch of Oedipus complex in Paul’s love relationship with his mother. His love for her even proved an obstacle in the way of his loving any other woman in a normal manner. When she felt ill, he again showed extraordinary devotion to her. During her illness he had no peace of mind at all.

Tears would flow from his eyes when he saw her suffering. He spoke to Clara about his mother’s lingering illness. It was a long pain which made him feel feverish. He often addressed his mother as ‘Pigeon’ and ‘my Little’ as if she were his sweetheart and sweet lover.

          To sum up, we may safely be said that ‘Oedipus complex’ is a leading theme of this novel. In this novel, the novelist has concentrated his attention largely on the relationship between Paul and his mother. Here, Paul is D.H. Lawrence himself; and Paul’s mother is Lawrence’s own mother.