On Lawrence's "Sex-saving Strategy

For a long time, the critics think the main reason that Lawrence has become an outstanding contemporary writer does not lie in his innovation in the art of novel, but in his exploration of various alienation problems under the capitalist industrial civilization, especially in his deep exploration of the man-and-woman relationship, which can be found in almost all his works. Lawrence witnesses the hypocrisy and the decline of the British industrial society in the twentieth century Relieving that science and machinery are responsible for the destroy of the civilization and human nature, so he expects the retrieval of the human nature to save the society. Lawrence thinks that civilization can be completely overthrown by human instinct. Only by resorting to the harmonious interconnection of body and soul between man and woman can the body killed by Plato, Christ and machinery come back to life. The adjustment of the sexual relationship can be regarded as the key to regenerating life and spirit. So the adjustment of sexual relationship, the loving theme between man and woman, the pursuit of the healthy sexual relationship and the probe into the ideal marriage all very naturally become Lawrence's focus in his writing. In a letter to his friend, Lawrence frankly writes: " I sincerely believe we can save England from the present dispirited situation only by adjusting the sexual relationship and making it healthy and free.This essay focuses on the study of Lawrence's "sex-saving strategy" and analyses step by step its concrete connotation, how it comes into being, its philosophy, the so-called healthy relationship between man and woman and the ideal marriage, etc. and gives my own judgment.Lawrence has devoted all his life to probing into the ideal sexual relationship, which is mainly embodied in his 10 novels (a series of love novels), especially in his ten representative ones. In terms of the theme, "Sons and Lovers" criticizes the old abnormal sexual love which focuses solely either on soul or on body. Both "Rainbow" and " Women in Love" focus on the probe into the new and perfect sexual relationship and the ideal marriage~a star-like balancing relationship. However "Chatterley's Lover" not only intensifies the loving theme, but alsoreveals the saving effects of the sexual love on the alienation world of the twentieth century.This essay holds the opinion that Lawrence's initial intention on advocating the "sex- saving strategy" is positive. In the course of his probe, he consistently holds the same criterion, that is the "star-like balancing" principles, which include the following two aspects: on the one hand, man and woman should remain identical, that is they should keep harmonious or communicate either in mind or in body, as is called by Lawrence the "alliance", on the other hand, they should have their own independent mind, that is , neither side will replace the other.We can say Lawrence shows great religious passion and honesty in his attempt to save the dying soul of the people in the modern world. His pursuit of the ideal love between man and woman is as beautiful as the mirage. Although the idea of hegemony of man embodied in his novel ,to some extent, deviates from his loving model, yet, the revelation he gives us does not consist in whether his ideal sexual relationship is an illusion or whether his loving model is reasonable. On the contrary , he devotes all his life to the probe of the ideal sexual relationship, hoping to save the draining life vitality with human instinct. This is a spirit with sincere exploration and a courage with constant pursuit.