A New Psychological Explanation Of Sons And Lovers

Sons and Lovers was D. H. Lawrence's first major novel, and it was evenregarded as his only major novel by some people. In the form of literature, the writerdescribed his own growing experience in childhood and adolescence, vividly andmeticulously. Within a short while of its being published, in 1913, there waswidespread agreement that the book was a masterpiece; by the 1920s, whilecontroversy raged around Lawrence's later work, such as Women in Love and LadyChatterley's Lover, its place in the standard repertoire was secure. With regard tothis, we can not help wondering what it is that makes the novel so charming.In fact, people have been trying to find out the answers to this question andexplore the meaning and vitality of this novel from various viewpoints, among whichthe study of the relationship between the text and Oedipus complex has been animportant one since the very beginning. However, knowledge increasing anddeepening, this point of view is undergoing more and more questioning, because ofthe limitation of the method and the weak points of Freud's psychoanalytic theory.Therefore, many people believe that the approach to combining psychology and thetext has come to an end, and they begin to attribute Paul Motel's tragedy to socialcircumstances, economic status, etc. On the one hand, these macroscopical viewsindeed strengthen our comprehension of Sons and Lovers. On the other hand, aren'tthere any other ways to make microcosmic explanations for Paul's early years withpsychology?This question is, actually, the starting point of my paper. Nowadays, the scienceof psychology has well developed. The psychoanalytic theory is no longer thedominating leader; new trends of thought spring up, and new approaches and methodsare still being brought in. What I want to do is to introduce these new psychologicaltheories into literary criticism, trying to give a new descriptive analysis of Paul'stragedy and make a different psychological interpretation of Sons and Lovers. This attempt proves to be positive and meaningful. Firstly, the introduction of systemicfamily theory helps further understanding of the mutual relationship of Paul's tragedyand his family surroundings. His personality defects are not only his faults, but theindispensable part of the whole family balance system. Besides, systemic familytheory helps further understanding of each family member and the interaction amongthem. Secondly, the introduction of some relevant theories and concepts ofdevelopmental psychology helps us get more clear recognition of the formation ofPaul's tragedy, from the beginning to the end. Besides, during this process, the writernotices some valuable details to which insufficient attention has been paid before, andcomes to some novel conclusions, such as the natural attachment of Paul to hismother, the misunderstanding of Paul to Miriam, and Paul's morbid defense, etc.Anyway, I believe this paper has made a good attempt at the combination ofpsychology and Sons and Lovers in the new context. As to the fundamental basis ofthis attempt, in essence, it is the true and vivid relationships which the novel revealsthat help. That may be the reason for its charm, and the source of its profoundthoughts.