Lady Chatterley’s Lover
by D.H. Lawrence
★★
Lady Constance Chatterley marries her husband shortly before
World War I. He returns from the war paralyzed from the waist down. Their relationship
continues to stagnant in the countryside until she has an affair with their gamekeeper,
Oliver Mellors. The book was considered incredibly racy it was published in
1928. The full novel wasn’t even published in England until 1960. I decided to
read this because it’s one of the most banned books of all time.
To me, the novel was a gross simplification of love.
Physical love is part of relationships, but it’s not the only element. Lawrence
seemed to think that without the physical connection there was no way that
Constance and her husband Clifford could ever love each other. Her superficial connection
with Oliver never rang true to me.
Oliver Mellors’ character was hard to stomach. He’s racist,
homophobic, selfish, and quick to lose his temper. The only thing Constance actually
has in common with him is their mutual physical attraction. It’s hard to
believe Lawrence’s premise that this is the most powerful relationship she can
have. It would be more believable if Constance had an affair with him, began to
understand the importance of the physical side of relationships and then found
someone that satisfied both the physical and mental desires that she had.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s a classic and I’m glad I read it, but it’s
definitely not a new favorite. Lawrence writes some beautiful passages, but the
characters and the plot fell short.
The book was banned in countries all over the world.
There was even a trial because of the content. You can read more about it here.
Past Banned Books Week Posts
2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011.
