Who is Gertrude Morel?
Gertrude Morel is the central character of the novel Sons and Lovers. She wife of Walter Morel and the mother of Paul and William Morel. But D. H. Lawrence draws her character after his own mother, Lydia, so there is a strong autobiographical connection that is seen throughout the novel. Although Lawrence mostly portrays her as a positive figure but one can easily guess her shortcomings when the story of love progresses further. She is dissatisfied from her husband; tries to find love in her sons and pretty much destroys them. But her character is made of both good and bad qualities.
Her Physical Appearance and her Hollowed Middle-Class Values
Gertrude Morel exhibits a decent physical appearance. She is short-statured. Her hair is as bright as copper and gold. Her eyes are clear and defiant blue.
Mrs. Morel comes from a noble middle-class family known as Coppards. Her father is an engineer. After Gertrude marries a coal miner, she does not consider it a noble value to mix up with a 'poor' person who can barely get enough income to pay a house rent. She feels pride in her own middle-class values. She lives in a house that is situated in the end of a street, while not hesitating to pay a higher rent. Her snobbish attitude is not limited to herself but she tries to transfer her thinking to her children by isolating them from mining. She feels contented on giving them a job with white collar.
Her Romantic Nature
Gertrude is moved by John Field when she is in her nineties but he rejects her in favour of a wealthy landlady. But this leaves an everlasting scar in her mind. When she is 23, she sees Walter Morel in a Christmas party. He is in his 27 and she likes his way of speaking and his unintellectual simplicity. In next Christmas, they are married.
Her Disillusionment of the Marriage
We are introduced to Gertrude when she is 31. She has been leading a disillusioned martial life because has not claimed the romantic bliss that she initially thought of. In fact, they could only enjoy the first three months of a happy married life.
Her romantic bliss is transformed into disillusioned agony when she discovers that the house does not belong to Walter and the bills if the furniture have not been paid. She is also dismayed by his excessive drinking. But she is annoyed most when she is unable to exchange her philosophical, religious as well as political views with him because he is a simple person. Although he listens to her conversation but he cannot answer her because he cannot understand.
Her Responsibility in Destroying their Marriage
It becomes clear in the novel that it is she who is responsible for the destruction of her marital life. Before, she chooses Walter because he is unlike her but later, she abhors him as he is unlike her. It is simple that she did not adapt herself to the new situation that would appear in her marriage life. She should have changed herself according to thr time but she tried to change her husband and it brought a significant ruin to her life,
The pity was, she was too much his opposite.
The result came in fierce quarrels between the couple. Walter used to bully her and even beat her. But his beastly man was awakened by her provoking nagging. For instance, he once, walked twelve miles with Jerry Purdy and when Gertrude knew about this incident, she made a storm out of it. In another occasion, when Walter returns home hungry and demands food from his wife, she replies coldly that she had better wait for a street dog. On hearing such remarks, he flings drawer at her, thus wounding her eyebrows. But, later, he deeply feels sorry for his misconduct and does not sleep for days. In simple words, Walter wants to lead a happy life with his wife but it is she who enrages him again that destroys their martial peace.
Her role in Making Husband-substitutes of her Sons
As soon as her children grow up, she gradually casts off her husband to a side and shifts all her attentions to her sons. In their childhood, their relationship is healthy. She feels as proud as a queen when William beings a prize for the first time. She even get them jobs in co-operate office for William and goes with Paul in Nottinghamshire for his interview at Jordon's.
It is when her sons reach adulthood when their relationship grows unhealthy. For instance, she says to Paul that she did not have any husband. Thus, making her sons a substitute for her husband. But it ruined their emotional lives. William died in Hospital jumping back and forth between Jim and his mother. And Paul could not get away from the influence of his mother even after her death. He was neither able to get the hand of Clara, nor Miriam.
Some Positive Traits
Despite the huge havoc that she brought upon her husband and her sons' emotional life, she had influenced their domestic lives in a positive manner. Firstly, she brought decent job opportunities to her sons. Secondly, she managed to stabilize the financial condition of their house. But in the end, it all ended on her tragic death that came silently. She kept her cancer a secret but her death was an intense suffering caused by cancer. Paul was so disheartened by her final scene that he gave her morphia to hasten her death. Indeed, her life ended on her tragic death.
Conclusion
The character of Gertrude Morel is something that highlights how emotional distances can lead to an utter destruction. She had some obvious shortcomings but at heart, she was a devoted mother who suffered throughout her entire life.
Sources and Suggested Readings
- Sons and Lovers - Study Guide by Famous Products - Page 94
- Lecture of Sir Faisal
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