D.H. Lawrence's "The Fox" and "Women in Love" Compared
This paper offers a comparative analysis of two D.H. Lawrence novellas, "The Fox" and "Women in Love," examining their parallel structures, themes, and characterizations. Both works center on pairs of women with contrasting personalities navigating love, independence, and relationships with men. The paper explores how Lawrence portrays female autonomy, the complexity of romantic relationships, and the influence of historical contexts — World War One and the industrial era — on gender dynamics. It also considers Lawrence's broader views on the nature of men and women and the complications inherent in love and marriage.
- Introduction: Overview of scope and comparative approach
- The Fox: Plot and Characters: Farm setting, Banford, March, and the soldier
- Women in Love: Plot and Characters: Sisters Ursula and Gudrun, contrasting relationships
- Parallel Themes and the Independent Woman: Female autonomy and historical context compared
- Lawrence's Views on Gender and Love: Lawrence's typology of men and women
- Conclusion: Key parallels and final takeaways summarized
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses direct textual quotations from both novels to support claims about character and theme, grounding interpretation in the primary source material.
- Maintains a clear comparative framework throughout, drawing explicit parallels between the two works rather than treating them as isolated analyses.
- Connects the literary themes to their historical contexts, noting how World War One and the industrial era shape characters' behavior and relationships.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative literary analysis by identifying structural and thematic parallels — paired female characters with opposing personalities, settings tied to significant historical moments, and contrasting attitudes toward love and marriage — and using these parallels to draw conclusions about an author's worldview. This technique shows how analyzing two works together can reveal patterns that might be less visible in a single-text reading.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief statement of intent, then dedicates separate sections to summarizing each novel's plot and characters. It moves into thematic comparison — focusing on the independent woman and historical context — before synthesizing Lawrence's apparent views on gender. It closes with a short conclusion that consolidates the key parallels identified throughout.
Introduction
This paper examines D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love and The Fox, discussing the mood of each novel and the similarities and differences between the two works. It also seeks to understand Lawrence's feelings on love and the relationship between the sexes.
The Fox: Plot and Characters
The Fox takes place on a farm during the post-World War One era. It tells the story of Banford and March — two unmarried women in their late twenties. March and Banford have opposite personalities: March is passive and fragile, while Banford is feisty and determined. The two women own and operate Bailey Farm together. Lawrence writes:
"They were neither of them young: that is, they were near thirty. But they certainly were not old. They set out quite gallantly with their enterprise. They had numbers of chickens, black Leghorns and white Leghorns, Plymouths and Wyandottes; also some ducks; also two heifers in the fields. One heifer, unfortunately, refused absolutely to stay in the Bailey Farm closes. No matter how March made up the fences, the heifer was out, wild in the woods, or trespassing on the neighbouring pasture, and March and Banford were away, flying after her, with more haste than success. So this heifer they sold in despair. Then, just before the other beast was expecting her first calf, the old man died, and the girls, afraid of the coming event, sold her in a panic, and limited their attentions to fowls and ducks." (Lawrence)
The novel takes an awkward turn when a young soldier comes to live at the farm. The women are taken aback by his presence, and he proceeds to attempt to reshape the way the farm is managed. Banford is able to see past the soldier's charming demeanor, while March is more passive and falls for his charismatic persuasion. The novel aggressively explores the power dynamics between the sexes and the changing times.
Women in Love: Plot and Characters
Similarly, Women in Love also explores the story of two women. In this novel the two women are sisters — Ursula and Gudrun — who are also in their twenties. As in The Fox, the two central female characters are opposites. Lawrence writes:
"Gudrun was very beautiful, passive, soft-skinned, soft-limbed. She wore a dress of dark-blue silky stuff, with ruches of blue and green linen lace in the neck and sleeves; and she had emerald-green stockings. Her look of confidence and diffidence contrasted with Ursula's sensitive expectancy. The provincial people, intimidated by Gudrun's perfect sang-froid and exclusive bareness of manner, said of her: 'She is a smart woman.'" (Lawrence)
Lawrence also explores the contrasting relationships these women have with their lovers. Ursula and Rupert are loving and affectionate toward one another, while Gudrun and Gerald are distant and detached. In addition, Ursula is more interested in marriage and sees it as an "experience" she longs to have, while Gudrun views marriage as "the end of experience." Lawrence also examines the relationship between the two sisters with a delicate touch:
"She laid down her work and looked at her sister. She thought Gudrun so charming, so infinitely charming, in her softness and her fine, exquisite richness of texture and delicacy of line. There was a certain playfulness about her too, such a piquancy or ironic suggestion, such an untouched reserve. Ursula admired her with all her soul." (Lawrence)
Both women are grappling with the benefits and drawbacks of marriage. Ursula believes that marriage will make life better and that she would be better off if she were married. Gudrun is far less certain and does not share that belief.
Parallel Themes and the Independent Woman
Like The Fox, Women in Love takes place during a pivotal moment in history — the industrial era. Lawrence explores the effect that industrialization had on human behavior and the changing roles of men and women in society. He seems to believe that the environment created by the industrial era made it more difficult for men and women to develop lasting relationships.
Both novels were ahead of their time in exploring the idea of the independent woman. In The Fox, the two women own and operate a farm by themselves. In Women in Love, both central characters are artists, and one has worked and studied away from home. The novels also present the reader with an insightful look at the interior lives and perspectives of women. Lawrence had a way of uncovering and delving into the thoughts of women that is remarkable for his era.
Conclusion
We can definitively conclude that these novels are very parallel to one another. In both cases, the women find that relationships with the opposite sex are unavoidable. They also discover that independence and marriage are two distinct states of being, each carrying its own consequences. They find, too, that D.H. Lawrence consistently portrays love as complicated and sometimes impossible to obtain.
Works Cited
Lawrence, D.H. Women in Love. Online Version.
Lawrence, D.H. The Fox.
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