Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 D.H. Lawrence-1

1.2 Sons and Lovers-1

1.3 Literature Review-2

1.4 Thesis Structure-3

Chapter Two Ecofeminism-4

2.1 Origin and Development of Ecofeminism-4

2.2 Features of Ecofeminism-5

2.3 Ecofeminism in China-5

Chapter Three Interpretation of Sons and Lovers from Ecofeminist Perspective-7

3.1 Men’s Domination over Nature-7

3.1.1 Men’s Domination over Nature and Nature’s Revenge-7

3.1.2 The Roots of Men’s Domination over Nature-8

3.2 Men’s Oppression on Women and Women’s Rebellion-9

3.2.1 Men’s Oppression on Mrs. Morel and Her Rebellion-10

3.2.2 Men’s Oppression on Miriam and Her Rebellion-11

3.2.3 Men’s Oppression on Clara and her Rebellion-12

3.2.4 The Roots of Men’s Oppression on Women-12

Chapter Four Lawrence’s Ideals of an Ecofeminist World-14

4.1 The Ideal Relationship between Men and Nature-14

4.2 The Ideal Relationship between Men and Women-14

4.3 Lawrence’s Love for Nature and Feminist Thought-15

Chapter Five Conclusion-17

References-18

Abstract

David Herbert Lawrence was one of the most important writers in the 20th English literature. Also, he was one of the controversial writers at that time. His works mainly include novel, poetry, drama, prose, letters and so on. Sons and Lovers is one of his most well-known works. The novel describes emotional entanglements among the main character Paul, his mother Mrs. Morel and his two lovers—Clara and Miriam. By means of showing dual opposition between human and nature, men and women, Lawrence revealed the harm of capitalist industrial civilization , which caused the destruction of nature, distortion and alienation of human nature, as well as men’s oppression on women, which just reflect the thought of ecofeminism.

Since the novel was published, it has drawn much attention from many scholars and critics, and they have interpreted it from various points of view. Most of them have applied the theories, like psychoanalysis, feminism, archetypal criticism and so on to interpret the novel, and usually focus on Oedipus complex, opposition between men and women, and capitalist destruction of human. However, only few scholars have studied in depth female care and ecological ethics from the combined perspective of women and nature. 

On the basis of previous research, this paper attempts to interpret this novel from the perspective of ecofeminism. The first chapter will briefly introduce Lawrence’s life and literary achivement, along with the main content and present study on Sons and Lovers. The second chapter will briefly introduce ecofeminist literary criticism by combing thorugh its characteristics, main concepts, development and impact. The third part is the core part of this novel, which will analyze the novel from the perspective of ecofeminism. It will analyze men’s control over nature and nature’s revenge on human beings, and then take three main women for instance to analyze men’s domination over women and women’s rebellion. The fourth chapter will explore the changing process from the opposition between human and nature to the harmony between human and nature, and proceed to analyze Lawrence’s ideal ecological world, where human and nature, men and women can live in harmony, and it also analyze the reasons for the formation of his pioneering ecofeminist ideas and social background. The last one is the conclusion of the paper.

Keywords: Sons and Lovers  ecofeminism  nature  men  women