Summary Of Chapter IX And Chapter XXX Of “Women In Love” (D.H. Lawrence)

In chapter IX- Coal dust of “Women in love” (D.H Lawrence), the very first situation explaining how the Brangwen sisters and Gerald Crich met was given. Also, from this situation the different opinions and characteristics of the three characters are portrayed. Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen were two sisters living in a coal-mining town in the Midlands of England in the 1910s. Ursula was a teacher at the local school, Gudrun was an artist. One afternoon, going home from school, the Brangwen girls came to the railway crossing where they found the gate shut. While they were waiting for the train to pass away, they encountered Gerald Crich, the son of the owner of the local coal-mine. Gerald appeared as a man of picturesqueness in the eyes of Gudrun. However, the way he treated his Arab mare remarkably annoyed Ursula. Right from that moment the separation in the opinions of the two girls was clearly shown. Gudrun was enamored and captivated by Gerald's performance on the horse as much as Ursula was repulsed by it. Gudrun loved Gerald for the same while Ursula was livid at his treatment of the horse and hated him. When the locomotive went by the mare was pityingly horrified. However, Gerald thrusted her back against herself, brought her back again and again. Ursula thought that Gudrun was cruel as he “tortured” the horse. She really hated Gerald by his action. That was why she then had an argument with the gate keeper, who seemed to protect the son of the owner of local coal-mine.

Later in chapter XXX- Snowed up, Ursula fell in love with and married Rupert Birkin, a school inspector, while Gudrun and Gerald started a love affair. All four characters went on holiday together to the Swiss Alps. Ursula and Rupert decided to go on to Italy, leaving Gudrun and Gerald to stay on at the hotel. During that time, Gudrun felt that Gerald seemed to press upon her more and more, and she could handle him no more. She doubted his love for her and tortured him by asking him continuously whether he loved her or not. Although Gerald admitted his love for Gudrun, she denied it with obstinacy. Gerald was very angry, and he dropped off his clothes, went into bed and lay like a man suddenly overcome by drunkenness. Gudrun came and soothed him into obedience. At last, he was given again, warm and flexible. He gathered her in his arms and they comforted each other. In the next days, Gudrun could not help thinking whether he should leave or not. It seemed to him that Gudrun was sufficient unto herself, close round and completed like a thing in a case. He could see that, to exist at all, he must be perfectly free of Gudrun, but then he must stand by himself, in sheer nothingness. He had a conflict deep inside. In the evening, they climbed together to see the sun set, and it was the place where Gudrun and Gerald broke up.