Redrawing the Gender Boundary in D. H. Lawrence’s Selected Stories

Abstract

The study in the Selected Stories “The Rocking Horse Winner,” “The Odour of Chrysanthemum,” “The Blind Man,” and “Things” of D. H. Lawrence has endeavored to bring out the condition of women in the society. In the stories, women cross the demarcation generated by the patriarchal society. Males impose their supremacy on females but the females boycott them and do different activities remaining out of patriarchal restriction. Women are limited in household activities. They have to suffer from diverse problems. They don’t get support from men even in harsh situation. So, they attempt to exist independently.

In the stories, the women characters, Hester of “The Rocking Horse Winner,” Elizabeth of “The Odour of Chrysanthemum,” Isabel of “The Blind Man,” and Valerie of “Things” try to cross the gender boundary. Hester joins in a job to solve money problems as well as to maintain social status. Elizabeth takes out her hand from cleaning, washing and arranging bed for drunkard husband. Isabel restrains extra-marital affairs with Bertie despite her husband’s skeptic nature. Whereas, Valerie struggles to settle down her husband and family. While observing these, the characters seem to be facing the constraints boldly. Therefore, they try to sustain their lives without depending upon others. All the stories emphasize on to treat women as their ability and capacity not by their sexual organs.