This novel was way more insightful and thought-provoking than I was planning on. The book is about Constance’s-Lady Chatterley’s- realization that she cannot live with the mind alone; she must also be alive physically. This realization stems from a heightened sexual experience she had and has only felt with Mellors, a person who is not her husband, and not in the same class as she. This realization suggesting to her that love can only happen with the element of the body, not the mind. The brutally honest portrayal of this woman is fascinating. Especially for the time it was written. The main subject of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is not the sexual passages that were the subject of such debate, and court cases; but the search for integrity and wholeness. Lady Chatterley: Constance, and the man she has an affair with and eventually makes moves to stay with, Mellors, fall into a relationship that builds very slowly and is based upon tenderness, physical passion and mutual respect. As the relationship between them (Lady Chatterley and Mellors) develops, they learn more about the interrelation of the mind and the body; she learns that sex is more than a shameful and disappointing act, and he learns about the spiritual challenges that come from physical love.
The banning of this book for obscenity is interesting, in today’s world this is normal text, however the depth of the characters behind it are far more interesting to me and the language pattern used to tell this particular story lend it to some deep thinking about what this particular woman is going through and experiencing. Writing a woman this way was probably more to the reason it was banned. It’s a good book for discussion and its very well written. This is my first book by this author and I will be reading more in the future. An interesting book to write during this time that invoked a massive banning of the book and court cases; thereby making the book extremely sought after, even to this day. This was well worth the read, really so thought-provoking. HOWEVER, I would think college-aged kids is the lowest threshold for totally understanding and taking the book seriously. I have heard of this being a high school required reading and I just really can not fathom this being a good book for ages 14-18. Not for the language but for the idea and interpersonal theme. You just can’t grasp that at that age. Although you think you can.
I have been enjoying all these classic novels I have missed reading over the years. Researching and understanding their premise is very enlightening.
Peace.
