1
PREFACE
D. H. Lawrence, the celebrated novelist, was a man with
many
accomplishments.
His
interesting world-view.
understood
when
novels with a
we
novels
This world-view
of the
deflect
Lawrence
these
our
two
His
and
can be more deeply
of
the
writer is not so
much
fame as a novelist sometimes tends
attention
always
fresh
short stories. The fact that
D.H. Lawrence is a great short story
to
a
set to supplement our reading
reading
taken into account.
present
from
his
maintained a kind of
short
stories.
distinction
art forms namely novels and short
But
between
stories.
His
treatment of theme while writing a short story is noticeably
different
from
his treatment of the same
in
writing
the
novels. Lawrence's fame as a short story writer doesn't rest
simply
in
"Tickets
a few commonly anthologised short
Please",
Rocking-Horse
output
is
"Odour
Winner."
of
Chrysanthemums"
In actuality,
quite impressive.
stories
-the
Additionally,
like
and
volume
"The
of
his
the range
and
diversity of his short stories are really outstanding.
Though
different
Lawrence's
people,
stories
deal
with
his interest is concentrated on
depths of personality.
his
short
many
certain
His essential vision is contained in
stories and he is at his own best when the
limitations
of the short story form force some shape and brevity on
and
make
him
concentrate
on
the
story
itself.
In
him
my
11
dissertation,
there will be emphasis more on theme,
rather
than on the technique of Lawrence's short stories.
In
Chapter-I,
the distinctive qualities of Lawrence's
writings as a whole have been discussed, together with brief
selective
comments on the qualities of greatness of
D.
H.
Lawrence. Lawrence's vision of life in his short stories has
been discussed.
His essays and letters have also been taken
up as points of reference.
In
Chapter-II,
development
of
I
short
Lawrence's
bearing
description
has
have discussed
the
stories
general
with
in
the
been given,
a
tradition
tradition.
way,
and
Further,
as to how Lawrence
enriched and adapted himself to the rich
and
a
modified,
tradition of short
stories.
In the next Chapter,
whether
division
clearer
and
a
attempt
has
been made to find out whether
comment
that the stories present no consistent pattern
though
they
references
of
effort has been made to find
the stories into groups can
better understanding
of
the
yeild
stories.
Graham
the
novels,
the
links
among
a
An
Hough's
are full of illuminating parallels and
to
out
and
cross-
the
tales
up
some
themselves are fewer, is really valid.
In
the
significant
fourth
Chapter,
I
have
stories of Lawrence for an
taken
indepth
discussion
and analysis. The stories "Odour of Chrysanthemums" and "The
Prussian
Officer"
have
been
analysed
at
length.
The
"Daughters
of
the
Vicar"
has
won
acclaim
from
perceptive
readers for its analysis of the effect of
the
class
upon individual and their relationships. The theme of female
aggression
is
dealt
Horse Dealer's
with
in
Daughter" the
is well presented though
"Tickets
young
charged
Please."
social
physical world
with symbolic power.
struggle against feminine inhibition appears in
"The Captain's Doll" and "The Ladybird."
Winner"
works.
was
In
for
In "The
"The
The
Fox",
"The Rocking-Horse
many years one of Lawrence's
"The Man who Loved Islands",
best
there is a
known
special
tone in which the master's love of islands is described.
A
summary
of
these probings or
enquiries
has
been
provided in 'the concluding chapter.
This
degree
dissertation was earlier submitted for the
examination.
One
learned
examiner of
suggested that some revisions have to be made.
the
thesis
has
suggestions.
been partly revised in the
He
Ph.D.
the
thesis
Accordingly,
light
of
his
suggested that the theme of "the flow
and
recoil of sympathy" in the works
of D.H. Lawrence should be
considered
way.
discussions
in
on
a
more detailed
the
form
of the
He
short
also
story
felt
that
should
be
improvised. A few other suggestions are as follows :
(a)
in
The superiority of "The Dead" (Joyce) over "The
the Rose Garden" (Lawrence) should be more
shown,
(b)
Shadow
convincingly
(p.62.)
Lawrence's place in the English moral tradition
be brought to sharper focus.
should
(c)
The
possibility whether Lawrence did some violence
the
form of the short story should
be examined
with
to
more
care.
(d)
The use of language by means of which Lawrence
defined
and
enriched his themes should be discussed in a better and
more sustained way.
(e) The occasional overlappings and repetitions must be done
away with.
These
aforementioned
suggestion;; and also
the
other
accompanying suggestions have been given the utmost possible
attention.
I have tried my level best: to revise the
thesis
in the light of the remarks made by the esteemed examiner.
I
Nath
wish to express my sincere gratitude to Sri Hirendra
Dutta,
Reader in English,
Gauhati
University
under
whose supervision I have completed my work. I am indebted to
him
for his keen interest and meticulous care in guiding me
throughout rny project i.nspite of his busy schedule.
I
would like to record my appreciation and
Professor
sending
Aruna
thanks
to
Borpujari of Washington for helping me
by
relevant literature on this subject.
like to express my gratitude to Dr.
1 would
Anima Dutta of
also
Gauhati
University who encouraged me throughout my work.
Arati Biswas, Niva Thakuria, Dr. Rani M. Deka, Joyiyoti
Goswami,
Namita
Dr.
Deka,
Rita Sarma,
Jabi n Akht.ar,
Sumitra Choudhury,
Minu Devi, Sunita Agarwalla, Dr.
Manjari Sharma,
Ranjita Choudhury,
Babi
Baruah,
Gourima Kalita, Amar
V
Barooah,
Purabi
Choudhury
mention
during
and
and
Sarma
Barooah,
Ranjit
Choudhury,
Baruah
Saikia
deserve
Anuradha
heartfelt
thanks for
the course of this study.
special
all
the
Aditi
special
encouragement
I would like to record my
thanks to ray colleagues,
friends and
well-wishers
who inspired me throughout my work.
My mother Mrs.
Runu Barooah,
my husband
Mr.
Hemanga
Kishore Sharma and my sister Dr. Indrani Barooah have always
inspired me to achieve excellence in pursuing my studies and
they
deserve special mention here.
I would like to express
my heartfelt thanks to my uncle and aunt, Mr. Anil C. Phukan
and
Mrs.
Rina
Phukan
and
Rashmi
Phukan
for
their
encouragement and help throughout my project.
I
am
Corporation
indebted
Ltd.,
for
to
Assam
providing
completing my work in time.
Mr.
Electronics
me
the
Development
facilities
for
I would like to specially thank
Krishnacharyya Baruah, Mr. Monoj Kr. Barua, Mr. Hemanta
Nath, Mr. Basanta Barthakur, Mr. Tirtha Sarmah and Mr. Ratan
Sarma
for
all their help to me for the
completion
of
my
would also like to thank the Librarian and Staff
of
work.
I
the Gauhati University Library,
The
British Council Library,
and co-operation.
National Library, Calcutta,
Calcutta for their kind
help
Lastly,
for
I must; mention the name of my daughter Trishna
the eagerness she showed me and the help she offered me
in her own way.
f
Guwahati
Dt.9 - 1 0 -<te>
Cl/-' < t • ' •
'
*
(
Nandini Barooah
Lecturer,
Department of English,
Dispur College,
Guwahati - 781 005.
(Assam)