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Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
D.H. Lawrence's writing style is rich in its use of figurative language, both in Lady Chatterley’s Lover and in his other novels, stories, and poems. The author is sometimes criticized for an overuse of metaphor and simile in his work. He certainly employs both very frequently to explain emotional nuance and sensual experience. As is also typical of this author, Lady Chatterley’s Lover contrasts romantic and dreamy language surrounding the pastoral with harsh, modern diction describing the industrial.
Lawrence juxtaposes Clifford’s imagined future of machines and efficiency with Connie’s desire for love and communion through his word choice, too. This novel’s diction swings between the explicit and the euphemistic. The writing is sometimes vague and suggestive and at other times absolutely clear and abrupt. This mirrors the book’s exploration of societal constraints and their relationship with truth: sometimes even the narrator cannot say things clearly. Lawrence doesn't shy away from using candid language, including curse words, to describe intimate scenes. This choice (among many others in this book) was highly controversial for its time, leading to the book being banned in many areas.
The syntax of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is as varied as its content. Lawrence crafts intricate, layered sentences to describe some aspects of Connie’s world, but he also uses simple, direct structures during moments of candor. This variety makes the novel feel dynamic and engaging, as the sentence structures reflect the unpredictability of its events. The novel's diction is also highly variable. It’s simultaneously elevated and artistic and matter-of-fact. Lawrence juxtaposes thoughtful, academic language with straightforward, earthy phrasing. He does this most obviously in his use of Black Country dialect, the accent Oliver Mellors speaks in. This duality is part of the novel's exploration of a 19th-century English view of intellect and social position. Lawrence often makes it clear that the things some characters say are taken less seriously because of the way their speech sounds.
Lastly, the pacing of Lady Chatterley's Lover is measured and consistent. Lawrence doesn’t rush through the events of the novel. Rather, he unfolds the relationships that form its center gradually. This allows his reader to understand the reasons why his characters make the choices they do, and it keeps even the most unpleasant characters from seeming one-dimensional.
Related Themes:
