Previous
Baxter Dawes
Louisa Lily Denys Western is a secretary in London and William’s fiancée before his death. Louisa is a shallow, immature girl, who has been spoiled by her indulgent upbringing. She comes from a wealthy family and, though she only has low-paid secretarial work, she feels superior to William’s family and treats them like servants when she comes to visit. Louisa is an extremely careless woman who spends extravagantly and often loses expensive items that William provides for her. William treats Louisa badly because he finds her stupid and vain. He will not leave her, though (he feels sorry for her because her parents have recently died), and he believes that she cannot manage without him. At the same time, however, he believes that she would forget him immediately if he were to die. This suggests that Louisa is not hopeless without William, but that William enjoys controlling her and enjoys the fact that she relies on him because she is irresponsible and lazy and does not like being independent. Louisa gives the impression, however, of being harmless and oblivious; she does not mean to take advantage of William but does not seem to know how to act otherwise. Mrs. Morel even feels sorry for her because William is so unkind to her and calls her stupid to her face. After William’s death, Louisa makes an effort to stay in touch with the family for a short period but, as William predicted, she quickly loses interest and marries another man.
Louisa Lily Denys Western Quotes in Sons and Lovers
The Sons and Lovers quotes below are all either spoken by Louisa Lily Denys Western or refer to Louisa Lily Denys Western. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 5
Quotes
Mrs. Morel wondered, in her heart, if her son did not go walking down Piccadilly with an elegant figure and fine clothes, rather than with a woman who was near to him. But she congratulated him, in her doubtful fashion. And, as she stood over the washing tub, the mother brooded over her son. She saw him saddled with an elegant and expensive wife, earning little money, dragging along and getting draggled in some small ugly house in a suburb.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6
Quotes
William opened his eyes and looked at her. In his gaze was a certain baffled look of misery and fierce appreciation. “Has he made a sight of me?” she asked, laughing down on her lover. “That he has!” said William, smiling. And as he lay he continued to look at her. His eyes never sought hers. He did not want to meet her eyes. He only wanted to look at her, not to come together with her in her gaze. And the fact that he wanted to avoid her was in his eyes like misery.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“If you want to say these things, you must find another place than this. I am ashamed of you, William. Why don’t you be more manly. To do nothing but find fault with a girl—and then pretend you’re engaged to her—!” Mrs Morel subsided in wrath and indignation.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Sons and Lovers LitChart as a printable PDF.
Louisa Lily Denys Western Quotes in Sons and Lovers
The Sons and Lovers quotes below are all either spoken by Louisa Lily Denys Western or refer to Louisa Lily Denys Western. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 5
Quotes
Mrs. Morel wondered, in her heart, if her son did not go walking down Piccadilly with an elegant figure and fine clothes, rather than with a woman who was near to him. But she congratulated him, in her doubtful fashion. And, as she stood over the washing tub, the mother brooded over her son. She saw him saddled with an elegant and expensive wife, earning little money, dragging along and getting draggled in some small ugly house in a suburb.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6
Quotes
William opened his eyes and looked at her. In his gaze was a certain baffled look of misery and fierce appreciation. “Has he made a sight of me?” she asked, laughing down on her lover. “That he has!” said William, smiling. And as he lay he continued to look at her. His eyes never sought hers. He did not want to meet her eyes. He only wanted to look at her, not to come together with her in her gaze. And the fact that he wanted to avoid her was in his eyes like misery.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“If you want to say these things, you must find another place than this. I am ashamed of you, William. Why don’t you be more manly. To do nothing but find fault with a girl—and then pretend you’re engaged to her—!” Mrs Morel subsided in wrath and indignation.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
