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The Rainbow is the earliest, and probably least well known of Lawrence’s major works, being overshadowed by its own sequel Women in Love which was published five years later in 1920. Stylistically and thematically, it is closer to his earlier novel Sons and Lovers (1913), except that the former drew from his early experiences, and The Rainbow draws on the emotions in his adult life and marriage, transplanted from the London social and literary circle to the Nottingham coalfields. The structures and themes of the two novels are broadly similar, as are the situations and characteristics of several of their major characters.
Both novels open with a prelude, describing the industrialisation of the English coalfields in the nineteenth century. However, compared to the earlier novel, this is considerably expanded upon, and place into context with the history of a Derbyshire farming family, the Brangwens, in the fictional village of Cossethay. In particular, it describes the profitable surrender of rich agricultural land to the coal mining operations and the canal serving them. By the turn of the twentieth century, the Brangwen family were better off than their neighbours, comfortably middle class, and able to support an unconventional lifestyle and outlook on life. However, this is never clearly stated, and it is possible that the author himself was not aware of how unusual his principal protagonists were. They are, clearly based on himself, partly as Ursula’s grandfather and partly as her lover, and the people close to him. Both Ursula herself, and her grandmother equally reflect aspects of Lawrence’s own mother and his wife.
The story is constructed as a classic multigenerational saga, except that as each new generation is brought into focus, the previous generation rapidly fade into the background. In the first chapter, Tom Brangwen, who married the polish refugee Lydia Lensky and adopted her daughter Anna, is central to the narrative. The youngest son of Alfred Brangwen and his unnamed wife, Tom’s childhood and coming of age is presented in exquisite, and sometimes emotionally brutal detail. His attraction to and confusion over the detached Lydia, as well as his love for the adopted daughter who initially rejects him is laid bare. However, by Anna’s teenage years, he has been reduced to a friendly two-dimensional figure who appears occasionally, and after the birth of Anna’s eldest daughter he is simply mentioned as the grandfather. In turn, as Ursula reaches maturity, Anna herself is relegated to being an anonymous mother, hovering in the background. In one sense, this is a powerful narrative tool which rejuvenates the novel, keeping it centred on the younger generation. Essentially, this creates three different novels, connected by a familial thread, focussing on very different emotional relationships. On the other hand, it may be disappointing for some readers to see a character, in whom they have made a significant emotional investment, vanish over the course of a few pages.
Like Sons and Lovers before it, The Rainbow faced allegations of pornography when it was first published, and was banned following a highly publicised obscenity trial. Because the book itself contains no explicit or graphic detail, Lawrence, and other later commentators, generally interpret the trial and censorship as an attack on the author, his lifestyle and his public commentary. However, this may be an oversimplification. The novel is explicit in its description of intense emotion, including sexual attraction and desire. In doing so, it takes, to an extreme, themes which started to appear in 19th century sentimentalism and domestic realism. It is much less influenced by traditional erotic literature, and like Lawrence’s other work, has in turn had extremely limited influence on modern erotic fiction. Unlike its predecessors, however, The Rainbow does not feature a traditional happing ending which resolves all outstanding matters. Instead, it completely leaves open both questions of whether Ursula had been pregnant, and what her future holds, while giving clarity on her determination and contentment.
David Herbert Lawrence was born on 11th September 1885 in Eastwood, a mining town serving ten collieries in the Nottingham Coalfields. His father was a miner at Brinsley Colliery and his mother, a former pupil teacher, worked in a lacemaking factory. In 1902 Lawrence also became a pupil teacher, and qualified as teacher in 1908. At this time he was already writing, and had completed the first draft of his first novel, The White Peacock.
In 1908, Lawrence moved to London, where he initially worked as teacher until 1911, when after a second bout of pneumonia, he became a full time writer. In 1912, he became involved with Frieda von Richtofen, who at the time was married to Ernest Weekley, Professor of Modern Languages in Nottingham. They eloped together to Metz, then in Germany, and, after her divorce, were formally married in England ten days before the start of the First World.
The couple did not have an easy war, and left the country in 1919. Despite publishing the collection of short stories, England my England, in 1922, Lawrence only returned twice for short visits in his lifetime. He died of complications from tuberculosis on 2nd March 1930, in Vence on the Côte d’Azur.
Author Illustation: David Herbert Lawrence, Elliot and Fry Photographers, London, 1915
Cover Illustation: Georges Seurat, The Rainbow, 1883 (detail).