The Eyes Motif in the Works of D.H. Lawrence :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Eyes Motif in the workings of D.H. Lawrence D.H. Lawrences short stories The Shadow in the Rose Garden, The Prussian Officer and The fresh Stocking possess an look motif. This motif, along with a variety of other motifs, argon used throughout the works of the author and adds depth to the stories. The Shadow in the Rose Garden possesses an center motif. The eyeball as a window to the soul is an ever present reference in this work. First, Lawrence notes the china-blue eyeball of Mrs. Coates, who is a delightful, erect old lady. (70) Later, when the recent wo human beings sits down on the terrace in the garden in front of the white roses and sees the man in front of her, she notices his eye. Lawrence write She looked up, blanched to the lips, and saw his eyes. They were glowering, and st bed without seeing. They were not a mans eyes (73). The young woman was greatly disturbed by the man whose eyes stared without seeing. After they began talking, the young woman noticed th at his eyes were the glistening, strange black eyes that she had loved (74). This deranged man she was talking to reminded her of a man she once loved, who is not her husband because Lawrence makes reference to his brown eyes (75). Therefore, Lawrence writes, Her eyes searched him, and searched him, to see if he would recognize her, if she could discover him. You dont know me? she asked, from the terror of her soul, stand alone (p.74). These lines incorporate the theme of the eyes as a window to the soul. The young woman tries to reach the disturbed mans soul by searching his eyes. The eye motif in The Shadow in the Rose Garden piece of tail also be found in The Prussian Officer. Many references are made to the eyes of the older Captain and the younger great in Officer. Lawrence describes the characters eyes when he writes,The eyes of the two men met, those of the younger turned and dark, doggedly unalterable, those of the elder sneering with restless contempt (5). This comes a fter the orderly becomes more aware of his Captains affections and starts to show off with his girlfriend a teensy more. Future lines in the story also carry the theme of eyes as a window to the soul The withering smile came into the Captains eyes .