RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE

101
an analogy for Helena. Siegmund, like almost all Lawrence's male
heroes (and D.H. Lawrence himself), is a poor swimmer.
Helena
is cold, the sea is cold and he shrinks from the contact with
the water.
In his 'play' with the water there is a clear
reference to his affair with Helena: "It is splendid to play,
even at middle age, and the sea is a fine partner" (ibid). This
reference implies what is happening with him and Helena and, even
though she keeps him at a certain distance, he wants to play,
even if he is hurt:
But in his playing he drifted towards the spur
of a rock, where as he swam, he caught his thigh
on a sharp, submerged point. He frowned at the
pain, at the sudden cruelty of the sea; then he
thought no more of it; but ruffled his way back
to the clear water, busily continuing his play
(ibid).
This scene is definitely a metaphor for sex with Helena.
The
rock hurts him as does her concealed hostility.
However, just
as he does not stop the affair with Helena, neither does he stop
his play with the sea and some pages later a similar accident
occurs. Siegmund is either a narcissist or a masochist. It may
also be said that the wound he has got in the sea implies a
sense of guilt.
It comes to him unconsciously because while
wanting sex with the woman, he worships her as a goddess: he is,
in his own eyes, committing a sin.
Siegmund, however, knows that Helena rejects him:
'I am at my best, at my strongest,' he said
proudly to himself. 'She ought to be rejoiced at
me, but she is not; she rejects me as if I were a
baboon under my clothing' (pJ41).
This knowledge is soon replaced by his narcissism:
He glanced at his whole handsome maturity, the
firm plating of his breasts, the full thighs,
creatures proud in themselves. Only he was marred
by the long raw scratch, which he regretted
deeply (ibid).