RELATIONS OF DOMINANCE AND EQUALITY IN D. H. LAWRENCE

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spark, and saw the shadow of the fox, the fox
creeping on his belly through the gate. There
he went, on his belly like a snake... (pp.121-2
- My underlining).
If one does not read the passage carefully s/he might mix the
fox with Henry.
There are several 'hes' in it, which confounds
the reader.
When Henry shoots the fox there is a sense that he is
indeed assimilating the animal in himself:
There was a commotion everywhere. The fowls
were scuffing and crawking, the ducks were quark--
quarking, the pony had stamped wildly to his feet.
But the fox was on his side, struggling in his
last tremors. The boy bent over him and smelt
his foxy smell (p.122 - My underlining).
Henry's attitude is like that of an animal who kills other
animals.
He gets closer and smells the dead to feel if it is
really dead or not.
Acting like this, Henry becomes the fox and
smelling his foxy smell, it can be transferred to the young man,
integrating one with the other.
Because of the shot the girls wake up and open their window
to see what is going on.
Henry tells them and then he addresses
March the following sentence: "'He will make you a lovely fur1"
(p.123).
This may imply that covering March with the fox's fur,
he is somehow assuming a position of protection or of domination.
Protection because the fur covers the shoulders and prevents
cold. Domination because the fur will be over March's skin. As
the fur belongs to the fox - Henry in other words - this may
imply his wish to live imposing his will over hers.
But even
now March does not look amiably at this 'Trojan gift': "'You
don't catch me wearing a fox fur "'(ibid).
The fox fur could also
suggest a dominant role for her, which she rejects.