earticle

영어

D.H. Lawrence's later novels Aaron's Rod, Kangaroo, and The Plumed Serpent make up a trilogy. So far many of Lawrence's critics have regarded the trilogy as ‘leadership novels,' focusing solely on the single issue of power. However, there are two more issues in these novels that are equally important - selfhood and sexuality - on which Lawrence lays equal emphasis. This paper attempts to confirm Lawrence's vision of complete accord of the three vital forces by analyzing the second novel in the trilogy, Kangaroo. Kangaroo as a whole seems to be possessed by indifference. In regard to the goals of renewal and accord, it appears as a great lull between the pulses of Aaron's Rod and The Plumed Serpent. No balance is achieved in Kangaroo: instead, there is a fierce struggle between the principle of power and that of selfhood. It is noticeable that in the struggle Somers, the champion of selfhood, wins over Kangaroo, who represents the principle of power. Kangaroo thus functions as the bridge which links Aaron's Rod with The Plumed Serpent. After the long rest-condition of Kangaroo, the complete accord of the three vital forces seems to be achieved in The Plumed Serpent, realizing Lawrence's vision at last.