An Ass Struggling between Idealism and Naturalism A New Interpretation of The Ass by D. H. Lawrence
As a modernist poet in English literature, David Herbert Lawrence is widely known for his collection of Birds, Beasts and Flowers. The Snake, The Tortoises and The Ship of Death are probably the poems that most attract worldwide scholars and readers. However, due to Lawrences discursive and ambivalent artistic and philosophical ideas, it is by no means an easy job to understand his poems. The interpretation of The Ass, which is a striking picture of Post-Impressionism with reverberating musical effects, may be a challenge. However, after reading Lawrences Fantasia, the author finds a new perspective to understand The Ass. In Fantasia, two prime motives which activate men are discussed. The essentially religious or creative motive related to idealism is the first motive for all human activity and the sexual motive related to naturalism comes second. Whats more, there is a great conflict between the interests of the two at all times. Nevertheless, the poet through The Ass shows a suspicion of his statement in Fantasia, revealing that, in the tug war of the two motives, the former may reconcile to the latter. This approach is thus intended to facilitate the interpretation of The Ass.
D. H. Lawrence The Ass religious or creative motive sexual motive ambivalence
Yongxue Li Chengxu Ye
School of Foreign Languages Qinghai Normal University Xining,China School of Computer Technology Qinghai Normal University Xining,China
国际会议
厦门
英文
308-311
2016-12-02（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）