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Rating  - Engaging
Not as moving as some of my favorite books, but this was an engaging look into three generations of the Brangwen family in small-town England. Interesting portrayal of the roles and rights off women in each generations and the repercussions of changing standards.
Rating  - unintended consequence
Besides the history of a family over three generations, the key character is Ursula. In the early 1900s just before WW1, she is a "feminist" before her time. We find that she rejects marriage, engages in premarital sex, conducts a homosexual affair, and "objectifies" men. She is also non-religious and probably never has children. My point is not that she understands the human need to be a strong independent individual and does so, but that in the process of her female emancipation, she loses her ability to love a man and be loved in return. It is sad that in her search and rebellion against the traditional gender roles, she loses sight of the human need to bond.
Rating - Truimph of Ursula
The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence is a fascinating saga of three generations of Brangwen family. I should have read this book before "Women in Love". Although there is no connection between the two. Numerous characters come and fade away making room for our protagonist, Ursula Brangwen. She is the quintessential Lawrence character, also appeared as Paul Morel in "Sons and Lovers" and Gudrin in "Women in Love". They attain everything they desire and yet reject and abandon what they seek to soar even higher. They surely triumph and that is the beauty of all his creations. I guess if all stories end up "lived happily ever after", then nobody would have heard of Shakespeare.
It must have been a shock to the early 20th century readers of the beautiful lesbian liaison of Ursula and her teacher, not to mention numerous premarital sexual romps with Anton Skrebensky. Lawrence exquisite and poetic prose make it exhilrating and yet sensual. I guess he kept all the graphic detail for "Lady Chatterely's Lover".
It is a great book with chock full of unforgetable charectors in the rich tradition of Dickens and Hardy. I
Rating - Would get an oscar in cinematography
I know thats a weird title to give a review, but that is always how I felt about this book. His beautiful, descriptive tone in this novel really makes you feel more like you are watching a movie, rather than reading a novel. It's a great story too and has always been one of my favorites. Very Hardy-esque.
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Customer Reviews for Penguin Classics,0141441380,9780141441382,0141441380,823.912 |
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Books : The Rainbow: Cambridge Lawrence Edition (Penguin Classics) Customer Reviews
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