Thursday, November 19, 2020

The Virgin and the Gipsy - D H Lawrence

 Part of the 'Great Loves' series by Penguin, this is a classic story told in DH Lawrence's inimitable style, full of his understanding if human psychology. Once again, as with all great loves, it challenges all convention.


A Rector's wife elopes with a young, penniless man leaving behind two young daughters, her husband, her husband's mother and an aunt who looks after the grandmother who is the power centre. The younger girl Yvette has the free spirit of her mother, who is made out to be a villain by the grandmother. Yvette is attracted to a gipsy man, a couple living in before marriage, all of which meets with disapproval by her family. Her attraction to the gipsy man simmers underneath until the end when he saves her dramatically from an unexpected flood, and while saving her goes through some very tender, intimate moments. Moments that are enough for her to live and to believe in a love that's bigger than her. It ends beautifully with a letter written by him to her saying he hoped to meet her again someday, and it is then that she learns of his name. Beautiful.

Thanks DHL.

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