The Trespasser

Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert), 1885-1930Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 399K words
Chapters: 40

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. The Trespasser by D. H. Lawrence. Author: Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert), 1885-1930. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Dec 1, 2005.

Editor's review

The Trespasser is one of the often underrated early novels of Lawrence. It revolves around a transgressive emotional relationship, examining attraction, misunderstanding, and moral pressure between a man and a woman against the backdrop of English country and city life. Compared with Lawrence's later works, this book's narrative is closer to tradition, with the plot advancing through alternating dialogue and interior monologue, yet his enduring concern with the conflict between the psychology of the sexes, bodily feeling, and social norms is already visible. The "trespass" in the novel is not only emotional but also involves the boundaries of class, marriage, and self-knowledge. For readers who want to understand the development of Lawrence's writing, this book offers a transitional sample between his early work and Sons and Lovers and The Rainbow; for those who enjoy the delicate psychological description of British modernist fiction, it also has much to offer. While reading, note how the author uses natural scenery and music to set off his characters' emotions, and the narrator's complex attitude toward the heroine's situation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the development of D. H. Lawrence's writing who wish to read his early works
Those who enjoy the portrayal of sexual psychology and moral conflict in British modernist fiction
Literary readers concerned with issues of marriage, class, and self-knowledge
General readers accustomed to traditional narrative structures who are willing to read dialogue closely

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting the intense symbolism and experimental narrative of Lawrence's later works
Readers who prefer tightly plotted novels with densely advancing events
Those not interested in moral dilemmas and psychological tension in relationships between the sexes

Reading tips

It helps to learn a little about the background of Lawrence's early writing before reading the text, so you can more easily see how it differs from his later style.
While reading, pay attention to the subtext in the dialogue between the male and female protagonists; much of the conflict is not advanced by events but hidden in the gaps of speech.
Notice the interspersed passages of natural scenery and musical scenes; they often contrast with the characters' emotions, and brief notes can be helpful.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable as an introduction to Lawrence?

It can serve as a sample of his early style, but it is not the most commonly recommended representative work by Lawrence. To first experience his mature symbolism and psychological depth, begin with Sons and Lovers; to observe how he moved from traditional narrative toward his later style, The Trespasser offers a valuable contrast.

What is the central conflict of the novel?

The central conflict revolves around a transgressive emotional relationship, involving attraction and misunderstanding between a man and a woman, as well as the pressures of marriage, class, and social norms. Lawrence sets external moral judgment alongside the characters' inner feelings, making the "trespass" not only an emotional event but also a test of self-knowledge.

What should one keep in mind when reading the English edition?

This is the public-domain English edition from Project Gutenberg. Lawrence's dialogue is fairly colloquial, but the narrative prose carries the feel of early twentieth-century English literature, with some longer sentences. It is advisable to read one chapter first to get used to the rhythm before continuing, slowing down where there is scenic description.

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About the author

Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert), 1885-1930 Author

D. H. Lawrence (David Herbert Lawrence, 1885–1930) was an English novelist, poet and essayist. The library holds 25 of his works, including the novels Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love and The Lost Girl, the short-story collections The Prussian Officer and England, My England, and the travel book Twilight in Italy. His writing often draws on mining and rural life and focuses on relations between men and women, class, and the pressure modern civilization places on individual vitality, with a candid style that is sensuous and psychologically searching, at once poetic and forceful. Because his work boldly touched on desire and social taboo, he was controversial in his lifetime and is now regarded as a major voice in twentieth-century English literature. Detailed information beyond his works is limited, so this note relies on the available works and established common knowledge.