In a wild essay entitled,’ Lorenzo the closet Queen’ Carter provocatively suggests of Women In Love that ‘ Lawrence enjoys being a girl. If we do no trust the teller but the tale, then the tale positively reeks with lace and feathers, bags, beads, blouses and hats…he is like a child with a dressing up box. …Stockings, stockings, stockings everywhere.’
DHL is a fetishist : Yvette in the Virgin and the Gypsy wears stockings; a well cut coat,;a pale green cloth dress etc whilst the gyspsy remans transcendently flexible and loose limbed..wearing his jacket only to his hips of course ..just so DHL could glance ‘furtively’ at his bum if he dared. But of course he doesn’t dare and we are left to imagine what might be hidden beneath the tight trousers. And interestingly when we meet the female gypsy..she is described once again in terms of her clothing. and ‘wolfish’ manner ..but ne’er a glimpse of her moth or bosom of flesh. Perhaps poor old DHL was past looking down women’s tops by this stage but it is a curious omission or blindness…of course he/we are too busy looking at the Gyspy leaping onto waggons in a loose and flexible way…
Mansfield was far more daring in At the Bay with the Swinging couple Mr and Mrs harry Kember. Same idea different delivery?! And both beryl and Yvette remains virgins just by the skin of their teeth and chinny chin chin? And then there is the other couple…the Eastwoods..
Wild indeed.