Sons and Lovers

Sons and Lovers was the first of Lawrence's major works, and is still considered to be one of his best. The 1913 novel was partly autobiographical and was set in the coalmining village of Bestwood. The parents of the central character, Paul, are Mr. and Mrs. Morel who are a vigorous and heavy-drinking miner and a well-educated, pretty intellectual respectively. We learn of Paul's successful brother and sister, William and Annie, but are soon drawn into Paul's world.