An Alternative Gaze : Essays on D.H. Lawrence/Sheila Lahiri Choudhury. New Delhi, Chronicle Books An Imprint of DC Pub., 2008, viii, 208 p., plates, ISBN 81-8028-030-6.

    Contents: Introduction. 1. D.H. Lawrence and the nineteenth century theory of the novel. 2. Lawrence's Prophetic vision. 3. Lawrence and the Ruskin Tradition. 4. 'Making Pictures': Lawrence's visual imagination. 5. Ursula's Carpaccian Dream. 6. The Edwardian Legacy. 7. 'The Widening Circle': Lawrence on education. 8. Sacred Prostitute: a reading of The Lost Girl as a parody of the fall. 9. Transcending Boundaries, Crossing Territories: a study of Lawrence's Travel Writings and Fiction. 10. Aztecs, Neo-Nationalism and Lawrence: A postcolonial reading of The Plumed Serpent. 11. Connie, Persephone, and Subliminality: Reading Lady Chatterley's Lover. Notes. A brief chronology of Lawrence's life and works. Bibliography. Index. 

    "This collection of essays on D.H. Lawrence explores his major novels from an alternative perspective, keeping in mind the continuing popularity and relevance of his novels in college and university syllabi around the world. The eleven essays present straightforward interpretations of the novels as opposed to the dominant post-modernist readings. Such overtly theoretical exercises often obscure the text and leave the readers more confused than the locating of them in historical and cultural context would achieve. 

    The attempt in these essays has been to primarily contextualise the historical, social, cultural, and religious resonances of Lawrence's novels through an alternative approach. There are other ways of interpreting texts where priorities change and fresh insights achieved. This book should be a valuable addition to Lawrence scholarship." (jacket) 

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