The Futility of Modern Life in the novel The White Peacock by D. H. Lawrence

Amna Khalil, Naureen Mumtaz

Abstract

This research explores the strains of modernity and its effects on human life, portrayed by D. H. Lawrence in his novel, The White Peacock. The futility of modern life that is evident in the writer’s outlook of this novel and the influence of modernization has been outlined in this paper, which is depicted through the lives of different characters that are struggling at various rungs of life and society. This research explores how industrialization and materialism have manipulated the thinking and decision making of human beings. It also determines that the moving away of human beings from nature and making the wrong choices to attain social-gratification is a consequence of materialized thinking. This leads to the conflict between self-fulfillment and social-gratification which makes life so futile that it eventually leads to death. Even after such a long time all the concerns that Lawrence explored in his works seem to be the problems of the present age. The conflict between self-fulfillment and social-gratification leads to the failure of man to realize his responsibilities that results in making the wrong choices and ends in disastrous relationships that ultimately leave one lost and vulnerable. It is manifested through this research report that if human beings become aware of their responsibilities rather than following their desires blindly, the effort can be made to change the futility of life into a meaningful one.