Lady Chatterley Masculinity

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Lady Chatterley’s Lover is an example of representing masculinity in its “typical” role. This is shown frequently throughout the novel by giving a great deal of focus on the penis. One such example of this focus is Clifford Chatterley’s impotence. Tommy Dukes, a friend of Clifford’s, states “one has to be human, to have a heart and a penis, if one is going to escape being either a god or a Bolshevist …” (39). By making this statement, Duke is robbing Clifford of his humanity. To Dukes, this possession of a penis is vital to being human. Having a functional penis is also equated with functional masculinity. After his accident, Clifford ceased to be a “man” to Lady Chatterley. This thought is demonstrated in the novel when the following quote is stated: “[Clifford] wanted a good deal of her life and she gave it to him. But she wanted a good deal from the life of a man, and this Clifford did not give her; could not” (29) Clifford could not give her the life of a man because he lacked the components (I.E. penis) to be a man. Outside of placing a large emphasis on the penis, Lawrence also...

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