34 pages 1 hour read

D. H. Lawrence

Odour of Chrysanthemums

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1911

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Essay Topics

1.

How does “Odour of Chrysanthemums” explore the idea of duty versus love? As well as Elizabeth’s relationships with her family, consider the relationship between the Rigleys and between Walter’s mother and her son.

2.

What is the significance of light and dark in the story, and how do they contribute to the themes symbolically? Consider the natural cycle of day and light and human-made light, citing textual examples to support your answer.

3.

How does Lawrence portray gender roles in their historical context? Why might he have decided to write in the third person but mostly from a female protagonist’s point of view, as he did in a number of his other stories and novels?