Lady Chatterley's Lover

Synopsis

Explicit descriptions of sex and 'unprintable' words meant that D.H. Lawrence's notorious novel could only be printed in Florence when it was published in 1928. Lady Chatterley's Lover was finally published openly in the United Kingdom in 1960. Almost entitled Tenderness by the author, it tells the story of the physical relationship between the aristocratic protagonist Constance Chatterley and gamekeeper Oliver Mellors - which occurs right under the nose of her wheelchair-bound husband, Clifford. In exploring the class system of the early 20th century, the novel also touches upon the declining coal mining industry: its effect on the workers; and the politics which surrounded it. Yet possibly the most important theme in this intimate and moving novel is the individual's need for physical as well as intellectual satisfaction in order to feel a sense of completeness.