'How Beastly The Bourgeois Is' by D.H. Lawrence
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How beastly the bourgeois is
especially the male of the species--Presentable, eminently presentable--
shall I make you a present of him?Isn't he handsome?Isn't he healthy?Isn't he a fine specimen?
Doesn't he look the fresh clean Englishman, outside?
Isn't it God's own image? tramping his thirty miles a day
after partridges, or a little rubber ball?
wouldn't you like to be like that, well off, and quite thethingOh, but wait!
Let him meet a new emotion, let him be faced with anotherman's need,
let him come home to a bit of moral difficulty, let lifeface him with a new demand on his understanding
and then watch him go soggy, like a wet meringue.
Watch him turn into a mess, either a fool or a bully.
Just watch the display of him, confronted with a newdemand on his intelligence,
a new life-demand.How beastly the bourgeois is
especially the male of the species--Nicely groomed, like a mushroom
standing there so sleek and erect and eyeable--
and like a fungus, living on the remains of a bygone life
sucking his life out of the dead leaves of greater lifethan his own.And even so, he's stale, he's been there too long.
Touch him, and you'll find he's all gone inside
just like an old mushroom, all wormy inside, and hollow
under a smooth skin and an upright appearance.Full of seething, wormy, hollow feelings
rather nasty--
How beastly the bourgeois is!Standing in their thousands, these appearances, in dampEngland
what a pity they can't all be kicked over
like sickening toadstools, and left to melt back, swiftly
into the soil of England.
Editor 1 Interpretation
How Beastly The Bourgeois Is: A Literary Criticism
Are you tired of conformity, of the bourgeoisie's oppressive values and standards? Look no further than D.H. Lawrence's "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is." In this poem, Lawrence masterfully deconstructs the hypocritical and shallow nature of the middle class.
Context and Analysis
Published in 1919, "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" is a scathing critique of the bourgeoisie, a term used to describe the middle class. The poem's speaker, presumably Lawrence himself, begins by addressing the reader directly:
Oh, how beastly the bourgeois is
especially the male of the species--
presentable, eminently presentable--
shall I make you a present of him?
Isn't he handsome? Isn't he healthy? Isn't he a fine specimen?
Doesn't he look the fresh clean Englishman, outside?
Isn't it God's own image? tramping his thirty miles a day
after partridges, or a little rubber ball?
wouldn't you like to be like that, well off, and quite the thing
Oh, but wait!
Let him meet a new emotion, let him be faced with another man's need,
let him come home to a bit of moral difficulty, let life face him with a new demand on his charity--
and the foundation cracks, and the Englishman shows--"
The speaker's tone is sarcastic and mocking, as if he cannot believe the bourgeoisie's self-importance and arrogance. He describes the male bourgeoisie as "handsome," "healthy," and a "fine specimen," emphasizing their physical appearance and athletic prowess. However, the speaker quickly turns the tables, suggesting that the bourgeoisie's exterior is merely a facade. When faced with a challenge to their morality, the bourgeoisie crumbles and reveals their true nature.
The poem continues with a series of vignettes that illustrate the bourgeoisie's shortcomings. In the first scene, a young girl climbs a tree and falls, injuring herself. The speaker describes the bourgeoisie's reaction:
Oh, how sympathetic the bourgeois is! How he does cherish his children! How he does nurse his babies! How he does his own ailment, unselfishly And he does yours, too! Oh, he is a careful father, and his daughter Wears a shawl to save her poor little shoulders from the cold wind, and the bourgeoisie send their little girls to school at the public's expense, isn't it nice of them? Oh no, it's not charity! It's a right the little girls have to go to school along with the little boys."
Here, the speaker takes aim at the bourgeoisie's apparent concern for their children. He suggests that the bourgeoisie view their children as status symbols, rather than as individuals with their own needs and desires. The speaker also critiques the bourgeoisie's belief that education is a right, rather than a privilege. By sending their children to school at the public's expense, the bourgeoisie are merely fulfilling their duty as citizens, rather than acting charitably.
The poem goes on to describe the bourgeoisie's treatment of their servants, their lack of imagination and creativity, and their obsession with money and material possessions. In each vignette, the speaker exposes the bourgeoisie's ignorance and hypocrisy.
## Interpretation
At its core, "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" is a critique of the middle class's values and lifestyle. Lawrence suggests that the bourgeoisie are superficial, materialistic, and lacking in empathy. They are content to maintain the status quo, rather than confronting the social and moral issues of their time.
The poem can also be read as a call to action. By exposing the bourgeoisie's flaws, Lawrence encourages his readers to reject conformity and embrace individuality. He suggests that true happiness and fulfillment can only be achieved by breaking free from the constraints of society and pursuing one's own desires.
## Conclusion
In "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is," D.H. Lawrence offers a powerful critique of the middle class's values and lifestyle. Through a series of vignettes, he exposes the bourgeoisie's superficiality, materialism, and lack of empathy. The poem can be read as a call to action, encouraging readers to reject conformity and embrace individuality. Lawrence's message is as relevant today as it was nearly a century ago. Will you answer his call?
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
How Beastly The Bourgeois Is: A Critical Analysis
D.H. Lawrence's poem "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" is a scathing critique of the middle class and their values. The poem was written in 1925, a time when the middle class was rapidly expanding in Europe and America. Lawrence, a writer known for his controversial views on sexuality and society, uses the poem to express his disdain for the bourgeois and their shallow, materialistic way of life.
The poem is structured in three stanzas, each with four lines. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, with Lawrence declaring that the bourgeois are "like a dog / On the leash / He trails behind us / Nose to the ground." The metaphor of the dog on a leash is a powerful one, suggesting that the bourgeois are subservient and obedient, following the rules set by their masters without question. The image of the nose to the ground also implies that the bourgeois are focused solely on material possessions and the pursuit of wealth, with no regard for higher values or ideals.
The second stanza continues the critique, with Lawrence describing the bourgeois as "like swine / In muck and mire / They wallow and writhe / In their own desire." The comparison to swine is a particularly harsh one, suggesting that the bourgeois are dirty and unclean, lacking in refinement and culture. The image of wallowing and writhing in their own desire reinforces the idea that the bourgeois are driven solely by their own selfish desires, with no concern for the greater good.
The final stanza is perhaps the most powerful, with Lawrence declaring that the bourgeois are "like maggots / In cheese / They thrive and they thrive / And they feed upon the rot." The comparison to maggots is a visceral one, suggesting that the bourgeois are parasitic and destructive, feeding off the decay and corruption of society. The image of thriving and feeding upon the rot implies that the bourgeois are not only complicit in the decay of society, but actively contribute to it.
Throughout the poem, Lawrence uses vivid and often grotesque imagery to convey his message. The use of metaphors and similes is particularly effective, allowing Lawrence to paint a vivid picture of the bourgeois and their way of life. The repetition of the word "like" in each stanza also serves to reinforce the comparisons being made, driving home the message that the bourgeois are not just similar to dogs, swine, and maggots, but are in fact just as beastly.
But what is Lawrence's message exactly? Is he simply railing against the middle class for the sake of it, or is there a deeper meaning to his words? To answer this question, we must look at Lawrence's broader philosophy and worldview.
Lawrence was a writer who believed in the power of the individual to transcend the limitations of society and culture. He saw the bourgeois as a symbol of everything that was wrong with modern society, a group of people who had lost touch with their true selves and become slaves to materialism and conformity. For Lawrence, the bourgeois were not just a social class, but a state of mind, a way of being in the world that was fundamentally at odds with the human spirit.
In this sense, "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" can be seen as a call to arms, a rallying cry for individuals to reject the values of the middle class and embrace a more authentic way of life. Lawrence's use of vivid imagery and harsh language is not just a means of venting his frustration, but a way of waking people up to the reality of their situation. By painting the bourgeois as dogs, swine, and maggots, Lawrence is forcing his readers to confront the ugliness of their own lives and the society they live in.
Of course, not everyone will agree with Lawrence's message. Some may see his critique as overly harsh or unfair, while others may reject his call for individualism as selfish or unrealistic. But regardless of one's opinion, there is no denying the power of Lawrence's words. "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" is a poem that cuts to the heart of what it means to be human, challenging us to think deeply about our values and our place in the world.
In conclusion, D.H. Lawrence's poem "How Beastly The Bourgeois Is" is a powerful critique of the middle class and their values. Through the use of vivid imagery and harsh language, Lawrence paints a picture of a group of people who have lost touch with their true selves and become slaves to materialism and conformity. But more than just a critique, the poem is a call to arms, a rallying cry for individuals to reject the values of the middle class and embrace a more authentic way of life. Whether one agrees with Lawrence's message or not, there is no denying the power of his words to challenge us to think deeply about our own lives and the society we live in.
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