16 minute read
PORNOGRAPHER OR LITERARY GENIUS?
The relevance of Lawrence
On the centenary of the publication of Women in Love, Gerie Herbert takes on the literary defence of author and writer D.H. Lawrence who endured a searing critique and censorship in his lifetime and beyond –can his work be considered anew as a relevant voice?
Advertisement
Love, love: why do I feel I would have known and loved Lawrence – how many women must feel this and be wrong!” It might have been intriguing to know if Sylvia Plath’s selection of Lawrence as a kind of literary forebearer, her appreciation of the leaves and earth and beasts and weathers in his work, could have withstood the intensity of the feminist critique that followed some decade or so after her death. A critique ensuring the work of Lawrence was not to be held up by any right-thinking woman, or one that held any scintilla of outward respect for herself. If Lawrence was censored in his lifetime, Kate Millett’s 1970’s classic Sexual Politics pinioned him down as a crucible of misogynism, and came as the last onslaught in a line of many, including the infamous 1960’s trial of Lady Chatterley. Lawrence’s reputation never fully recovered.
And yet this writer from the most modest of backgrounds created almost 800 poems, a wealth of novels, short stories and some of the greatest travel writing. The son of a coal miner, he had taken his stint on the factory floor, before progressing to University College, Nottingham. Still Lawrence differentiated himself from most young men irrespective of class, becoming not just a good writer, but a truly great one according to F.R Leavis, the great critic of the age. A writer recognised by other great writers like Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, and Phillip Larkin, as well as by playwright Tennessee Williams, by Aldous Huxley and by Antony Burgess who held Lawrence up as a writer who had to prevail against the weight of a literary establishment that had him down as an interloper. It seems an amazement that a boy from a small mining community, ridden with tuberculosis could follow such a trajectory at all and at such a deeply conservative time.
But then swiftly as he rose, Lawrence disappeared from syllabuses and bookshelves, and you weren’t supposed to like his work. He was filthy and facile and self-indulgent. Was there any point resuscitating a writer whose name has become synonymous with all the more salacious bits readers had gleaned from perhaps his thinnest work, Lady Chatterley, or the biographical knowledge gathered about his terrible marriage or his complex relationship with his mother. Lawrence had been held up as a pornographer in chief and a hater of women for a long time, he had put ideas so contentious in his novel The Rainbow that he had had it condemned in a court and burned publicly. At one point an innocuous Lawrence even fell under suspicion of spying and was accused later by readers of being a quasi-fascist despite the fact he had openly condemned Fascism as the worst kind of bullying. Lawrence, if readers had sense, should be discarded, and even if you could rekindle his reputation, why would you? Because even the most ardent admirer of Lawrence can’t deny some of the more uncomfortable parts of his writing or biography. There exists huge warmth, kindness, and a rare truthfulness, but reading Lawrence can be a bit like reading one of the more sublimely compassionate parts of the New Testament to uncover an Old Testament god of thunderbolts rampaging within it. Lawrence’s work in terms of opinions, emotion and tone contains multitudes. For many he is exhausting and polemical. And for a world in which nobody any longer reads digressive novels by anyone, let alone books where non-conformity is the only norm, societies where an eight-word tweet might cause offence, what relevance could Lawrence’s work still hold? For that very reason, quite a lot perhaps!
Still if you want to tackle what remains relevant in Lawrence you must first tackle the hurdle of gender. This autumn sees the release of two books with Lawrence as the central axis, Frances Wilson’s biography Burning Man: The Ascent of D.H Lawrence and Second Place by that most dispassionate of English writers Rachel Cusk. The interesting thing about both is not only are they written by intelligent women openly professing to loving the complexity and wildness of Lawrence, reintroducing discussion about his gender politics, both writers are forced to defend their interest in Lawrence openly. No woman can deny there are bits of Lawrence that induce eye-rolling or are so fantastical as to cause laughter (though ask if Mr Rochester or Mr Darcy have been the greatest of experiments in social realism!) but Lawrence’s heroines to the uninitiated hold far more complexity than you might imagine, and that perhaps is what attracts writers as first rate as Cusk, Wilson and Plath.
There is good reason Sylvia Plath related to Ursula Brangwen of Women in Love, as a character mirroring her own fight for a fully realised autonomy. Lawrence’s female characters possess a genuine voice not simply because he is projecting his own puerile wishes onto them, which he sometimes is –Lady Chatterley is being written while his withered body is dying and failing him, Women in Love is being written by a man whose wife cuckolded him on his own honeymoon – but because there is genuine sympathy and kindness toward his female characters and a willingness for them to find equality.
To some extent Lawrence’s female characters were projections of his own sexual fluidity and perhaps as a consequence their inner selves are richer and more believable.
Attracted to men and women, his books contain a measure of something that was only ever lived out on paper. Read the end of Women in Love and it will seem progressive even now and Ursula will seem every bit as believable as the male protagonist Birkin. Lawrence ‘is’ his female characters to some extent. Even in Lady Chatterley, Constance is the soul and Mellors the eye-candy. Balance between men and women lies at the centre of Lawrence’s philosophy. For though it was somewhat eccentric, he did have one.
For Lawrence was no pornographer. Give any teenager permission to read Lady Chatterley and tell them it is about being with one person forever and see what happens. The idea of relationships without love was anathema to Lawrence. He simply understood that a society which insisted on looking respectable outwardly was often less so beneath the surface. Now we’re all sat cross-legged in mindfulness sessions, holding the mind and body in balance doesn’t seem that extraordinary and tackling shame and repression is our new normal for good reason.
Lawrence was above all things interested in how the mechanisation of culture had removed men and women from their instincts and left them not knowing what they really felt about things. Though a deep lover of nature, the scarred industrial landscape that had surrounded him in his Nottinghamshire youth and the way it degraded people by sending them underground made a mark on him, and the ‘in-between’ bits of Lady Chatterley are the bits that contend with politics and the commodification not only of a landscape, but of people’s raw existences. For Lawrence’s recurring point is often about what happens to people when their lives are industrialised to the extent that they can no longer feel free to speak or act as an individual or know what it is to be the source of their own happiness. Lawrence’s chief concern being what happens to people when they make money their only god.
At a time when rapid digitalisation has dizzied us so much that even our thoughts have been commodified without our express permission, where to speak against the herd is positively foolhardy, a view that encourages non-conformity held in check with natural sympathy, seems not only timely but deeply sensible.
For all his wild eccentricities and the things he got blatantly wrong, for a man who died at the tender age of 44, Lawrence had rather a lot to say. Some of it encouraged people to examine their own existences and make sure their lives had lovely things in it that made them happy without recourse to money or innate servitude, and it was this perhaps that made him dangerous and worthy of continual censure. For Lawrence has continued to be condemned without recourse to any kind of further examination or admittance of nuance in a way that is without parallel. Here was the son of a miner, brim full of poetry, who neither ignored class nor was dullwitted enough to be bound by it. He was not remotely interested in men living out societal anger on the streets, he was interested in their senses being blunted so much by their working lives that they couldn’t appreciate all that was beautiful set out before them. He sought to make them look at it. Yes, you might not have wanted to be married to Lawrence, but neither would many have wanted to be parented by anybody in the Bloomsbury group; this didn’t stop us appreciating their work.
If you have been put off ever looking at him, it will be interesting to see if writers such as Frances Wilson and Rachel Cusk can begin to make you change your mind. Start anywhere but Lady Chatterley, and if so, head straight for all the boring bits! n
CITYNEWS
PLANS FOR INNOX MILLS
A thriving mix of new homes, commercial workspaces, food and drinks outlets are planned for Innox Mills, bringing a vibrant new quarter to Trowbridge town centre. The plans, submitted to Wiltshire Council, include a mix of up to 300 high-quality houses and apartments, investment in the riverside, outdoor play areas for children, new links through the site to the town centre, plus green, open leisure spaces. There will be a big focus on independent food and drink, with space for artisan businesses and co-working space. There will also be regular events throughout the year.
The development would regenerate a redundant brownfield site in the centre of Trowbridge that has laid derelict for 12 years, breathing new life into the historic buildings and giving a welldeserved boost to the county town. Innox Mills has been identified in the Local Plan for Trowbridge as a regeneration priority. Facebook.com/InnoxMills
PRESTIGIOUS NOMINATION
Bath & North East Somerset Council's Film Office has been shortlisted for an internationally recognised award for its work on hit television period drama Bridgerton. The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) award celebrates exemplary work above and beyond the usual service expected from a Film Office.
Bath Film Office's small team coordinated numerous requests from the Bridgerton production for council services such as road closures, street furniture removal, street lighting removal and parking, as well as the use of the Assembly Rooms and rooms at the Guildhall. Bridgerton shot four blocks of recording in Bath between August and November 2019, filming more than 70 scenes which was television filming on a scale not seen before in Bath. Most of these were exterior street scenes but there were also big ballroom sequences filmed at the Assembly Rooms and the Guildhall. Two shops were converted into the Modiste dress shop and Gunter's Tea Rooms in the drama, with the Holburne Museum also used extensively for filming.
Bath Film Office is up against five other Film Offices including Liverpool Film Office and Screen Queensland, Australia for the Outstanding Film Commission award. bathfilmoffice.co.uk
ROOTS & RECORDS
There’s a new store called Roots & Records in Broad Street, distinctive for the music and greenery in the windows and on the shelves. Here you can catch up with what’s happening in the world of music or grab some vinyl and take a perch at one of the listening boths and lose yourself in your own world. You will find a heavy hint of 80s alternative culture and the best collection of 80s vinyl. The store is also about the future –new releases abound and if they don’t have what you need, they will get it. Here’s a place where you can grab a coffee, browse and enjoy the atmosphere of a local independent store. chapter22rootsandrecords.com
BESPOKE MORTGAGE ADVICE
Doug Miller and Aaron Taghdiri have recently launched a new business offering a bespoke mortgage advice service like no other. With a wealth of experience spanning almost two decades, at the forefront of their business is their resolution to offer clear, honest, professional mortgage advice while creating long-lasting relationships with clients and other businesses in Bath.
Doug Miller said “The pandemic changed the way we all work, and it gave me time to think and reflect on how we could make a difference to not only my young family but others across the local community and beyond. We’re delighted to have chosen the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's hospital charity, as our charity partner and will be heavily involved in donating and fundraising for them. This is just the first step in us being able to support the local community as our business continues to grow.” lansdownfs.co.uk
WALKERS STEP OUT FOR RUH
A total of 200 walkers recently showed their support for their local hospital by taking part in the Walk of Life. The annual sponsored walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal is organised by the Royal United Hospitals Bath charity, The Forever Friends Appeal. To date, the event has raised over £25,000 and the total is set to rise further over the coming weeks. Funds raised help the charity invest in lifesaving medical equipment and services at the hospital. They help transform the lives of thousands of patients and families cared for every year, as well as the staff who are always there for us. Half of the walkers completed the full 26.2 mile marathon challenge from Bishops Cannings, near Devizes. The other half took on 10 miles from Bradford on Avon. All participants victoriously crossed the finish line at the Holburne Museum in Bath. foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk
ocl
ACCOUNTANCY
141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL Tel: 01225 445507 www.oclaccountancy.com
Transfer a business
If you transfer your sole trader or partnership business to a limited company, for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes it’s treated the same as if you sold your business at “market value” and if that’s more than the cost of the business assets transferred, the difference might be taxable as a capital gain.
Incorporation relief
However where all the assets of the business (apart from cash) are transferred to the company in exchange for shares, any capital gain is deferred until you sell or transfer those shares. However, this may not be the most tax efficient option and the rules allow you to elect not to defer the gain.
If your business has Goodwill, then this will be a capital gain and could be deferred – but - if the gain is less than the your annual CGT exemption (and you have no other gains to declare) then it may be best to recognise the gain – and pay no tax on it. This will also mean that you can draw that goodwill value form the company without further tax to pay.
Holdover relief
If incorporation relief doesn’t apply or you have elected for it not to, you can instead elect for the capital gain to be held over. This means the gain is deferred until the company sells the assets that were transferred from the unincorporated business.
As an example, if you transfer your business to a company in which you own all the shares, incorporation relief will apply to the gain unless an election is made for it not to apply.
However, you and the company can jointly elect for incorporation relief not to apply meaning that the gain would be chargeable to tax. You can then also elect for holdover relief to apply instead and the effect of this is to defer the gain until the company sells the business assets transferred to it.
Both incorporation and holdover relief can prevent a CGT charge when a business is transferred to a company but holdover relief is more flexible.
For tax saving tips contact us – call Marie Sheldrake, Tom Hulett or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507
Call Marie Sheldrake, Tom Hulett or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting
All change with the Trust Registration Service?
As part of the continuing global effort to enhance tax transparency, the EU passed The Fourth Money Laundering Directive (4MLD) in 2015. The Directive set out a requirement for Member States to establish a central trust register. Under these regulations, trustees of certain trusts were required to maintain up-to-date records of all the beneficial owners of the trusts, including potential beneficiaries.
Historically, this has meant that only tax paying trusts needed to formally register with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) using their online Trust Registration Service (TRS).
All change
The Fifth Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD), significantly extends the scope of the TRS, and it is estimated that up to ten times as many trusts will be affected with lots of small or non-tax paying trusts now needing to register who hadn’t previously.
The changes will mean that all express trusts will now need to be registered with the TRS by 1st September 2022 or penalties will be imposed on the trustees.
What needs to be done?
The online TRS system, accessed via the Government Gateway, now requires Trustees or their Agent to enter basic details about the Trust, including the persons involved (Settlors, Trustees and Beneficiaries). The TRS must also be updated regularly with any changes to the Trust, for example a change of Trustees.
Exemptions
There are some trusts that will continue to be exempt from registration, but the list is small. It includes life policies that are held in trust, Charitable Trusts which are registered as a charity in the UK, or which are not required to register as a charity, and co-ownership Trusts set up to hold shares of property or other assets which are jointly owned by 2 or more people for themselves as ‘tenants in common’ (but not where anyone else owns an interest in that property).
Trustee Responsibilities
If you are a Trustee, you are responsible for registering the Trust with the TRS. Failure to do so is likely to result in penalties being charged by HMRC, so it is important that you are aware of your obligations and make sure you have complied by the deadline of the 1st September 2022.
New Trusts will have 30 days in which to register with the TRS. Once registered, Trustees will have 30 days from when they are made aware of any changes to update the details.
Next steps
If you are unsure whether you need to register a Trust or you would like our assistance in registering the Trust with the TRS then please contact Hannah Welbourn on 01225 750000 or email hannah.welbourn@mogersdrewett.com
We have a specialist trust team at Mogers Drewett, and can advise on all aspects of trust law, from creation to winding up, and providing ongoing assistance with trust administration.
