Odour of Chrysenthemums

The vivid point of view in D.H Lawrence’s “Odour Of Chrysenthemums” is fundamental to the success with which Hemmingway has portrayed the complex network of feelings within the Bates household, especially that of the wife, Elizabeth who is trapped in a strained and loveless marriage with a drunkard. In the following narrative, Lawrence also portrays aspects of the life he knew as a boy in the coal mining village where he was born, …

…between father and son and the impassive selection of detail. Because of such masterly control over point of view, it is clear that Hemmingway has created a supremely successful story, in which he challenges the commitment, patience and understanding of doctors in our society. Without Hemmingway’s skill in controlling point of view, there could be little of this power of suggestion, and it would not be possible to claim such success for this story.