Bei Hennef by D.H. Lawrence (1920)
The narrative unfolds in a serene, twilight setting, where the speaker reflects on the tranquility of nature and the profound love they feel. The river's gentle sounds symbolize a peaceful escape from life's troubles, allowing the speaker to recognize the depth of their emotions. This love is depicted as vast and encompassing, contrasting sharply with the distractions and anxieties of daily life. The speaker articulates a sense of completeness in their relationship, where each partner embodies complementary forces—one as the call and the other as the answer, one as night and the other as day. Despite this idealized connection, there is an acknowledgment of the inherent suffering that accompanies love, suggesting a complex interplay between joy and pain. The work captures the essence of romantic fulfillment while simultaneously confronting the paradox of emotional turmoil that often exists alongside deep affection. The imagery of twilight serves as a metaphor for the beauty and ambiguity of love, highlighting both its serenity and its challenges. Ultimately, the piece reflects on the duality of human experience, where bliss and suffering coexist, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of love and its impact on the human condition.
By D.H. Lawrence · First published 1920 · Genre: Short Story, Literary Fiction, Modernist Literature · 229 words
First lines
The little river twittering in the twilight, The wan, wondering look of the pale sky, This is almost bliss.
And everything shut up and gone to sleep, All the troubles and anxieties and pain Gone under the twilight.
Only the twilight now, and the soft "Sh! " of the river That will last for ever.
And at last I know my love for you is here, I can see it all, it is whole like the twilight, It is large, so large, I could not see it before Because of the little lights and flickers and interruptions, Troubles, anxieties and pains.
What this Textopian page supports
Bei Hennef is listed on Textopian as a short story by D.H. Lawrence, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: D.H. Lawrence
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Literary Fiction, Modernist Literature
- Length: 229 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Bei Hennef by D.H. Lawrence
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Bei Hennef?
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Short Story — Given the short length of 'Bei Hennef' as well as its focus on an encapsulated narrative, it falls under the 'Short Story' category.
- Literary Fiction — The text, 'Bei Hennef,' shares a characteristic of 'Literary Fiction,' in its concern with style, deeper meaning and exploration of the human condition.
- Modernist Literature — D.H. Lawrence is often associated with the 'Modernist Literature' movement, and 'Bei Hennef' features traits of modernist literature such as stream of consciousness, fragmentation, and the overturning of traditional narrative norms.
Tags
nature · human relationships · conflict · identity · rural life · isolation · self-discovery · family dynamics · love · betrayal · society · class struggle