Which Lawrence novel was Sassoon talking about in this diary entry of his?

9 hours ago 3

Going through Siegfried Sassoon's journals for something unrelated, I found this entry from January 13th, 1917. Page 113 on Cambridge Archive journals in case the link doesn't work.

(transcribed to the best of my reading abilities)

Lawrence (D.H). sent me the M.S. of his new Novel. It is all very bad - written in that dreadful Physical, Pathological languageā€¦ absolutely unreal & disgusting - He has put me in it - a most appalling woman - the very antipodes[antithesis?] of what I believe I am like - He makes me out corrupt - dead - & drugged - everything I most loathe - He describes every detail &[??] - It is written with such hatred - I almost think Frieda did it!

Which D.H. Lawrence novel would this be? Considering the date it would have to be Women in Love (and that sort of makes sense with the content) but I've scoured the internet and not been able to find a single reference that suggests one of the characters being based on Siegfried Sassoon. Or am I reading this wrong?

Sadly this section seems to be omitted from the published version of his diaries (Hart-Davis), or at least I couldn't find it there. Had hoped he would have added a footnote that explains it.

Sooo, does anyone have any info? Not important, but curious.

submitted by /u/Shoddy-Trust1848
[link] [comments]
Read Entire Article