The Shadow in the Rose Garden

(D.H. Lawrence)

Introduction

This short story is about unfulfilled love of a woman. She could not marry the person she
loved and could not love the person she married. It is, in fact, a story about a man and his wife
who had strained (tense) relations with each other. They went to a sea-side village on an outing
tour but it didn’t improve the situation. The wife went to see the rose garden belonged to the
owner of a grand building. She sat there. The owner came there. Actually, he was her ex-lover
and she did not come there on purpose to see him. She knew him to have died but he was out of
his mind and could not recognize her. She returned with a heavy heart. There was a row
between the wife and the husband about the lover-an emotional row- but, later on, both of them
became impersonal. According to the writer, “The thing must work itself out.”

Points to Remember

i. It is a story about a man and his wife who had strained (tense) relations with each
other.
ii. They lived at Bridlington and were now on an outing tour.
iii. The wife had chosen a sea-side as a resort.
iv. She had lived there for two years before her marriage.
v. The husband felt that he was being ignored and kept at a distance by the wife.
vi. The lady told the husband that she had to write some letters as well as discuss some
matters with the landlady, so he should go on stroll alone.
vii. The husband did not like that but went outside silently.
viii. Soon after his departure, she also took her sunshade and went out.
ix. She went straight to a rose-garden at the sea-side. The garden belonged to a rector
(priest) whose house stood at one end of the garden.
x. The gardener told her that it was not open for public on that day. Still he allowed her
stay there for a while. She went to a bench among white flowers and sat there in a
thoughtful and nostalgic mood.
 xi. Soon a young man in slippers came there. He had a military appearance. His name
was Archie, her ex-lover.
xii. He did not recognize her as he had been a lunatic but she, naturally, recognized him at
first sight.
xiii. Archie stayed there in a garden for a while but she returned from there.
xiv. She was emotionally disturbed when she reached residence.
xv. There was a great quarrel between the husband and the wife when the husband
returned from outside.
xvi. They talked fairly and frankly.
xvii. The husband wanted to know the truth.
xviii. She told him the truth: she loved Archie before she got married to him.
a. Her ex-lover was a military man.
b. Both of them were faithful lovers.
c. Archie had gone to Africa on some military mission.
d. There he had got there sunstroke.
e. News reached her that he had died.
f. Later, she became familiar with her present husband and began to love him.
Consequently, she got married to him.
g. Today she met Archie.
h. Archie had not died. He had grown mad.
i. Archie did not at all recognize her.
xix. After an emotional quarrel, both the husband and the wife had released their pent up
feelings.
xx. They had become impersonal and objective now and began to see life/ things in true
colour.
xxi. It was hoped that they would turn on a new leaf in life and would live happily ever
afterwards.

Summary in Detail/ Main Theme of the Story

This short story is about unfulfilled love of a woman. She could not marry the person she
loved and could not love the person she married. She was in love with a military officer named
Archie. They both loved each other from the core of their hearts. Archie went to North Africa
on a war mission. He was reported to have died due to sunstroke.

On the very day the woman married the person who was an electrician in a mine. But she
could not love him. Frank was a short stature fellow and also lower in status than her. But he
was a healthy, smart and a man full of life. He loved his wife. But his wife remained sad and
nostalgic.
After three year of marriage, on her wife suggestion, they went to sea side for honey
moon. That was the very area where she lived before her marriage and had passed happy and
loved moments with her lover, Archie. She wanted to see that place and revive her past. Her
present husband knows nothing about this story. She often stands in the window opening
towards sea and stared hour long at the sea. One morning, her husband was in a happy mood.

He rose earlier and got ready but his wife was still in bed. He wanted to go out with his
wife. He saw that she was standing in the window, he threw some flowers to attract her but
seeing him she moved away. He asked her to go out for stroll with him but she refused. In angry
mood, he took his hat and went out.

After his departure, she secretly went out and reached the rose garden. The garden
belonged to a rector s' family. The gardener stopped her and said that she was not allowed to
enter the garden as it was not a public place. But on her request, he allowed her to stay for a
little time in the garden. She entered the garden and looked at the house adjacent to the garden.
The house was inhabited now and the windows were curtain less. This was rector s' house
and Archie was the rector s' son. She sat in the garden. Suddenly, she saw a shadow moving
towards her. The shadow was in military uniform. She recognized that it was Archie. The
shadow came and stayed in front of her. He tried to recognize her but could not as he had gone
mad, a lunatic. The situation became painful and intolerable for her when she came to know that
Archie had not died but still alive. After sometimes, the gardener came and took that man away.
Full of catharsis, she told all story to her husband. He came to know the real reason that why his
wife could not love him. He took hat and left the room.