Points of View

The story is told from the third person point of view, mostly from the perspective of Constance Chatterley, though occasionally from the consciousness of Clifford Chatterley and of his gamekeeper Mellors. This allows the reader the benefit of seeing the world through the eyes of the aristocratic industrialist Clifford, the romantic idealist Connie and Mellors, the working-class stoic. This balances the novel as well as showing the source of the underlying antagonism between the working and upper classes.

The perspective is mainly Connie's because the novel's main plot is the development of her relationship with Mellors and the unfolding of her passion for him. At the same time, the decline of her intimacy with her husband Clifford is revealed.

Clifford's perspective affords a strong contrast to Connie's on several grounds. He is passionless and cold both towards his workers and towards her, which allows the reader...