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Careless and Deceptive Husband: Gertrude marries him with hope. Soon, she feels cheated. Morel lies about money and property. His wife finds out that even the house is not truly his. This moment kills her love. She feels trapped. Misery fills the house. So, Lawrence says,
“There was a feeling of misery over all the house.”
He also spends money on drinks instead of family needs. Quarrels become common. Thus, as a husband, Morel is careless and selfish. He loses his wife’s trust forever.
Love for Drink and Games: Morel prefers drink and games to family. He spends hours in the Nelson (a bar) or the Three Spots. He is skilled in pub (local bar) games. Lawrence says about him,
“He was a master of skittles and of dominoes.”
These nights of pleasure leave his wife alone and angry. The children suffer in poverty. He returns home drunk, and quarrels rise. His joy in the pub becomes pain for the family. This habit paints him as a weak man. He escapes duty through drink.
A Weak Father Figure: As a father, Morel cannot win the hearts of his children. They grow close to their mother, not him. After William’s death, he shows sorrow but in silence. At the pit, when Paul comes with the news,
“Morel … leaned up against a truck-side, his hand over his eyes. He was not crying. Paul stood looking round, waiting.”
Here, father and son stand apart. There is no comfort between them. His grief is real, but he cannot share it. Later, Paul too feels distant. Thus, Morel fails as a father, not because he does not feel, but because he cannot express.
A Man with Hidden Emotion: Even with his faults, Morel is not heartless. Sometimes, his feelings show quietly. When Paul succeeds as a painter, he feels pride. Lawrence says,
“He was silent with conceit of his son.”
He hides his tears. He cannot speak love, but he feels it. This makes him a tragic figure. He is not cruel by nature. His silence is his good side. In him, Lawrence shows the pain of men broken by work and poverty.
Walter Morel is a man of strength and weakness. He works hard but drinks too much. He lies to his wife and loses her trust. He cannot love his children openly. Yet sometimes, he feels pride and sorrow. He is not fully bad, but broken by habit and poverty. His character shows how silence, drink, and quarrels destroy family life.
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