What is Lawrence’s attitude towards religion as expressed in his essay Why the Novel Matters?

Answer

What is Lawrence’s attitude towards religion as expressed in his essay Why the Novel Matters? 

D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930) was one of the most important novelists and critics of the twentieth century. In his essay “Why the Novel Matters” (1936), he speaks about the value of the novel in human life. He argues that the novel is the only form of art that shows the “whole man alive.” In this essay, Lawrence also expresses his strong attitude towards religion. He criticizes religion for dividing human life into parts like soul, spirit, or morality. He argues that religion ignores the fullness of living. For Lawrence, real life is richer than any religious teaching.

Criticism of Religious Division: Lawrence’s main problem with religion is that it does not accept the human being as a whole. Religion often says that man is only a soul or only a spirit. It tells us to ignore the body and daily life. For example, saints and religious teachers ask people to give up the pleasures of the world. But Lawrence rejects this. He says:

“I, who am man alive, am greater than my soul, or spirit, or body… I am man alive.”

He believes that man is complete only when he is “man alive.” Religion makes man into a fragment, but the novel keeps man whole. 

Religion and Dead Absolutes: Lawrence also attacks religion for believing in absolute values like absolute truth, absolute goodness, or absolute spirit. According to him, these are lifeless ideas. Religion kills the living man by forcing him to follow rigid ideals. Lawrence says life is never fixed. It always moves and changes. Religious rules and abstract values cannot guide living beings, because they are dead and unchanging.

Saints vs. Man Alive: In the essay, Lawrence directly mentions saints as examples of how religion makes life narrow. He says that saints are respected because they give up normal human joys and passions. But in his eyes, this is not greatness; it is death. Lawrence says that the message or teaching of