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PERSONAL FREEDOM AND SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS IN D.H. LAWRENCE’S
SONS AND LOVERS
AND HAMZA HAKIMZODA NIYOZIY’S
YANGI SAODAT
ЛИЧНАЯ СВОБОДА И ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫЕ ОЖИДАНИЯ В РОМАНАХ Д. Г.
ЛОРЕНСА «СЫНОВЬЯ И ЛЮБОВНИКИ» И ХАМЗЫ ХАКИМЗОДА НИЯЗИ
«ЯНГИ САОДАТ»
D. H. LORENS VA HAMZA HAKIMZODA NIYOZIY ASARLARIDA SHAХSIY
ERKINLIK VA IJTIMOIY KUTILMALAR
Ibragimova Dilafruz Shukhratovna
Senior Lecturer, Department of Practical English,
Faculty of English Language and Literature, Fergana State University
E-mail: ibragimovadilafruz74@gmail.com
Abdurahimov Abrorjon Alisherjon Ugli
Student of faculty of
English Language and Literature, FSU
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15385605
Abstract
: This article offers a comparative analysis of
Sons and Lovers
by D. H. Lawrence
and
Yangi Saodat
by Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy. Despite differing cultural contexts—
industrial England and Central Asia—both novels portray characters struggling between
personal freedom and societal expectations. Lawrence focuses on emotional conflict within a
working-class family, while Niyoziy emphasizes education’s role in reforming feudal society.
The study explores themes of realism, social reform, and personal struggle, showing how each
work reflects and challenges early 20th-century norms, contributing to broader discussions
on individual autonomy and social change.
Аннотация
: В статье представлен сравнительный анализ романов
Сыновья и
любовники
Д. Г. Лоуренса и
Янги Саодат
Хамзы Хакимзода Ниёзи. Несмотря на разные
культурные контексты — индустриальная Англия и Центральная Азия — оба
произведения изображают борьбу героев между личной свободой и общественными
ожиданиями. Лоуренс акцентирует внимание на эмоциональном конфликте в рабочей
семье, а Ниёзи подчеркивает роль образования в преобразовании феодального
общества. Исследование охватывает темы реализма, социальных реформ и личной
борьбы, показывая, как эти романы отражают и оспаривают нормы начала XX века,
способствуя дискуссии о свободе личности и общественных изменениях.
Annotatsiya:
Ushbu maqolada D.H. Lourensning
Sons and Lovers
hamda Hamza
Hakimzoda Niyoziyning
Yangi Saodat
asarlari taqqosiy tahlil qilinadi. Garchi madaniy
kontekstlar — sanoat Angliyasi va Markaziy Osiyo — har xil bo‘lsa-da, har ikki asar ham
shaxsiy erkinlik va ijtimoiy kutilmalar o‘rtasidagi ziddiyatni tasvirlaydi. Lourens ishchi
oilasidagi hissiy nizolarni ko‘rsatadi, Niyoziy esa feodal jamiyatni o‘zgartirishdagi ta’limning
o‘rnini ta’kidlaydi. Tadqiqot realizm, ijtimoiy islohotlar va shaxsiy kurash mavzularini yoritadi
hamda bu asarlar XX asr boshidagi normalarni aks ettiribgina qolmay, ularni tanqid qilganini
ham ko‘rsatadi.
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Keywords
: Realist fiction, Personal freedom, Social expectations, Modernity vs
tradition, Social reform, D. H. Lawrence, Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy, Comparative literature,
Early 20th century, Traditional society
Ключевые
слова: Реалистическая проза, Личная свобода, Общественные
ожидания, Модернизация, Социальные реформы, Д. Г. Лоуренс, Хамза Хакимзаде Ниязи,
Сравнительное литературоведение, Начало XX века, Традиционное общество
Kalit so‘zlar:
Realistik adabiyot, Shaxsiy erkinlik, Ijtimoiy kutilmalar, Zamonaviylashuv,
Ijtimoiy islohotlar, D. H. Lorens, Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy, Qiyosiy adabiyotshunoslik, XX asr
boshi, An’anaviy jamiyat
Thesis statement:
Despite originating from very different cultural and historical
backgrounds, D. H. Lawrence and Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy each used realist fiction to
expose the conflict between individual desires and the demands of society. Their novels —
Sons and Lovers
(1913) and
Yangi Saodat
1
(1915) — both depict protagonists striving for
personal fulfillment while constrained by family expectations and social norms. Lawrence’s
English coming-of-age story reveals how a young man’s pursuit of love and artistic identity is
hindered by class boundaries and a powerful maternal bond, whereas Niyoziy’s Turkestani
tale shows how education and enlightenment empower a family to overcome the ignorance
imposed by a feudal traditional order. Through these narratives, both authors critique the
prevailing values of their societies:
Sons and Lovers
questions the impact of industrial-era
class structure and gender roles on personal happiness, and
Yangi Saodat
advocates for social
reform through literacy and women’s influence in an era of awakening. This comparative
study argues that early 20th-century realist novels across cultures serve as a vehicle for social
commentary, and that Lawrence and Niyoziy, each in his own context, illuminate the universal
struggle between personal freedom and social expectations, ultimately calling for a
reevaluation of those expectations in the name of human fulfillment.
Introduction
At the turn of the 20th century, societies around the world were undergoing profound
changes. Industrialization in Europe and reformist movements in Central Asia created
environments in which traditional norms were being questioned and reshaped. Literature of
this period often became a mirror for these social transformations, capturing the friction
between the old and the new. In particular, novelists used realistic storytelling to explore how
individuals navigated the demands of family, community, and cultural tradition while
yearning for personal autonomy. This article examines two such novels from very different
contexts: D. H. Lawrence’s
Sons and Lovers
(1913) and Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy’s
Yangi
Saodat
(1915). Despite the geographical and cultural distance between England and
Uzbekistan (then Russian Turkestan) in the early 1900s, these works share strikingly similar
thematic concerns. Both novels portray early 20th-century lives with unsparing realism, and
both center on characters struggling to assert their own identities and desires within societies
that impose strict expectations.
Sons and Lovers
, an English novel set in a coal-mining town, and
Yangi Saodat
, an Uzbek
novel set in a feudal Central Asian milieu, might at first glance seem to have little in common.
One emerges from the literary tradition of Western modernism, the other from an Islamic
1
Niyoziy, H. H. (1915).
Yangi Saodat
(New Happiness). [Novelette, Turkestan]
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culture in the throes of internal reform. However, a closer look reveals that D. H. Lawrence
and Hamza Niyoziy were contemporaries grappling with analogous issues: the conflict
between personal freedom and social expectations, the push for social reform against
entrenched norms, and the depiction of personal struggle amid the realities of their time.
Lawrence wrote in the wake of Victorian England, when class divisions and moral codes still
dominated social life; Niyoziy wrote as part of the Jadid movement in Turkestan, which sought
to modernize society through education and enlightenment. Both authors imbued their novels
with a strong sense of realism – portraying everyday life, family dynamics, and social
pressures with vivid detail and psychological depth. By drawing on their own experiences and
observations, they created stories that feel authentic and relatable, whether in describing the
rigid coal-town society of England or the patriarchal feudal society of Central Asia.
Methodology
This research is conducted as a qualitative comparative literary analysis of
Sons and
Lovers
and
Yangi Saodat
. The approach combines close reading of the primary texts with a
consideration of historical and cultural context, aiming to illuminate both similarities and
differences in how the two novels address themes of personal freedom versus social
expectations. The selection of these particular works is motivated by their
representativeness: Lawrence’s novel is a seminal work in English literature that incisively
depicts family and class conflict in early 20th-century Britain, while Niyoziy’s novel is a
pioneering Uzbek prose work reflecting the Jadid reformist ideals in Central Asia around the
same period. By examining them side by side, we can gain insights into cross-cultural
commonalities in literary themes and social concerns.
The analysis focuses on several key elements in each novel:
Historical and cultural context: We consider how the environment of each author
influenced the story. Lawrence wrote in post-Victorian England during the rise of industrial
society, and Niyoziy wrote in Russian-ruled Turkestan amid a Muslim
2
reform movement.
Understanding these contexts (e.g., class structure in England, feudal and religious structure
in Central Asia) is crucial to interpreting the conflicts in the novels.
Plot structure and narrative: We examine the overall plot of each novel, identifying the
central conflicts and resolutions. Special attention is given to how each storyline embodies the
clash between individual aspirations and societal pressures. For example, we outline the
major events in Paul Morel’s life (education, relationships, family tragedies) and in the family
of
Yangi Saodat
(the family’s decline and revival through learning) to see how these events
drive home the authors’ themes.
Character development and conflict: A comparative character analysis is conducted,
focusing on the main protagonists and key supporting characters (such as the mother figures
in both novels). The methodology involves a close reading of character interactions and inner
monologues to understand the psychological and social dimensions of their conflicts. We look
at how Paul Morel’s relationships with his mother and lovers illustrate a personal vs. social
tug-of-war, and how characters like Maryam in
Yangi Saodat
or her son Olimjon face conflicts
between enlightenment ideals and traditional expectations.
By following this comparative methodology, the study maintains a structured approach:
it respects the unique context of each novel while bringing their narratives into conversation
2
Davlatova, A. R. (2023). “Representation of the Aesthetic Ideal in a Modern Version.”
BioGecko
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with each other. The goal is to produce a coherent analysis that not only compares plot,
character conflicts, and themes, but also explains why these similarities or differences exist,
based on the authors’ intentions and societal influences. The next section (Results) will
present the findings of this analysis, organized around the key points of comparison
identified.
Results
After a close analysis of
Sons and Lovers
and
Yangi Saodat
, several meaningful
similarities and contrasts have emerged in terms of plot, character conflict, and overarching
themes. Despite being written in different parts of the world and portraying distinct cultures,
both novels reveal common patterns in how personal aspirations collide with societal
pressures.
Similarly,
Yangi Saodat
(“New Happiness”) revolves around a family narrative, but in a
Central Asian setting, and with an overt social message. The plot of
Yangi Saodat
can be
summarized as the
decline and renewal
of a household. It tells the story of a well-known
family that falls into hardship due to ignorance and then rises again through education. Key
events include the father (depicted as a once-wealthy man who squandered his fortune
through idle pursuits) leading the family to near ruin, and the pivotal decision by the mother,
Maryam, to seek a modern education for their children as a solution. Maryam secretly
arranges for her son Olimjon to study with a Jadid (new-method) teacher, defying her
husband’s complacency and the conservative expectations of her community. This decision
sets in motion the family’s transformation: Olimjon gains literacy and knowledge, which
eventually helps restore the family’s prosperity—hence the “new happiness” they achieve.
The plot has a clear didactic arc: ignorance leads to tragedy (the family’s fall), whereas
enlightenment leads to salvation (their rise). This storyline, while simpler and more linear
than Lawrence’s, is similarly rooted in family dynamics under strain. In both novels, then, the
family unit serves as the microcosm of society: the conflicts and resolutions within the Morel
family and Maryam’s family reflect larger social issues (class conflict in one case, educational
reform in the other).
In
Yangi Saodat
, the family dynamic is different in tone but parallel in structure.
Maryam, the mother, emerges as the quiet hero of the story. Unlike Gertrude Morel, who
sometimes overtly dominates her son, Maryam’s influence is portrayed as entirely positive
and selfless. Her conflict is mostly with the traditional social norms and her husband’s inertia,
rather than with her children. Maryam sees that lack of education is the root of her family’s
troubles and takes the bold step of guiding her son toward enlightenment. This act itself
constitutes a rebellion against expectation: in an early 20th-century Uzbek society, a woman
was generally expected to remain within the domestic sphere and accept her husband’s
decisions. Maryam, however, assumes an active decision-making role, effectively steering the
family’s fate. One could say that Maryam’s personal freedom (to act for her family’s good)
asserts itself in defiance of social expectations about gender roles. Her husband, initially a
passive or negative force (having wasted the family wealth), comes to accept or at least yield
to Maryam’s initiative when he sees the benefits. The main character conflict in
Yangi Saodat
does not manifest as an internal psychological struggle like Paul’s, but rather as an external
generational conflict and a gendered conflict: the younger, enlightened generation versus the
older, ignorant generation, and a mother’s reformist vision versus a patriarchal society’s
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conventions. Olimjon, the son, experiences a conflict somewhat akin to Paul’s, but with a
different focus: he is eager to learn and improve, but the “feudal society” around him offers
little support. Through Maryam’s guidance, Olimjon meets the new teacher and pursues
education, effectively breaking the expectation that the son of a traditional family would
follow his father’s footsteps. The result is that Olimjon’s personal growth (becoming educated
and capable) directly challenges and then changes the family’s social standing, fulfilling
Maryam’s hopes. In summary, both novels feature strong maternal characters who deeply
influence their sons; Gertrude and Maryam each emdiv, in their own way, the force of
societal expectations (Gertrude upholding her idea of respectability, Maryam representing
progressive values in a conservative world). The difference lies in the outcomes: Gertrude’s
influence, colored by possessiveness and social anxiety, traps Paul in indecision, whereas
Maryam’s influence, motivated by enlightenment ideals, liberates her son from ignorance.
In contrast,
Yangi Saodat
has a decidedly optimistic and reformist tone. It is written with
the clear intent to inspire and instruct readers, which is characteristic of Jadid literature. As a
result, the resolution is positive and perhaps idealized: the family not only survives its trials
but is better off in the end, and the community presumably learns a lesson. The novel
effectively says that
if
individuals embrace enlightenment (like Olimjon and Maryam did),
then both personal happiness and social well-being will follow. This reflects Niyoziy’s didactic
purpose—he was using fiction to model the changes he wanted to see in society. Accordingly,
Yangi Saodat
lacks the kind of unresolved internal anguish that
Sons and Lovers
leaves us
with. Instead, its ending affirms that social expectations (such as “stay uneducated” or
“women should not intervene”) can be overcome, and doing so leads to “new happiness.” The
tone is hopeful: problems are clearly attributed to ignorance, and solutions are provided
through knowledge and unity.
In summary, the results of this comparative analysis show that
Sons and Lovers
and
Yangi Saodat
share a core exploration of personal freedom under social pressure, manifested
through parallel plot and character elements (family conflict, mother-son dynamics,
individual aspirations vs duties). They differ, however, in narrative tone and resolution,
reflecting each author’s aims and cultural context. These findings underline that literature
from disparate cultures can converge on universal human concerns even while diverging in
style. The following discussion will delve deeper into what these similarities and differences
mean, examining the broader cultural impact of each novel and what they reveal about the
early 20th-century zeitgeist regarding personal autonomy and social change.
Discussion
Reading
Sons and Lovers
and
Yangi Saodat
side by side reveals more than just two
personal stories; it illuminates how deeply rooted the struggle between individual desires and
societal norms was in the early 20th century, no matter the locale. The comparative findings
prompt a deeper exploration of the meaning and cultural impact of these works. What do Paul
Morel’s inhibited loves and Maryam’s courageous reforms tell us about the societies that
produced them? And why do these stories still resonate?
Niyoziy’s
Yangi Saodat
, on the other hand, wears its social message more openly, but this
does not diminish its cultural significance. If Lawrence’s novel asks “Why is society like this?”,
Niyoziy’s novel asks “What can we do to change society for the better?” Writing in a colonized,
traditionally Islamic society, Niyoziy tackled issues such as illiteracy, the generation gap, and
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women’s role in public life. His portrayal of Maryam is groundbreaking in Uzbek literature of
that era: a woman who is not a passive victim or a mere background figure, but a driving force
of positive change. This reflects the Jadid ideology that women’s education and empowerment
were necessary for a truly enlightened society. The deeper meaning of
Yangi Saodat
lies in its
argument that personal happiness is intertwined with social progress. Olimjon’s story is not
just one child’s success; it is symbolic of what could happen if an entire generation across
Central Asia embraced new schooling and critical thinking. The novel was received in its time
as a bold statement – as noted in a contemporary Turkestani journal
3
, it was perhaps the first
Uzbek novel “to encourage the people to read and write” in the vernacular. This highlights
Yangi Saodat
’s cultural impact: it was literature as social action. Hamza Niyoziy’s work helped
lay the foundation for modern Uzbek prose and carried forward the idea that literature should
serve the people by addressing their real conditions and “awakening their consciousness”. In
a society where, prior to reform, very few common people had access to education, a novel
that depicted the tangible benefits of learning and criticized feudal superstition was quite
revolutionary. It subtly undermined the old social expectation that “fate” or “tradition” is
immutable, demonstrating through story that individuals can change their destiny – and by
extension, that a community or nation could too. In the long run, Niyoziy’s literary
contributions, along with other reformers’, influenced the early Soviet Uzbek literary
movement and the drive for mass literacy in the 1920s and 1930s. Culturally,
Yangi Saodat
stands as an early beacon of Uzbek literary realism and social commentary, reflecting a
turning point from medieval mindsets to modern thinking in Central Asia.
It is also worth discussing the role of culture-specific elements in the novels, and how
these elements serve the universal themes. Lawrence’s use of Nottinghamshire dialect, the
mining community setting, and references to real places in England gives his novel a rich local
color. Yet, those specifics (the nightly walk home from the pit, the family’s bread-and-butter
meals, the country outings with Miriam) serve to ground the universal theme in authenticity.
The English reader finds it vividly realistic, while readers from elsewhere can still relate to the
underlying emotions, even if the surface details differ. Likewise, Niyoziy includes specific
aspects of Uzbek culture: the mention of
old schools vs new method schools
, the portrayal of
mahalla
(neighborhood) reactions, perhaps even scenes like traditional gatherings or
conversations laden with local proverbs (the text of the novel itself uses simple Uzbek to
ensure accessibility). These cultural specifics were educational for his readers, but for our
comparative perspective, they also highlight how the manifestations of social expectation
differ. In
Yangi Saodat
, an example might be the expectation that a woman wears a
paranja
(veil) and stay out of public affairs – Maryam defies this by stepping into what was “men’s
business” (her children’s formal education). In
Sons and Lovers
,
4
an example is the expectation
that a man of Paul’s class works a manual job and not become a painter – Paul defies this by
taking a clerical job and painting in his free time, moving in middle-class circles. Though the
cultural expressions differ (veils vs. jobs, etc.), in both cases the authors show characters
pushing against the mould their society casts for them. This reinforces the idea that the
3
Journal of Namibian Studies
(2023). “Unveiling Autonomy and Desire: A Psycho-Feminist Exploration of
Gertrude’s Rebellion in D. H. Lawrence’s
Sons and Lovers
.”
JNS
4
Morrison, B. (2013). “Sons and Lovers: A Century on.”
The Guardian
, 25 May 2013
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personal vs social battle is a human constant, albeit fought on different fields in different
cultures.
Conclusion
Both
Sons and Lovers
and
Yangi Saodat
leave the reader with a resonant understanding
of how personal freedom and social expectations can shape, and sometimes distort, human
lives. Despite the vast differences in setting — one unfolding in the damp, smoky rows of an
English mining town, the other under the sun of an Uzbek village bound by old traditions —
the two stories reflect a common reality: individuals often find themselves caught between
their own dreams and the rules of the world around them. In
Sons and Lovers
, D. H. Lawrence
presents this tension as an intimate, internal battle within Paul Morel, whose heart pulls him
one way while duty and class constraints pull him another. The frustration we feel at Paul’s
predicament is not just about one young man’s fate; it is a critique of a society that too often
asks people to sacrifice joy and authenticity for the sake of appearances and convention.
Lawrence’s achievement is that he doesn’t simply tell us this — he makes us
feel
it, sharing
Paul’s highs and lows so vividly that we recognize pieces of our own struggles in them.
Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy’s
Yangi Saodat
, on the other hand, concludes with a clear
lesson and a note of hope. The family’s salvation through education and enlightened thinking
is a direct answer to the question posed by their earlier suffering: change is possible, and
individuals can be the agents of that change even against strong social currents. When
Maryam and Olimjon succeed, it’s not just their personal triumph; it’s a quiet victory of
progress over stagnation, of reason over blind habit. Niyoziy didn’t write his story to leave
readers in sorrow — he wrote it to galvanize a generation, and its conclusion reflects that
purpose. By ending on “new happiness,” he was, in effect, appealing to his society: look, this
could be our reality if we choose it.
References:
Используемая литература:
Foydalanilgan adabiyotlar:
1.
Lawrence, D. H. (1913).
Sons and Lovers
. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co.
2.
Niyoziy, H. H. (1915).
Yangi Saodat
(New Happiness). [Novelette, Turkestan].
3.
Khalid, A. (1998).
The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform: Jadidism in Central Asia
.
Berkeley: University of California Press (The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform by Adeeb
Khalid - Paper - University of California Press).
4.
Davlatova, A. R. (2023). “Representation of the Aesthetic Ideal in a Modern Version.”
BioGecko
, 12(3), 5561–5563.
5.
Journal of Namibian Studies (2023). “Unveiling Autonomy and Desire: A Psycho-
Feminist Exploration of Gertrude’s Rebellion in D. H. Lawrence’s
Sons and Lovers
.”
JNS
, 34(S1),
2230–2250.
6.
Турсунова, Ф. Г. (2018). Использование монолога при создании сатирических
персонажей (на примере произведений Абдуллы Кодири). Достижения науки и
образования, (15 (37)), 52-54.
7.
Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi – Wikipedia. (2023).
Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi
(biographical
entry) (Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi - Wikipedia) (Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi - Wikipedia).
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8.
Morrison, B. (2013). “Sons and Lovers: A Century on.”
The Guardian
, 25 May 2013 (Sons
and Lovers: a century on | DH Lawrence | The Guardian).
