A mother is arguably the most important figure in a child's life, especially during its developmental stages. However, too much love, especially when a child is learning to bond, can potentially create a mother complex and permanently damage the child's psyche. This concept, popularized by Sigmund Freud at the turn of the 20th century, is explored in numerous literary works, notably those of DH Lawrence. Through Sons and Lovers, “The Horse Dealer's Daughter,” and “Rocking Horse Winner,” Lawrence demonstrates how a maternal complex, particularly one formed during a period of childhood trauma, results in an amplified identity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe first example of this concept is Paul Morel in Sons and Lovers. His extremely close bond with Gertrude is born from the traumatic events that occur during his developmental years. His brother died and soon after he also became seriously ill. Meanwhile, Paul's mental and physical health is put to the test, and the person who constantly cares for him is Gertrude. She accompanies him throughout his serious illness, creating a bond much more complex than that of a normal mother-son relationship. The two are described as being “knitted together in perfect intimacy,” explicitly describing the nature of their bond (Sons 97). This robs him of his ability later in life to form intimate connections with other women, especially romantically, because he is never able to fully form the different layers of his personality. Like his love for Gertrude, Paul Morel's id, still in formation at the time of his traumatic experience, expresses itself excessively. According to Freud, the id “has no knowledge of objective reality…[and] attempts at immediate gratification” (Mitchell). Paul's amplified identity manifests itself in the two romantic relationships he maintains throughout the novel; he seeks immediate sexual satisfaction through Clara and immediate spiritual satisfaction through Miriam. These relationships illustrate the extent of her inability to understand her mother complex and the reality of her own life, a clear example of her overexpressed identity. DH Lawrence also demonstrates this idea through Mabel Pervin in “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”. Mabel's fond memories of her childhood all revolve around her mother; Mabel's developmental years were spent with her mother, living prosperously and surrounded by love. However, with the death of her mother, her mother complex grew. Her extreme opposition to her father's decisions, coupled with the immense emotional trauma of her mother's death, leaves her forever in love with the memory of her mother's love. She feels a sort of jealousy for her mother, who was able to escape the world which soon condemned Mabel to ten years of servitude. She strives to be in the image of her mother: “Insane and persistent, she seemed in a kind of ecstasy to get closer to her fulfillment, to her own glorification, getting closer to her deceased and glorified mother” (Cheval ). This clearly defines Mabel's exaggerated identity, a result of the complex formed by the traumatic death of her mother. The Id is “not governed by logic” (Mitchell), as his foolish attempt to become his mother makes explicit. She is stuck in the childish mindset of idolizing her mother, a mindset governed solely by her identity. Paul in "Rocking Horse Winner" is yet another example of a poorly handled childhood situation resulting in excessive attachment to a mother. The story begins with an explanation of the whispers.