← All themes

Wolf Solent · Theme

Love and Desire

How Wolf Solent develops Love and Desire.

Various forms of love—romantic, familial, spiritual, and illicit—are examined, including Wolf's complex relationships with Gerda, Christie, and his mother, as well as the priest T.E. Valley's confession that 'love sinks down into the roots of the whole world,' highlighting love's connection to both religion and depravity.

Where it surfaces

  • The Face on the Waterloo Steps

    Wolf fantasizes about finding a girl to make love to, desiring a 'tall and slim and white' woman.

  • The Blackbird's Song

    Wolf's attraction to Gerda is palpable, yet her casual proposal of marriage and her sensual exposure of her legs suggest a raw, unromanticized desire.

  • Christie

    Wolf's conflicted desire for both Gerda and Christie is explored, highlighting the tension between physical attraction and idealized love.

  • The Tea-Party

    Wolf's internal conflict between his love for Gerda and his intense craving for Christie dominates the chapter.

  • The Slowworm of Lenty

    Wolf's erotic encounter with Gerda is described as an absolute, spiritual form of Eros, while his love for Christie remains a separate, sacrosanct emotion.

  • Home for Bastards

    Wolf's deepest desire is to be with Christie Malakite, yet he builds barriers between them due to external obligations.

  • Rounded with a Sleep

    Wolf's conflicted feelings for Gerda and Christie highlight the tension between physical intimacy and spiritual longing, as he questions the nature of his attachments.

  • This Is Reality

    Wolf's intense jealousy and possessiveness over Gerda highlight the complexities and darker aspects of love and desire.

  • The School-Treat

    Darnley's cryptic confession about love and repulsion, and Wolf's jealous reaction to Gerda with Bob Weevil, highlight the complexities and frustrations of desire.

  • Wine

    Wolf's love for Gerda and his mother drives his actions, but jealousy and suspicion of infidelity torment him.

  • Mr. Malakite at Weymouth

    Wolf's desire for Christie conflicts with his loyalty to Gerda, and the chapter examines the complexities of love, sacrifice, and emotional cost.

  • The Quick or the Dead?

    Wolf's conflicted love for Gerda despite suspected infidelity; Selena Gault's enduring love for William Solent.

  • Ripeness Is All

    Wolf's longing for Christie and his jealousy over Gerda's admiration by Carfax highlight his conflicted desires and emotional turmoil.