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The actual method of annihilation is generally left vague, both in Nietzsche and [D.H.] Lawrence, but Lawrence has a chilling passage in a letter of 1908 in which he explains to Blanche Jennings how he would dispose of society's outcasts:

"If I had my way, I would build a lethal chamber as big as the Crystal Palace, with a military band playing softly, and a Cinematograph working brightly; then I'd go out in the back streets and main streets and bring them in, all the sick, the halt and the maimed; I would lead them gently, and they would smile me a weary thanks; and the band would softly bubble out the 'Hallelujah Chorus' ".

John Carey, The Intellectuals and the Masses: Pride and Prejudice Among the Literary Intelligentsia, 1880-1939.

Comments

[maryt]

Sounds like the Nazis read Lawrence before they put together the Final Solution. Horrendous! Also the quote reminds me of Solient Green the movie.

[Henry]

It would be interesting to learn the context of Lawrence's remarks, in order to know how serious he was.

[sglover]

I only read (endured, really) one novel by Lawrence. But if memory serves, wasn't he essentially a major life-long fuck-up who leeched off his wife? Not exactly compelling ubermensch material there.....

[Henry]

I've read seven Lawrence novels and enjoyed them all in varying degrees; The Rainbow, I think, is his best. I've also read a biography of him, and wouldn't call him a major life-long fuck-up. If he leeched off his wife (and I don't remember how accurate an assertion that is) it would have been because the British government would not allow him to publish his works because of their sexual content (which, until Lady Chatterly's Lover, was never what we'd call explicit today). In any case, his wife was a strong woman who would not have done what she didn't want to do.

[Henry]

I misspelled Lady Chatterley's Lover in my previous post.

[goethean]

Nietzsche, of course, did not advocate the destruction of anyone.

[Will]

Re: "Nietzsche, of course, did not advocate the destruction of anyone."

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