The Trespasser

Lawrence’s second novel, published in 1912, The Trespasser is a strongly biographic piece based on the diary of Helen Corke, a friend of the author, who presumably gave him permission to do so.The plot revolves around the real-life extra-marital relationship between Corke and a married man which resulted in his suicide. Here, the married man is called Siegmund, the woman barely disguised as Helena. In addition to the natural descriptions, this novel has evidence of Lawrence’s particular affinity with the strong emotions and passions that his protagonists would display.