What is the summary of the prussian officer?

Answer 1

The Prussian Officer, written by D.H. Lawrence in 1914 was a short story incorporating the social, economic and sexual imbalances between an officer and orderly. The Prussian Officer tells the story of a young and innocent soldier who falls victim to the sexual frustration of his commanding officer. The officer feels an uncontrollable sense of forbidden lust and admiration for the orderly. Though due to the surroundings of both men and the duties with which both are faced this love is replaced by a strong feeling of contempt and antipathy towards the orderly, perhaps even jealousy. These feelings of malevolence result in the officer attacking the orderly leaving the officer in a state of satisfaction and the soldier void of emotion, a shell of his former self. The Prussian Captain's subconscious homoerotic desire for his orderly manifests through his perverse demonstrations of power. This misuse of authority drove the orderly to kill his master and subsequently kill himself.

The story gives us an insight into the relationship between the human subconscious and conscious self, and how one's rationale can repress and ultimately destroy this relationship. The story also portrays an environment in which this sort of behaviour is forbidden and how the isolation of emotion is encouraged.

Answer 2

"The Prussian Officer" is a short story by D.H. Lawrence that explores themes of power dynamics and dominance. It follows a volatile relationship between a young officer and his orderly, climaxing in a violent and tragic confrontation that exposes the complexities of human behavior and societal expectations. The story delves into the psychological toll of oppressive authority and the destructive nature of unchecked aggression.