How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Paul's come!" she exclaimed.
"Aren't you glad?" said Agatha cuttingly.
Miriam stood still in amazement and bewilderment.
"Well aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes, but I'm not going to let him see it, and think I wanted him." (7.386-7.372)
Miriam doesn't think much of it when she shows her sister how excited she is about Paul's arrival. But Agatha never misses an opportunity to knock Miriam down a peg. And in her view, women are never supposed to take an active role in their relationship with a man… It's this exact view that will later keep Miriam from a "happily ever after" with Paul.
Quote #8
"I think she's a lovable old woman," said Paul.
"Margaret Bonford!" exclaimed Clara. "She's a great deal cleverer than most men."
"Well, I didn't say she wasn't," he said, deprecating. "She's lovable for all that."
"And, of course, that is all that matters," said Clara witheringly. (9.188-9.191)
When Paul refers to a local woman as loveable, Clara Dawes takes exception and informs Paul that the woman in question is cleverer than most men. She's trying to make a point about women being just as good as men. But this wasn't the discussion Paul planned on having, so he tries to diffuse things by saying he never implied anything bad about Margaret Bonford. Clara doesn't relent. She expresses frustration over the types of adjectives that get applied to women (i.e., "lovely"), who deserve to be thought of as just as strong and intelligent as men. You go, girl.
Quote #9
"You think she's a man-hater?"
"She thinks she is," replied Paul.
"But you don't think so?"
"No," replied Paul. (9.215-9.218)
In this conversation with Edgar, Paul claims that he doesn't buy into Clara Dawes' whole down-with-men façade. He thinks Clara is all talk; deep down, she must want a man (like every other woman does). This is an extremely sexist perspective, but Lawrence seems to suggest it's correct, because Clara eventually does give in to Paul's advances.