Whales Weep Not!

D. H. Lawrence

21 pages 42-minute read

D. H. Lawrence

Whales Weep Not!

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1932

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

The Bull Whale is a massive marine mammal driven by his hot blood and primal instincts. He engages in a mating ritual deep in the ocean bed. When danger threatens the pod, he joins other males to form a protective ring around the females and calves.

Key Relationships

Mate of She-Whale

Symbolically Bonded to Aphrodite

Spiritually Attended by Cherubim

The She-Whale is the female counterpart in the oceanic mating ritual. She receives the bull whale in the deep waters. Later, she is depicted alongside other mother whales who nurse their calves while dreaming with eyes wide open.

Key Relationships

Mate of Bull Whale

Spiritually Attended by Cherubim

Supporting Characters

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of sexual desire. She exists within the ocean as a joyful, primal presence unbothered by human civilization. She claims the whales as her husbands and thrives in the salty environment of the deep sea.

Key Relationships

Symbolic Wife of Bull Whale

Greek Counterpart of Venus

Venus is the Roman aspect of the love goddess. She shows extreme physical fluidity by constantly transforming into different female marine animals, including a dolphin, a porpoise, and a tunny-fish. She delights in courtship and freely interacts with the male sea creatures around her.

Key Relationships

Roman Counterpart of Aphrodite

The Cherubim are burning archangels suspended in the mid-ocean waves. They wait upon the mating whales and function as spiritual messengers. Their presence turns a purely biological mating ritual into a holy event.

Key Relationships

Attendant of Bull Whale

Attendant of She-Whale