Frieda von Richthofen Lawrence was a woman of an unusual vitality and strong sense of independence. The early works of Lawrence-Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love-were produced when Lawrence was largely under the sway of her influence. But her willfulness and Lawrence`s insistence on male superiority and on her submission to him caused bitter conflicts, particularly in the `leadership` period. He did not want to place himself under her thumb and she refused to bow to his authority. Some of the artistic failures in Aaron`s Rod, Kangaroo, and The Plumed Serpent reflect the troubled relationship between them. In parallel with Frieda`s recalcitrance, Lawrence`s lack of initiatives and confidence played a significant part here. His indecision and vacillation as represented in the novels can be traced back to his Oedipal fixation on his willful mother, which hindered the development of his individual consciousness. Frieda helped him release himself from the trammels, but in the process, she became a surrogate mother, and he only achieved a partial release. Probably this explains why his belated self-assertion of the male domination only led to a crisis of marriage as well as danger of failure in his novels featuring male authoritarianism. All through these ups and downs, however, they maintained their bond, due to Frieda`s unwavering faith in Lawrence`s genius and her exceptional vitality to inspire him on the one hand, and his appreciation of this on the other. Frieda prepared him for a quantum leap from his upbringing, his disposition, and his culture. By breaking free his libido locked up in oedipal fetters and moral conformity, she opened the door to his manhood and helped to channel his libido into a free-floating creativity. And he also gave her self-confidence as the cheerful and unabashed Magna Mater.