Who Oliver Mellors is
Oliver Mellors works in the woods of the Wragby estate, where Constance Chatterley lives with her husband, Sir Clifford Chatterley. He returns from army service to a quiet job, carrying himself with reserve and sometimes speaking brusquely.
He speaks both standard English and the local Derbyshire dialect, choosing between them as a way of handling class differences. His independence surprises Connie, who first encounters him while walking in the wood with Clifford.
What Oliver Mellors wants
Mellors wants privacy, and his painful marriage to Bertha Coutts leaves him distrustful of feeling. Yet he also believes in touch and tenderness, which he sees as missing from the world around him.
Oliver Mellors and the others in the story
When Connie weeps while holding a newly hatched chick, Mellors feels compassion, though he fears where that feeling might lead. As they grow closer, their meetings bring awkwardness and misunderstanding as well as warmth.
They talk about class and money, and their relationship puts his work and privacy at risk. The wood offers a place where they can meet beyond the rules of rank that shape life at Wragby.
Questions
Who is Oliver Mellors?
Oliver Mellors is the gamekeeper on the Wragby estate and a former army officer.
Why does Mellors want to be alone?
He values a quiet, private life, and a bad marriage has made him wary of emotional ties.
How does Mellors relate to Connie?
He becomes Connie's lover, and their growing tenderness challenges both his reserve and the class divide between them.