The misunderstood Gertrude Morel

In D. H. Lawrence's famous autobiographical novel, "Sons & Lovers", the mother Gertrude is widely seen as an object of Oedipal fixation by her sons, William & Paul. William gets married, moves away & passes away soon also. Paul, a gifted artist, is emotionally close to his mother, whose husband was not culturally equal to her, being a coal miner with some physical charm in his youth.

But Paul also is attracted to first Miriam & then Clara. In a moving scene, Gertrude cries in a whimpering voice, so unlike her own, that Paul writhed in agony. "I can't bear it. I could let another woman - but not her. Miriam would leave me no room, not a bit of room. And she exults so in taking you from me - she is not like ordinary girls."

This makes it evident that Gertrude was not being possessive, but only afraid of Miriam being so.

Later Lawrence writes, "(Gertrude) wished so much that Paul would fall in love with a girl equal to be his mate - educated & strong. He seemed to like Clara. At any rate that feeling was wholesome. Gertrude prayed for him that he might not be wasted. That was all her prayer - not for his soul or his righteousness, but that he might not be wasted. And while he slept, for hours & hours she thought & prayed for him."

Where is the question of maternal possessiveness or Oedipal fixation in this, where a mother prays for her son marrying a wife who will allow him to share his love with others also?