The Plumed Serpent

The Plumed Serpent by D. H. Lawrence, published in 1926, follows Kate Leslie, an Irish widow disillusioned with modern Western life, who travels to Mexico seeking renewal. There, she encounters the charismatic Mexican general Don Cipriano Viedma and the intellectual landowner Don Ramón Carrasco, who lead a mystical movement to revive ancient Aztec gods like Quetzalcoatl (the plumed serpent) and Huitzilopochtli, blending indigenous spirituality with political power to overthrow Christianity and reshape society. As Kate grapples with cultural clashes, primal rituals, violence, and her own desires, she becomes entangled in their vision, ultimately marrying Cipriano while questioning her place amid the rising tide of pagan fervor and national upheaval.