Why does Paul Morel give his mother morphine in Sons and Lovers?

In the novel Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence, the protagonist Paul Morel administers a lethal dose of morphine to his mother, Gertrude, because he is unable to bear watching her suffer through a slow, painful death from cancer.1

This act serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, which functions as a semi-autobiographical study of Paul’s struggle to detach himself from his mother’s intense emotional influence. By ending her life, Paul is finally released from the suffocating bond that has dominated his relationships with other women, allowing him to move forward toward his own future, even as the long-term impact of her influence remains uncertain.12