Synopses & Reviews
Since the end of the First World War, the legend of "Lawrence of Arabia" has enjoyed a place in the popular imagination of the West. Behind the legend, however, is a man, Thomas Edward Lawrence, whose life and art reflect the modern consciousness and the war that indelibly marked it. This volume addresses what has been overlooked by the legend and illuminates the legacy of T. E. Lawrence's presence in the 20th century. Contributors explore Lawrence's relation to other major writers, the colonial and postcolonial implications of his link with Arabia, his sexuality, and his status as cultural icon.
Synopsis
Since the end of the First World War, the legend of 'Lawrence of Arabia' has enjoyed much currency in the popular imagination of the West. Behind this legend, however, is a man, Thomas Edward Lawrence, tortured and brilliant, a man whose life and literature reflect the modern consciousness and the war that indelibly marked it. Here in this volume are essays which seek to address what has been overlooked by the legend and to better understand the legacy of his presence in the twentieth century. Contributors explore Lawrence's relation to other major writers of his time, the colonial and postcolonial implications of his link with Arabia, his sexuality, and his status as cultural icon.
About the Author
Charles M. Stang was the 1997/98 Annenberg Fellow at Eton College, where he taught American Studies. He currently lives in Cairo.
Table of Contents
The Many Ways of T. E. Lawrence--Charles M. Stang * "I had had one craving . . ."--Theoharis Constantine Theoharis * He Who "Does Not Care": Lawrence, Nietzsche, and Herodotus on History--Charles M. Stang * T. E. Lawrence and Historical Representation--James Gelvin * Reflective Heroes: Self-Integration through Poetry in T. E. Lawrence and Homer's Odysseus--Maren Cohn * Lawrence's Odyssey: A "Prosaic" Approach to Greatness--Stephanie Nelson and Maren Cohn * T. E. Lawrence and the Shaws--Jonathan Hart * T. E. Lawrence and the Art of War in the Twenty-First Century--George W. Gawrych