The enigmatic Lawrence of Arabia




The one thing about being furloughed is that I get the opportunity to access talks and workshops on-line. Last week it was Florence Nightingale but this week my friday lunchtime was shared with one T.E. Lawrence.

A great discussion between staff from the National Army Museum and Dr Rob Johnson, who has recently published a book on Lawrence, I thought would be an interesting subject to listen into. And I wasn't disappointed. I had done a little bit of research into Lawrence when I was at University so I thought it would be good to refresh my memory and learn something new. A well-known historical figure, who was characterised by Peter O'Toole in the David Lean film Lawrence of Arabia. 'Big screen romanticism' as it was described by Dr Johnson. And he is probably right.

I wanted to be prepared so turned up to the virtual talk with a brew and my copy of Jeremy Wilson's biography on Lawrence. Why? Well not sure really, but gave me confidence that I knew a little about him. As if any other of the attendees cared!! As I flicked through my book, I could see notes in the margin and pencil lines - I must have had to use it as research material for an essay. Ready to go, I was prepared for an onslaught of information. Suddenly the screen flickered into life and the discussion started. I was hooked.

The talk focussed on his military thinking, his book Seven Pillars of Wisdom, his connection with the Arabs. A question was asked about his tactics of guerilla warfare in the desert and the tactics of Orde Wingate in the jungles of Burma. Interesting stuff as I am also interested in Wingate and his Chindits too. Of course, nothing is that straightforward but the talk highlighted how endlessing fascinated we are with Lawrence. Not only with his wartime exploits but his post-war behaviour which led to his sad death in the 1930s. Plus I had squeezed into his pad at Clouds Hill on a holiday down south some yeats back.

Of course, what this made me want to do today was revisit the film. No such luck on Netflix or Youtube. I wanted to think about some of those discussions yesterday and see how they were incorporated into this epic. Often historical films can be criticised for their inaccuracies (think Mary, Queen of Scots) but for some they are often a way of raising awareness of a particular point in the past. For me? Quite fancied seeing O'Toole racing about on a camel and watch a rather dashing Omar Sharif. I certainly enjoyed being educated yesterday but today? I just wanted to be entertained, albeit historically.


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