Lawrence of Arabia | Tragedy of the Conqueror | An Analysis of Identity, Themes, Symbolism & Imagery

Lawrence of Arabia tells the story of British Army Officer T.E. Lawrence and his involvement in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks during WWI. Thematically, Lawrence of Arabia is a profoundly psychological film, dealing with problems of emotion and identity, chronicling Lawrence’s rise and fall, as he becomes consumed by what William James called ‘the Beauty of War’, and consequently loses his identity. He is broken down, remade, and shaped into the image of the desert until he no longer originates from England but from the desert, and belongs to it. He becomes Lawrence of Arabia. In the end he is equal parts hero, monster, and victim. Essentially this film is a tragedy, not of the vanquished, but of the victorious conqueror. Lawrence of Arabia is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Being nominated for ten Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963, it won seven, including Best Picture and Best Director. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion P