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

That Mosaic shows Phaeton being stricken down by Zeus whilst he lost control over his father’s Sun-Chariot. He got too close to earth and so, according to Greek mythology, created the desert.

T.E.Lawrence wrote in his book the Seven Pillars of Wisdom that ''All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”

I loved this movie and never caught the change from "none of my friends are murderers" to having literal murderers as friends. Great essay!

Was awed by the image when I was 5; by the story when I was 20; and then by the history when I was 35. I rewatch this film over and over throughout my entire life !

That legendary entrance of Omar Sherieff is one of the iconic moments in the history of world cinema

Lawrence of Arabia, 2001 A Space Odyssey, The Dollars Trillogy, Dr Strangelove, Once Upon a Time in the West, Psycho, Spartacus, The Longest Day, The Dirty Dozen and others. The 60s was the golden age of Cinematic History.

He went towards the jungle looking for adventure, but found the Heart of Darkness instead.

One thing I noticed is Lawrence and Sarif Ali are connected and mirrored in the story. At the well Lawrence shows compassion for the dead while Ali shows indifference and contempt but at the shelling of the Turk’s, it is Ali is who shows compassion and Lawrence who shows in difference and contempt. It is that point that the trade places. In the end Lawrence is lost to the desert While Ali transcends the Desert. It is Ali’s humbleness and restraint that saves him while it is Lawrences Hubris that destroys him.

A lightning in a bottle film. A masterclass of visual storytelling. You could edit out all the dialogue and still basically understand the crux of what’s happening. The desert never looked so beautiful than thru the eyes of David Lean and Fred Young.

I find it interesting how much Dune by Frank Herbert bears a resemblance to this story.

FINALLY SOMEONE MAKE AN ANALYSIS VIDEO ON THIS MAGNIFICENT MOVIE THANK YOU SO MUCH

Great analysis. The Suez moment pops off of the screen. A man on a motorcycle crying out loud the existential question formed by desert life and the inner desert of self, "who are you?" Its a brilliant moment built up by Lean and the silence of Lawrence is the devestating answer. After the desert has up ended his idealism, he is no longer certain of what he believes or who he is. He can only hear the question but cannot respond. He is at a crossroads where the modern marvel of the Suez crosses the ancient truth of the desert. What a mind blowing scene.

Modern viewers look at O'Tooles performance and say, "Thats a little over the top." However, taking into account the director and the subject matter I can't say there was any better way to do it. Peter O'Toole is a entire class of acting unto himself.

Nothing shatters one's illusions more expediently than being buggered in a Turkish prison

Excellent analysis - loved the use of Lawrence's own biography throughout. Looking forward to working through some of your other content!

The final scene: As Lawrence passes by his previous source of obsession (the Bedouins and Arabs) the obsession that killed him from inside, he soon passes by his new source of obsession ( the motorcycles) the one that will eventually kill him from outside.

This was truly brilliant. Moving analysis. I think the element of grandiosity and extreme Narcissism that was the shadow of Lawrence's genius as caught in the film, does not even begin to qualify the mania that possessed him- both visionary and self-destructive- maybe even subconsciously the heroic need he played out, was far more imperialistic than he could have seen. This is one of the greatest movies we will ever see. You captured the journey, and the arc of transformation here brilliantly. There is something of Hamlet in Lawrence. And Arabia his Parents. How powerful is O'Toole's ability to channel the crestfallen Lawrence, unable to live in the contradictions his journey laid bare. Thank you again for this amazing work you present here.

I always thought T.E. Lawrence was a bit of a tragic figure, wrestling with deep insecurities and trying to prove himself too hard, ending up as a wandering soul with even more doubt ind possibly remorse. This analysis sheds a whole new light on the man, at least for me. Thank you kindly.

Ive come to appreciate this movie after watching it again and again as the best film ever made. No CGI, shot on location, great story, director, actors. A work of art.

Most movies are dull, and some are truly great. But some films, maybe only a handful of those ever made, soar high above the rest. Flawless. Ideal. Godlike. Lawrence of Arabia is one of those films. One of the best parts of it to me is the evolving relationship and rivalry between Lawrence and Sherif Ali. Starting out with hatred and distaste, becoming unwilling partners, then to being each other’s most trusted ally. By the end of the film, they are closer than brothers. Sherif is almost in tears when the other leaves him. He has become soft. Considerate. Lofty, even, in his thinking. He believes in changing things through ideals and now wants to be a politician. Lawrence by that point is disgusted by the change he’s caused in his friend. The journey through the Nefud deserves more attention, as it highlights this relationship and also is a counterpoint the notion that Lawrence is invincible in the first half of the film. He actually struggles in the journey, and almost falls asleep and falls off his camel (as Gasim would eventually do) VERY early in the trip. It is only the constant attention and prodding by Sherif (who sees the narcoleptic episode and judges him harshly for it), that keeps him going. Every time he has a moment of struggle or doubt, Sherif’s hungry, immovable eyes are fixed on him. Proving his Ideals to Sherif makes them more true than they ever were before. And it is the same for Sherif. He is desperate to see Lawrence fail. Why? Because if Lawrence is right and the miracle is possible, then it was always possible before, only none of the Arabs had the mind for it. Also, Lawrence had already dismissed Sherif and his way of life before the journey. If the Englishman fails, then he was wrong, and he was the one who was being unrealistic, and he will pay for his hubris. But if he succeeds, then that destroys Sherif’s identity and lifestyle, and he has to live in a new world. In this way the two keep each other going. Lawrence WASN’T actually as capable as he thought, but he makes himself capable because he can’t bear to see his failure in Sherif’s eyes. This is a prefigurement of Lawrence identity being determined by his image, that was always an aspect of who he was. Lawrence wins the contest, and his actions profoundly impact Sherif Ali who is changed forever. It is because of this that Ali becomes the person most able to appreciate how broken Lawrence is after he abandons his ideals. He is converted to this courageous idealism just in time to watch his new idol be destroyed by the obligations and airs those ideals impose. It’s one of the central mechanisms that makes this film’s tragedy work. Thanks for the video, best wishes.