@article{article_907415, title={LAWRENCE OF ARABIA: A ROMANTIC CAVALIER IN MODERN TIMES}, journal={Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Akademi Dergisi}, pages={915–939}, year={2021}, DOI={10.47994/usbad.907415}, author={İşçi, Veysel}, keywords={Lawrence of Arabia, Chivalry, Romance, Heroism, World War I}, abstract={<div style="text-align:justify;">Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, was one of the most controversial figures in the field of Oriental studies. While some acclaim him as an epic hero who provoked the Arab revolt against the Turks, others criticize him for being an egocentric and embellisher who played a sideshow role during the War. Either as a popular hero characterized by speculative representations or a historical figure well documented by his biographers, Lawrence has an outstanding reputation in the area. Therefore, there are many academic studies based on his heroic fame and detailed war narratives. This study aims to illustrate how this epic heroism is represented by T. E. Lawrence in his book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1921-2). Through a detailed literary analysis of the book, it also hopes to reveal how Lawrence represents himself as a romantic cavalier. In this context, the study will first examine Lawrence’s aristocratic background and deep interest in mediaeval studies. His identity clashes stemming from his contact with the Arabs will also be investigated to show his quest for a new heroic identity. Then, Lawrence’s reliability as a narrator will be questioned. Some fictional incidences included in his book will be analysed to explore how these false accounts help Lawrence’s aim of representing himself as a mystic and romantic hero. Overall, the study hopes to contribute to the existent scholarship by examining a controversial political figure through the lenses of chivalry, heroism and Medieval studies. </div>}, number={6}, publisher={Salim DURUKOĞLU}