Hero-worship
A NEW biography of T. E. Lawrence by: Richard Aldington is reputed to contain evidence that impairs. if it does
not damage considerably, the usually accepted knightly reputation of its subject. The BBC apparently has not yet caught up with any of this evidence, judging by Robert Gregson’s portrait of Lawrence of ‘Arabia, heard from 4YA in the series The British Overseas. Aldington, of course, may be wrong; but the sheer perfection, in the BBC version, of the knight sams peur et sans reproche, was sadly difficult to believe in, It would appear to be the faults; rather than the vittues, which bring a character to life for us, and the spirit of heroworship which animated this programme seemed to dim more than to emphasise the hero’s extraordinary characteristics. Some of Lawrence’s friends spoke in this programme, men with heavy, elderly voices, shocking us with the sudden realisation that Lawrence, that symbol of daring youth, has now been dead for nearly 20 years. The use of these elderly voices was perhaps a mistake, since it emphasised the golden memories tendency of the programme: but it was an | interesting mistake, for it also emphasised the silent flight of time.
Loquax
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 760, 12 February 1954, Page 13
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200Hero-worship New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 760, 12 February 1954, Page 13
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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