Introduction

This introduction to Lawrence's three books on Italy - Twilight in Italy, Sea and Sardinia and Etruscan Places - seeks to explain the importance of Italy in the development of Lawrence's themes and style, in particular his obsession with confronting worlds that were new to them and overcoming his fear of whatever at first seemed alien. Considering the different moments of his career in which the three books were written the piece shows how they are emblematic of the styles of those periods and how each connects to the other as Lawrence finally identifies in death both the ultimate 'exoticism' the last fear to overcome. In particular, the essay seeks to show how the need to step outside convention in order to adopt a proper response to 'the other' is reflected in a non-conventional use of of English.