Name: Sea and Sardinia
Author: D. H. Lawrence
ISBN: 9780140004656

Sea and Sardinia

D. H. Lawrence

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Author Description

Written after the First World War when he was living in Sicily, Sea and Sardinia records Lawrence's journey to Sardinia and back in January 1921. It reveals his delighted response to a new landscape and people and his uncanny ability to transmute the spirit of place into literary art. Like his other travel writings the book is also a shrewd inquiry into the political and social values of an era which saw the rise of communism and fascism. On one level an indictment of contemporary materialism, Sea and Sardinia is nevertheless an optimistic book, celebrating the creativity of the human spirit and seeking in the fundamental laws which governed human nature in the past fresh inspiration for the present. This edition restores censored passages and corrects corrupt textual readings to reveal for the first time the book Lawrence himself called 'a marvel of veracity'.

Menrva's Summary

THE THESIS

This work investigates the intersection of personal observation and the socio-political climate of post-World War I Italy through the lens of a travel narrative. D. H. Lawrence, a prominent modernist author, utilizes his experiences during a brief excursion to Sardinia in 1921 to critique the encroaching materialism and shifting political ideologies of the era. He argues that the spirit of a place can serve as a vital counterpoint to the industrial and political decay he perceives in contemporary society.

THE SCOPE MAP

What You Will Find

A detailed account of a winter voyage from Sicily to Sardinia and back.
Observations on the cultural, social, and political landscape of early 20th-century Italy.
Commentary on the rise of communism and fascism within the Mediterranean context.

Scope Limits

The text is limited to the specific geographic and temporal constraints of Lawrence's 1921 trip.
It does not provide a comprehensive historical analysis of the region, focusing instead on subjective experience.

THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE

Critics often cite this work as a prime example of Lawrence's ability to capture the atmosphere of a location with intense sensory detail. Scholars frequently note that the text serves as both a personal travelogue and a sharp, cynical critique of the modern world's moral trajectory.

Page Count:
216

Publication Date:
1981-01-29

Publisher:
Penguin Books

ISBN-10:
0140004653

ISBN-13:
9780140004656

Non-Fiction

Travel

Memoir

New Used & Rental Textbooks

Epic Fantasy

European History

Social Commentary