Lawrence of Arabia has always been one of my favorite films, and the figure of T. E. Lawrence, who serves as the focus of the four-hour-long spectacle, seems surrounded by an aura of mystery that is both impenetrable yet incredibly alluring. I wish to answer the question, "Who is Lawrence of Arabia?" Why does this warrior-poet continue to captivate audiences so many years after his exploits in the Arab Revolt? By exploring the means of propagandizing during World War I, American fascination with his myth, and the actual historical personage, I hope to understand what it is that makes T. E. Lawrence a figure worthy of this epic film, and what it is in turn that fuels the film's enduring legacy.