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Etruscan Places: what I will remember |
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written
by minhan / 10.24.2005 |
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Part 1: |
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When I read DH Lawrence’s description of the tomb, I felt like he was not only describing the happiness and fullness of the life of the Etruscan, but also trying to persuade himself that he also had a fulfilling life. Most importantly, he focuses on the theme of duality in everything. This did not mean things had to be completely contrasting as good and bad, but rather opposites complementing each other. Therefore, the pairing of Life and Death was not necessarily a bad thing but just a natural symmetrical pair just like the two hills of Tarquinia. One with so much meaning and life and the other more solemn, but both still connected to each other by the same valley. This way of thinking allowed for a better acceptance to whatever outcomes they faced.
When he describes the sarcophagi with the effigies, he describes its significance with an approving manner. The sarcophagi were described as having effigies with people lying on their back resting slightly upright as if still full of life. The description “Etruscan element is like the grass of the field and the sprouting of corn,” shows his love for the Etruscan way. The Etruscan felt death was not an end to things and the world after death was also filled with liveliness. His description of the Etruscan past, what they believed, and his appreciation for this idea may be his way of coping with his realization that his life in this world was coming to near end and his acceptance of this fact.
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Part 2: |
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Their simple way of life seemed like it offered much peace to ones mind and soul. Before I even went to the tombs, from Lawrence’s writings, I imagined a civilization filled with people that appreciated the importance of nature and life and therefore truly did try to “live life to the fullest.” I could see them working and doing hard labor but still knowing that everything in the universe, even what they were touching, was a great feat. I could see them playing and relaxing and fully enjoying the moment instead of worrying about what is to come.
The one image that I will bring back from Tarquinia after my visit is the deep silence. This unexpected deep silence of the open area lined with mounds of tombs that seemed endless and timeless gave me a great place to stare off into the hills and just have time for myself, something I don’t usually give myself. The deep silence in the tombs was very solemn, provoking feelings of contemplation about the Etruscan world, modern world, Etruscan way of life, my life, and even small things such as why there were snails on the outside walls. This image represents things that I have been trying to work on for the person I see in myself. Maybe I, like D.H. Lawrence, am trying to see and interpret things in ways to cope with my own troubles and life.
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