Lawrence nearly dies from influenza
Poet involved
What happened
Lawrence almost succumbs to the influenza pandemic of 1919, a near-death experience that profoundly affects him. Although he pulls through, the illness effectively ends his relationship with England, and he leaves for Italy.
Literary impact
This brush with death intensified Lawrence's preoccupation with mortality and the fragility of life, themes that permeate his later works. His recovery marked a turning point that led to his voluntary exile and a peripatetic lifestyle, during which he produced some of his most ambitious and experimental writing.
Source: University of Nottingham
