The Italian occupation of Ethiopia holds arnsignificant place in the history of the country. BethrnEthiopian and foreign historians have written extensivelyrnon the subject. The theme of Italian occupation hasrnalso inspired Ethiopian novelists and playwrights.rnTheir novels and plays try to show the causes of thernwar, the conduct of the war, its political, social,rneconomic and cultural effects, and the patrioticrnresistance. Some of these literary works also dealrnwith the prevalent situation immediately after thernliberation of the country.rnAfter identifying the major prenccupations of thernworks dealing with the theme of Italian occupation thisrnstudy also attempts to show the differences in thernauthors' interpretations of some of the issues andrnevents of the war. All the authors cite avenging therndefeat at the battle of Adowa as one of the causes ofrnthe Italian invasion of Ethiopia. Ar'aya underlinesrnItalian economic interest as the major reason for thernaggression; Endgwgtt§c~ g&rr§~6 gives Italy's colenialrnambition as the main reason. Sgr§-Koloniyalist mentie~srnthe Fascist Party's policy as an immediate cause of thernwar. In the treatment of the conduct of the war thernmajority of the works concentrate on the battle ofrnMay(;gw. Bassa Qetaw and Ar'aya portray the conductrnrnof the war at the battle of Sire, Tembien and Amba'radem