Hello and welcome to the Discourse. A Farewell to Arms was a lyrical poem by George Peel that he wrote for the occasion of the retirement ceremony of Queen Elizabeth I in 1590 in which he pledged his undying loyalty to the queen and addressed her as Goddess. Ernest Hemingway took this title for his war novel that was published in 1929. It is a first-person account of an American, Frederic Henry, serving as a lieutenant in the ambulance corps of the Italian Army during World War I. While the novel is set against the backdrop of World War I, it tells the love story of Frederick Henry and an English nurse Catherine Barkley. It proved to be one of the most successful novels of Ernest Hemingway and is considered "the premier American war novel from that debacle World War I." The novel is not an autobiography but the novel was based on Hemingway's own experiences serving in the Italian campaigns during the First World War.
A real nurse named Agnes von Kurowsky cared for Hemingway in a hospital in Milan when he was injured. Hemingway had planned to marry her but they broke off when he returned to America.
Characters: Henry Frederick is an American who leaves America to take part in World War I (as America is yet not involved). He joins Italian forces as a Lieutenant. Miss Catherine Barkley is an English Nurse working in Italy. She lost her fiance in the war and gradually she falls in love with Henry. Surgeon Rinaldi is an Army surgeon who is friendly to Henry. The priest is an army chaplain who develops a friendship with Henry and often engages in discussions with Henry about war and God. Helen Ferguson is a nurse and friend of Catherine. Miss Van Campen is the head nurse of an American hospital in Milan. She has a disliking against Henry. Miss Gage is a friendly nurse who often works unconventionally. Major Valentini is an Italian army doctor who operates Henry’s knee when wounded. Ralph Simmons is an opera singer whom Henry meets in Milan.
Other minor characters include some Italian soldiers (Gino, Bonello, Piani, Passini) and a bartender Emilio. Count Greffi is an old nobleman of Switzerland.
Summary:
The novel is divided into five parts. Being a war fiction, the whole book is set in the historical background of World War 1. World War I or the Great War began in August 1914 with the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand. The war pitted the Central Powers (Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) against the allied forces of Great Britain, France, Russia, and Italy, who were joined in 1917 by the United States. The action of A Farewell to Arms takes place from 1916-18 in four locations, for the most part: 1) the Julian Alps, along what was then the border between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire; 2) the city of Milan, which lies in the plains of northern Italy, far from the front; 3) the Italian resort town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore, which straddles the border between Italy and Switzerland; and 4) various towns and villages of the Swiss Alps.
In the beginning, the Italian forces are busy trying to stop Austro-Hungarian forces from assisting German forces on western and eastern forces. Russia withdrew from the war in 1917 due to Communist Revolution while the United States decided to take the side of Italy, France, and Britain in the same year. At the beginning of the novel, The novel's narrator, and the protagonist are eventually identified as Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American who has volunteered for the Italian army because the United States has not yet entered the war. Henry supervises a group of Italian ambulance drivers.
Book 1
As the winter begins, a deadly epidemic of cholera kills thousands of soldiers and as a medic, Frederick is sent to Gorizia for a brief period. In Gorizia, Henry learns the hierarchy of the army as there are two brothels, one set for officers, while the other is for lower-rank soldiers. Henry makes friends with a few army personnel and the priest of the army. Soon situations improve and he returns to his base where he shares his experience with one of his friends Surgeon Rinaldi. Rinaldi takes interest in beautiful women and later he fell in love with a beautiful nurse named Miss Catherine Barkley. Though Rinaldi is not very serious about Catherine, he admires her. One day, Rinaldi takes Henry to his hospital and introduces him to Catherine Barkley, a British nurse who recently lost her fiance in the war. Henry feels attracted to Catherine and they develop a rapport. Catherine shares her sadness about the demise of her fiance with Henry and tells him how she feels uncomfortable when it rains. As it starts raining, Henry tries to kiss her but Catherine slaps him but then she feels sorry about it. At last, Catherine starts feeling comfortable and Henry kisses her. Henry is then sent to the Italian front in the war. He takes an ambulance along with fellow drivers Passini, Manera, Gordini, and Gavuzzi. They face a mortar attack and Passini gets killed while Henry suffers a serious knee injury.
Book 2
Henry is admitted to the hospital where Rinaldi visits him. Rinaldi praises him for Henry’s bravery but Henry says that he did nothing brave. Rinaldi says that his injury is serious and hence, he will be sent to Milan in the American hospital. Henry requests him to send Catherine to Milan too. Rinaldi realizes that Henry and Catherine are developing a relationship and he feels happy about it. The Priest also pays a visit to see Henry and they discuss the war. Henry expresses his views against war. Meanwhile, America declares war against Germany while the Austrian army is also infiltrating Italian borders. Henry is sent to Milan where he is nursed by Miss Gage, Miss Walker, and head nurse Miss Van Campen. While Van Campen is a strict lady, Miss Gage is too friendly and she arranges wine for Henry in the hospital which is prohibited. Soon Catherine arrives in Milan too and Henry and she begin a steamy relationship as they make love in the hospital bed.
Doctor Valentini visits the hospital to check Henry. Soon his knee improves but Henry is forced to spend more time in the hospital as he is found to be suffering from jaundice. Miss Van Campen finds out the bottles of wine and realizes the reason for his jaundice. Van Campen also realizes that Henry is knowingly keeping himself ill so that he may avoid the war while he is having a good time with Catherine. She reports against him and suggests canceling his convalescent leave. Henry is ordered to go to the war front but before he could go, Catherine informs him that she is pregnant. Henry promises her that he will return soon to meet Little Catherine, his daughter, and goes to the war.
Book 3
Frederick returns to Gorizia to join the war. Lieutenant Rinaldi greets him and checks his knee. He asks if Frederick has married Catherine. The priest also meets Frederick and notices a certain change in his behavior. The priest suggests that the war may end soon. Frederick is then ordered to go to Bainsizza. At Bainsizza, Frederick comes to know about a new artillery battery of terrifying guns that Austrians have. He notices that the morale of Italian soldiers is at a remarkable low as if they have accepted defeat. Soon the Austrian forces infiltrate the Italian lines at the Battle of Caporetto. The Italian forces decide to retreat. Frederick goes to visit Rinaldi to go back with him but finds that Rinaldi has already left for the hospital. To avoid an aerial attack, Frederick and his men decide to go back through an alternative path while the main route is too busy because citizens were also being transported to safer places. However, their cars get stuck in the mud. Another car was driven by Bonello with whom two engineering sergeants were also traveling. Frederick calls them and asks for their help. Afraid of being overtaken by the enemies, the sergeants refuse to help Frederick and try to run away. Frederick shoots at them and kills one of the engineers while the other escapes. Meanwhile, one of the drivers of Bonello’s car also gets killed by enemy fire. Bonello gets too afraid and runs towards Austrian forces to surrender. Frederick decides to run away with Piani and reach the main retreat along the river Tagliamento. As they reach the bridge on the river, Frederick sees that the Italian forces are asking the retreating soldiers why they ran away from the battle lines and shooting them for their cowardice. Frederick thinks that he will also be shot dead and hence decided to jump in the river and escape. Then he gets out of the river and catches a train to Milan to seek Catherine.
Book 4
At Milan, Henry comes to know that Catherine and Helen Ferguson have left for Stresa. He seeks the help of Ralph Simmons, an Opera singer whom he met before. Ralph Simmons arranges some civilian clothes for Henry and tells him how to reach Switzerland. Anyhow, Henry reaches Stresa and stays at the hotel Isle Borromees. While he keeps searching for Catherine, a bartender named Emilio who works at Isles Borromees tells him that he knows two English nurses who are staying at a small hotel near the railway station. Frederick visits the hotel and meets Catherine and Helen Ferguson. At the same hotel, he meets Count Greffi a Swiss nobleman who is staying at that hotel with his niece. Catherine asks Henry about his war experience but Henry avoids her questions as he feels guilty as a war deserter. Emilio informs him that the Italian police are still searching for him. Catherine and Frederick plan to flee to Switzerland to avoid Frederick’s arrest. Emilio arranges for a boat and other necessities for Catherine and Frederick. However, the waters are rough because of a storm. Anyhow, Catherine and Frederick reach Switzerland and when Swiss guards check them, they show the papers they arranged with the help of Count Greffi. The guards provide them provisional visas.
Book 5
Catherine and Frederick start living in the Swiss mountains in a small cottage outside the village of Montreux. While Catherine is pregnant, she often gets worried about her baby yet to be born, especially about the baby's health. Finally, Frederick and Catherine decide to move to the town of Laussane and reside near a hospital. Soon, Catherine starts suffering labor pain and Frederick takes her to the hospital. After checking her, the doctor suggests that a cesarean operation would be best for Catherine. During the operation, Catherine suffers a lot of pain and finally delivers a still-born baby boy. While Federick is very sad about it, the nurse informs him that Catherine is hemorrhaging. Frederick gets worried and goes to see her. Catherine loses her life in Frederick’s arms. He leaves the hospital and as he walks back to the hotel, rain starts pouring into the streets. Frederick remembers how rain used to disturb Catherine.
So this is it about A Farewell to Arms. We will continue to discuss the history of American literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.
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