The Portrayal of Love in A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms, written by Ernest Hemingway, experiments with the role of love in a
story about an American soldier in the Italian army. Joel Armstrong, the author of “‘A Powerful
Beacon’: Love Illuminating Human Attachment in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms,” develops
a position that maintains that love is the fundamental component of Hemingway’s novel. While
some may disagree with Armstrong’s criticism of A Farewell to Arms, the writer of this essay
agrees with the main position. Hemingway most certainly illustrates that love is the central
component of A Farewell to Arms by showing that Henry’s guarded nature is a result of his
circumstances rather than any lack of true love between him and Catherine Barkley, emphasizing
Henry’s lack of infatuation over Catherine, and by demonstrating that Frederic Henry is
dependent on Catherine Barkley.

With regards to the circumstances surrounding Hemingway's protagonist's life, Henry’s

guarded behavior toward Catherine is not due to any lack of love, contrary to the opinions of
some critics. These critics of Armstrong’s position believe that Henry’s guarded behavior toward
Catherine regarding his personal feelings suggest that he lacks any sense of deep love toward
her. The author of the article writes, “… scholars such as Beversluis have questioned the
existence of Henry’s and Barkley’s love, given that Henry shares so little of his ‘inner life’ with
her…” (Armstrong 80). However, Henry is a naturally guarded person and he behaves in this
manner regularly with all people, including Catherine. In A Farewell to Arms, it states, “‘There’s
nothing to tell,’ I said. ‘I’ve led a quiet life.’ ‘You act like a married man,’ ... [Rinaldi] said.
‘What’s the matter with you?’ ‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘What’s the matter with you?’” (Hemingway
146). In this example, Henry demonstrates his guarded nature by lying to his best friend. Instead
of telling Rinaldi that he thinks of himself as a married man, he deflects the question. This piece
of information suggests that Henry feels it is necessary to keep some secrets from even those
who are closest to him. Additionally, when Catherine first asks if Henry loves her, Henry tells
the reader that he is lying when he replies that he loves her. While Henry later fell in love with
Catherine, he never directly answers his lover’s question. Instead, he simply testifies his love for
her in his thoughts, which he conveys to the reader, however, he never meaningfully says the
words, “I love you” to Catherine. Clearly, Henry is unable to convey his true feelings to the
people with whom he shares the closest bonds. To some critics, Henry’s lack of sensitivity,
truthfulness, and communication are inaccurately thought to be a lack of love for Catherine.
Certainly, Henry’s gruff personality is the result of his circumstances, as he is in the Italian army.
As written in the article, “Dodman’s ‘A Farewell to Arms as Trauma Narrative’ focuses on
Henry’s struggle to narrativize himself after the dual traumas of a trench mortar and his lover’s
death…” (Armstrong 79). This quote demonstrates the harshness of the lives of soldiers.
Furthermore, people who are willing to fight in the army are usually less expressive and
emotional than the average person. It is easy to understand why a military man such as Henry
would be unable to properly convey his true feelings to his lover. It is also possible that Henry
wants to keep Catherine unaware of his unimportant personal grievances to focus on lighter
subjects, such as traveling and children. Henry does, however, share more important personal
problems with Barkley, most notably his desertion from the Italian army. Evidently, Henry’s
guarded behavior should not be thought of as a lack of love toward Catherine Barkley.

Additionally, Hemingway illustrates the existence of true love between Henry and Barkley by
underscoring the lack of infatuation Henry feels regarding Catherine. While Randall S. Wilhelm
writes that Henry’s “‘… wartime romance… had been a game all along’” (Armstrong 79), his
analysis is inaccurate. Henry is committed to having a long-term relationship with Catherine.
In A Farewell to Arms, it states, “‘The Golden Gate! That’s what I want to see [said, Catherine]
… ‘All right. We’ll go there [said Henry]’” (Hemingway 254). Because Henry wants to continue
his relationship with Catherine in America, he must have a deep sense of love toward her, rather
than a short passionate craze over her. Furthermore, it states in A Farewell to Arms, “‘The doctor
said I was rather narrow in the hips [Catherine said]’… ‘[Henry asked] What else did he say?’ I
was worried” (Hemingway 253). Because Henry is worried about Catherine, he demonstrates his
true love for her. If he had only ever been infatuated with her, then he would not care for her
health. Instead, he would have only been concerned with his own selfish desires. Since this is not
the case, Henry and Barkley’s love must be real. Also, in A Farewell to Arms, it states, “‘…
[Catherine said] if I marry you I’ll be an American and any time we’re married under American
law the child is legitimate.’ ‘[Henry asked] Where did you find that out?’ ‘In the New York
World Almanac in the library [Catherine replied].’ ‘You’re a grand girl [said Henry]’”
(Hemingway 253). Clearly, Catherine’s intelligence impresses Henry. If Henry had only ever
been infatuated with Catherine, he would not have cared about her intelligence; rather, he would
have only been concerned with her physical appearance and sexual appeal. Since this is not the
case, Henry must truly love and admire Catherine. Similarly, Catherine says to Henry, “‘I really
love you. I’m crazy about you… I want you. I’m just mad about you’” (Hemingway A Farewell
to Arms). This example shows that Henry’s love toward Catherine is mutual. In general, Henry’s
feelings toward Catherine are true love, rather than fleeting infatuation.

Likewise, another way by which Hemingway demonstrates that the protagonist, Frederic
Henry, and Catherine Barkley share a genuine feeling of love is by illustrating that Henry is
emotionally dependent on Catherine. First, the very title of Armstrong’s criticism of A Farewell
to Arms has the words “Human Attachment” in it (Armstrong 78). Additionally, Henry maintains
a monogamous lifestyle since his first meeting with Barkley (Hemingway A Farewell to Arms).
If he were not attached to her, Henry would have sought love from other women and would have
depended on them instead. Also, Robert Merrill, according to the literary criticism of A Farewell
to Arms, “reminds his readers that Hemingway ‘once referred to the novel as his Romeo and
Juliet,’ and his claim that ‘we most desire… and most respect’ Henry for ‘committing himself in
love to Catherine Barkley’ neatly encapsulates the romantic side of this long-standing critical
debate” (Armstrong 78-79). This example clearly asserts that Henry committed himself to
Catherine Barkley and no one else. Trevor Dodman, a critic of the notion that love is a central
component of A Farewell to Arms, writes, “‘… [Henry and Barkley’s] time together is marked
by shame, tension, and uncertainty’ rather than the security and love Henry craves during his
fantasies” (Armstrong 79). However, if Henry were not achieving his fantasies with Catherine,
then he would have left her in favor of someone who gave him exactly what he wanted.
Moreover, in A Farewell to Arms, it states, “God knows I had not wanted to fall in love with her
[Catherine]. I had not wanted to fall in love with any one. But God knows I had… I felt
wonderful…” (Hemingway 81). In this example, Henry is thinking to himself. While it is true
that Henry sometimes lies to other people, his inner thoughts are always truthful. Henry
genuinely loves Catherine; his personality, however, is guarded, causing him to be unable to
convey his true feelings to her. Furthermore, Henry feels completely empty without his lover’s
company. In fact, he states, “‘My life used to be full of everything,’ I said. ‘Now if you
[Catherine] aren’t with me I haven’t a thing in the world’” (Hemingway 222). Henry’s emptiness
without Catherine shows his emotional dependence on her. Likewise, Hemingway states in A
Farewell to Arms, “But after I [Henry] had got them out and shut the door and turned off the
light it wasn’t any good. It was like saying good-by to a statue [Catherine’s body]. After a while
I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain” (Hemingway 284).
These last few sentences of A Farewell to Arms convey a sense of depression. Since Henry walks
to his hotel alone in the rain, he must have felt extremely miserable and empty due to the death
of his lover, Catherine. Also, in “‘A Powerful Beacon’: Love Illuminating Human Attachment in
Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms” it states, “… Barkley’s death during childbirth – leaves him
disillusioned…” (Armstrong 78). Once again, Henry is shown to be distrustful and pessimistic
because of Catherine’s death. This example further demonstrates Frederic Henry’s total
dependence on Catherine for his own emotional well-being. Clearly, Henry is Catherine’s
emotional dependent; he cannot function properly without her.

Overall, Hemingway demonstrates the importance of love to the central storyline of A

Farewell to Arms and asserts that the love between Catherine and Henry is real by indicating that
Henry’s guarded nature does not imply a lack of love between him and Barkley, by continuously
illustrating that Catherine and Frederic’s love was not some fleeting passionate exchange, but
rather a long-term loving relationship, and by asserting Henry’s emotional dependence on
Catherine Barkley. There is no doubt that Henry and Barkley’s relationship was strong, loving,
and passionate. In conclusion, A Farewell to Arms and “‘A Powerful Beacon’: Love Illuminating
Human Attachment in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms” both assert the significance of love in
Hemingway’s classic novel.

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