Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms

By Bayan Mohamed
 Timeline of books

T. S. Eliot, John Steinbeck,

Charlotte Perkins, Theodore Dreiser Willa Cather, The Wasteland F. Scott. Fitzgerald,
The Yellow wallpaper The Titan 1914 The Grapes of
My Antonia 1918 poem 1922 The Great Gatsby 1925 Wrath 1939
1892
188 1940
0William Dean Kate Chopin, Sherwood Anderson, Ernest Hemingway,
Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Booth Tarkington,
Howells, The Story of The Jungle 1906 Strength of the
Magnificent AmbersonsWinesburg Ohio 1922 A Farewell to Arms
A Hazard of an Hour 1894 Strong 1914 1929
1918
New Fortunes 1890
 Novel summary
• Set during World War I, the novel follows an American ambulance driver named Frederic
Henry, who serves in the Italian army. He falls in love with a British nurse named
Catherine Barkley, and they have a passionate affair. As the war progresses, Frederic is injured and
sent to a hospital in Milan, where Catherine also ends up. They decide to escape together and live
in Switzerland. However, tragedy falls, and their happiness is short-lived as they navigate the
difficulties of war and their relationship.
Autobiographical context: Historical context:
• Novel was heavily influenced from • The novel is set during WW I, which lasted from 1914
Hemingway's own experiences during to 1918 with nations across Europe engaged in a
WWI. Similar to Frederic Henry, devastating war.
Hemingway served as an ambulance driver
• The setting of the Italian front provides a perspective
in the Italian army. He was injured and
on the Battle of Caporetto in 1917 where the Austrian-
spent time in a hospital in Milan, where he
Hungarian forced were able to break into the Italian
fell in love with a nurse named Agnes
front line by poison gas, stormtroopers & infiltration
von Kurowsky. Their relationship
tactics, leading to the Italian's army retreat in the war
inspired the love story between Frederic
& in the book as well.
and Catherine in the novel.

Literary context: Cultural context:

• The poet George Peele wrote a poem with • After WWI, disillusionment & moral confusion were
the same name as the novel as it perfectly felt by many- Lost Generation- coined by Gertrude
describes Hemingway's 'farewell' to the war Stein
& his relationship & the embracement of
Catherine's 'arms'
• The emergence of the
Modernist Movement in 20th century
helped Hemingway in his portrayal of war
hardships & its impact on individuals
Extract
 Themes & ideas
• War: Through Frederic's journey, Hemingway delves into the futility of war and the search for meaning
in a world torn apart by conflict. The novel vividly depicts the chaos, violence, and senseless destruction
of war, highlighting the loss of innocence and the dehumanizing effects it has on those involved.
• Love: The novel explores the transformative power of love and its ability to provide hope in the midst of
war through Henry and Catherine's relationship. Their love becomes a refuge from the chaos and
brutality of war, offering a sense of connection and purpose. Hemingway also delves into the fragility of
love and the devastating impact it can have when confronted with loss and tragedy.
• Disillusionment: The novel portrays Henry's gradual loss of faith in the institutions and ideals of the
war. Henry, for example, starts off as an idealistic young man who believes in the honor and glory of
war. but as he witnesses its horrors and destruction, he becomes disillusioned with the war and its
supposed noble cause.
 Critics & Film adaptions
• From a feminist perspective, they criticised Hemingway's misogyny in
portraying Catherine as passive & as objects of desire & support of Henry
• The 1932 film adaption of the novel by director Frank Borzage puts more
emphasis on the romantic aspect of the story, emphasising the relationship
between Frederic and Catherine and downplaying the harsh realities of
war
Links to Great Gatsby & Grapes of Wrath
• Both explore themes of disillusionment and the loss of idealism. The protagonists,
Frederic Henry and Jay Gatsby, find themselves disillusioned with the world they once
believed in. They both experience the harsh realities of life and love, leading to a sense
of longing and emptiness.
• Both novels also explore the theme of tragic love. In "A Farewell to Arms," Frederic
Henry's love for Catherine is ultimately doomed by the war and her death in childbirth.
In "The Great Gatsby," Gatsby's love for Daisy is similarly doomed by the corrupt and
materialistic society they live in, ultimately resulting in Gatsby's demise.
• Steinbeck explore theme of loss through Rose of Sharon and Catherin's stillbirth and
casualties in war. Similarly, The Grapes of Wrath depicts the Joad family's loss of their
land, home, and way of life during the Great Depression.