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''A Farewell to Arms'' is a novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, set during the Italian campaign of World War I. First 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. The novel describes a love affair between the expatriate from America and an English nurse, Catherine Barkley. Its publication ensured Hemingway's place as a modern American writer of considerable stature.Mellow (1992), 378. The book became his first best-seller and has been called "the premier American war novel from ..World War I".Reynolds (2000), 31. The title might be taken from a 16thcentury poem of the same name by the English dramatist
George Peele George Peele (baptised 25 July 1556 – buried 9 November 1596) was an English translator, poet, and dramatist, who is most noted for his supposed but not universally accepted collaboration with William Shakespeare on the play ''Titus Andronicus' ...
. The novel has been adapted a number of times: initially for the stage in 1930; as a film in 1932, and again in 1957; and as a three-part television miniseries in 1966. The film '' In Love and War'', made in 1996, depicts Hemingway's life in Italy as an ambulance driver in events prior to his writing of ''A Farewell to Arms''.


Characters

* Lieutenant Frederic Henry: An American serving in the Italian Army as an officer directing ambulance drivers. * Miss Catherine Barkley: A nurse and love interest of Henry. * Lieutenant Rinaldi: An eccentric Army surgeon serving near the front lines who takes a brotherly interest in Henry. * The priest: An army
chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
, often has discussions about God and war with Henry. * Helen Ferguson: A friend and fellow nurse of Miss Catherine. * Miss Van Campen: The officious superintendent of nurses at the American hospital in Milan. She and Henry immediately dislike each other. * Miss Gage: An unconventional nurse at the American hospital in Milan who befriends Henry. * Major Valentini: A brisk, cheerful and competent surgeon who operates on Henry's wounded knee in Milan. * Gino: A very likeable Italian soldier whose vocal patriotism nonetheless bothers Henry. * Bonello: An ambulance driver under Henry's command who deserts to find safety by being captured by the enemy. * Piani: An ambulance driver who stays with Henry out of personal loyalty. * Passini: An ambulance driver killed in the mortar attack that wounds Henry. * Aymo: An ambulance driver killed by straggling guards of the retreat's main line. * Emilio: A bartender in the town of Stresa who helps them flee to Switzerland. * Count Greffi: A ninety-four-year-old nobleman, having some past acquaintance with Henry. * Ralph Simmons and Edgar Saunders: Two journeyman opera singers studying and performing in Italy under Italian stage names.


Plot summary

The novel is divided into five sections, or "books". Frederic Henry narrates the story in the first-person.


Book One

Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American medic, is serving in the Italian Army. The novel begins during the First World War. It is the start of winter, when a
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
epidemic kills thousands of soldiers. Frederic has a brief visit to Gorizia, where he meets with other army fellows and the priest. He finds there are two brothels one for officers and the other for lower-rank soldiers. On his return, he shares his experience with his friend, Surgeon Rinaldi, quite older than him. Rinaldi is fond of beautiful women. He has fallen in love with a nurse named Catherine Barkley, though not so seriously. Rinaldi takes Frederic to a British hospital, where Frederic is introduced to Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. Frederic feels attracted towards her. She tells him about her fiancé, who was killed in the battle, and also about her feeling uncomfortable in the rain, as it starts to rain. Frederic tries to kiss her, but she refuses and slaps him, feeling sorry thereafter. Eventually they kiss, as now she feels somewhat inclined towards him. Frederic, with his fellow drivers (Passini, Manera, Gordini and Gavuzzi) takes the ambulance in war. Passini is killed in a mortar attack, whereas Frederic is severely wounded in the knee on the Italian front and is sent to the hospital.


Book Two

Surgeon Rinaldi visits Frederic in the hospital and praises him for his heroism. But Frederic denies of any display of heroism. Rinaldi also tells him that he will be shifted to a hospital in Milan soon for a better treatment. Frederic requests him to have Catherine there as a nurse. The priest pays a visit. In a discussion again, Frederic expresses his views against war. Meanwhile, America has declared war on Germany, and the Italian army is also anxious about war against Austria. Frederic reaches an American hospital in Milan. There he is nursed by Miss Gage, Mrs. Walker and their Superintendent Miss Van Campen. Miss Gage arranges wine for him. Catherine arrives there, and Frederic realizes a strong sense of love and passion for her. They make love for the first time. Doctor Valentini comes to examine his injury and X-rays. This book portrays the growth of Frederic's relationship with Catherine over the summer. They enjoy boating and horse races. Meanwhile, Frederic meets Helen Ferguson, a fellow nurse of Catherine. After his knee heals, Frederic is diagnosed with
jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme meta ...
. A three-weeks convalescent leave is sanctioned for him. Miss Van Campen discovers some empty liquor bottle in Frederic's room and takes alcoholism as the cause for his condition. She also concludes that Frederic is knowingly keeping himself ill to avoid the war front. She files a report for the cancellation of convalescent leave, and Frederic is called back to the war front. Catherine informs him that she is three-months pregnant. They promise to reunite and marry after his return from war. Frederic asks her to take care of "Little Catherine".


Book Three

Frederic returns to Gorizia. Rinaldi comes and examines his wounded leg. He further asks whether they have married or not. The priest notices a change in Frederic and also predicts that the war will end soon. Frederic travels to Bainsizza, where he meets Gino, who tells him about an artillery battery of terrifying guns that the Austrians have. Frederic realizes that Italians will not escape if the Austrians attack. It rains heavily, and the bombarding begins. Frederic discovers that morale has severely dropped. Not long afterwards, the Austro-Hungarians break through the Italian lines in the Battle of Caporetto, and the Italians retreat. The houses are evacuated. Women and children are loaded in trucks. At the villa, Henry discovers that Rinaldi has taken off for the hospital; everyone else has evacuated too. There is considerable delay and chaos on the road during the retreat, and Frederic, wishing to avoid a possible aerial attack while stuck on the main retreat route, decides to take an alternate path. He and his men quickly get lost, and their cars are stuck in the mud, Frederic orders the two engineering sergeants riding with Bonello to help. Afraid of being overtaken by the enemy, they refuse and try to leave. Frederic draws his gun and shoots one of them; the other escapes. One of the drivers, Aymo, is later killed, while another, Bonello, runs away to surrender to the Austrians. Frederic and his last companion, Piani, catch up to the main retreat across the Tagliamento river. As soon as they cross the bridge, Frederic is taken by the military police to a place on the river bank where officers are being interrogated and executed for the "treachery" that supposedly led to the Italian defeat. Frederic escapes by jumping into the river. Afterwards, he walks through the plains and jumps aboard a moving train to Milan to find Catherine.


Book Four

Reaching Milan, he learns that Catherine has left for Stresa. He goes to visit Ralph Simmons, one of the opera singers that he encountered earlier, and asks about the procedures for traveling to Switzerland. Ralph helps him, giving him civilian clothes. Frederic feels very odd in those clothes, as the people look at him scornfully. He reaches Stresa by train and goes to the hotel Isles Borromées. Emilio, a bartender, informs him that two English nurses are staying at a small hotel near the train station. Frederic meets Catherine and Helen Ferguson there. He also meets Count Greffi, a very old nobleman whom Frederic had met on his last visit to Stresa. Greffi is staying with his niece. Frederic avoids Catherine's question about the war experiences. He feels that he is a criminal, a war deserter. Emilio informs him that Italian police are looking to arrest him. Catherine and Frederic plan to flee to
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
as Emilio makes all possible arrangements for their travel in a rowboat. Because of a storm, the waters are choppy and rough. Frederic rows the boat all night, and Catherine also takes a turn rowing. Finally, they reach Switzerland. The guards verify their identity and provide them provisional visas for staying in Switzerland.


Book Five

Frederic and Catherine live a quiet life in the mountains. They move to a wooden house on a mountain outside the village of Montreux. They develop new acquaintance with Mr. and Mrs. Guttingen. At times, Catherine starts getting concerned about their child, especially about its health. They move to the town of Lausanne to be closer to the hospital. Later, Catherine goes into labor and is taken to the hospital. The doctor tells Frederic that the best solution would be a
Cesarean Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the Surgery, surgical procedure by which one or more babies are Childbirth, delivered through an incision in the mother's abdomen, often performed because vaginal delivery wou ...
operation. She suffers a lot of pain and finally delivers a stillborn baby boy. Later the nurse tells him that Catherine is hemorrhaging. He is terrified. He goes to see her, and she dies in his arms. He leaves the hospital and walks back to his hotel in the rain.


Background and publication history

The novel was based on Hemingway's own experiences serving in the Italian campaigns during the First World War. The inspiration for Catherine Barkley was Agnes von Kurowsky, a nurse who cared for Hemingway in a hospital in Milan after he had been wounded. He had planned to marry her, but she spurned his love when he returned to America.Villard, Henry Serrano & Nagel, James. ''Hemingway in Love and War: The Lost Diary of Agnes von Kurowsky: Her letters, and Correspondence of Ernest Hemingway'' ( H/B, P/B). Kitty Cannell, a Paris-based fashion correspondent, became Helen Ferguson. The unnamed priest was based on Don Giuseppe Bianchi, the priest of the 69th and 70th regiments of the Brigata Ancona. Although the sources for Rinaldi are unknown, the character had already appeared in ''
In Our Time In Our Time may refer to: * ''In Our Time'' (1944 film), a film starring Ida Lupino and Paul Henreid * ''In Our Time'' (1982 film), a Taiwanese anthology film featuring director Edward Yang; considered the beginning of the "New Taiwan Cinema" * ''In ...
''. Much of the plot was written in correspondence with Frederic J. Agate. Agate, Hemingway's friend, had a collection of letters to his wife from his time in Italy, which were later used as inspiration. Michael Reynolds, however, writes that Hemingway was not involved in the battles described. Because his previous novel, '' The Sun Also Rises'', had been written as a '' roman à clef'', readers assumed ''A Farewell to Arms'' to be autobiographical. ''A Farewell to Arms'' was begun during his time at Willis M.  Spear's guest ranch in Wyoming's Bighorns. Some pieces of the novel were written in Piggott, Arkansas, at the home of his then-wife Pauline Pfeiffer, and in Mission Hills, Kansas, while she was awaiting delivery of their baby. Pauline underwent a
caesarean section Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the surgical procedure by which one or more babies are delivered through an incision in the mother's abdomen, often performed because vaginal delivery would put the baby or mo ...
as Hemingway was writing the scene about Catherine Barkley's childbirth.Meyers (1985), 216–217. Hemingway struggled with the ending. By his count, he wrote 39 of them "before ewas satisfied". However, a 2012 edition of the book included no less than 47 alternate endings. The novel was first serialized in '' Scribner's Magazine'' in the May 1929 to October 1929 issues. The book was published in September 1929 with a
first edition The bibliographical definition of an edition includes all copies of a book printed from substantially the same setting of type, including all minor typographical variants. First edition According to the definition of ''edition'' above, a b ...
print-run of approximately 31,000 copies. The success of ''A Farewell to Arms'' made Hemingway financially independent. ''The Hemingway Library Edition'' was released in July 2012, with a dust jacket facsimile of the first edition. The newly published edition presents an appendix with the many alternate endings Hemingway wrote for the novel in addition to pieces from early draft manuscripts. The
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963), the 35th president of the United States (1961–1963). It is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighbo ...
Hemingway collection has two handwritten pages with possible titles for the book. Most of the titles come from ''
The Oxford Book of English Verse ''The Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250–1900'' is an anthology of English poetry, edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch, that had a very substantial influence on popular taste and perception of poetry for at least a generation. It was published by ...
''. One of the possible titles Hemingway considered was ''In Another Country and Besides''. This comes from ''
The Jew of Malta ''The Jew of Malta'' (full title: ''The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta'') is a play by Christopher Marlowe, written in 1589 or 1590. The plot primarily revolves around a Maltese Jewish merchant named Barabas. The original story comb ...
'' by
Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (; baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the ...
. The poem ''
Portrait of a Lady ''The Portrait of a Lady'' is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial (literature), serial in ''The Atlantic Monthly'' and ''Macmillan's Magazine'' in 1880–81 and then as a book in 1881. It is one of James's most popular novels an ...
'' by T. S. Eliot also starts off by quoting this Marlowe work: "Thou hast committed / Fornication: but that was in another country, / And besides, the wench is dead." Hemingway's library included both works by Eliot and Marlowe.


Censorship

There are at least two copies of the first edition in which Hemingway re-inserted the censored text by hand, so as to provide a corrected text. One of these copies was presented to Maurice Coindreau; the other, to James Joyce.Hemingway, Ernest. ''A Farewell to Arms'' (New York: Scribner, 1929). James Joyce Collection, the Poetry Collection (State University of New York at Buffalo), item J69.23.8 TC141 H45 F37 1929. Hemingway's corrected text has not been incorporated into modern published editions of the novel; however, there are some audiobook versions that are uncensored. ''A Farewell to Arms'' was
banned A ban is a formal or informal prohibition of something. Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some bans in commerce are referred to as embargoes. ''Ban'' is also used as a verb similar in meaning ...
in the Irish Free State. Hannah Sheehy Skeffington, "Censorship in Eire". '' The Saturday Review'', March 18, 1939, p. 14. Also, the novel could not be published in Italy until 1948 because the
Fascist regime Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
considered it detrimental to the honor of the
Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
, both in its description of the Battle of Caporetto and for a certain anti-militarism implied in the work. More than one biographer suggests that at the base of the censorship of the Fascist regime in the novel there had also been a personal antipathy between the writer and
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
. Hemingway had interviewed him in 1923, shortly after he seized power, and in his article in the ''Toronto Star'' he poured scorn on Mussolini, calling him "the biggest bluff in Europe". But, apart from the official reactions, it is known that Mussolini did not like the article at all: Hemingway described Mussolini as trying to impress the media by pretending to be deeply absorbed in reading, while in reality holding a French–English dictionary—held upside down. The Italian translation had in fact already been prepared illegally in 1943 by Fernanda Pivano, leading to her arrest in Turin.


Critical reception

''A Farewell to Arms'' was met with favorable criticism and is considered one of Hemingway's best literary works. Gore Vidal wrote of the text: "... a work of ambition, in which can be seen the beginning of the careful, artful, immaculate idiocy of tone that since has marked ... emingway'sprose". The last line of the 1929 ''New York Times'' review reads: "It is a moving and beautiful book."
Baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ha ...
remarks on the theme of ''A Farewell to Arms'': "After ten years of meditation and digestive of his experience, Hemingway lays before his readers a work which is far from a mere war experience, nor a store of love and death during the war." However, since publication, ''A Farewell to Arms'' has also been the target of various controversy. Upon its flimsy publication—due to the medium of its release—through ''Scribner's Magazine'', it was banned from Boston newsstands due to accusations of a pornographic nature, despite Hemingway's deliberate exclusion of graphic descriptions of sex, using omission as a literary device.


In other media

The novel was first adapted for the stage by Laurence Stallings in 1930, then as a film in 1932, with a 1957 remake. A three-part television miniseries was made in 1966. In
Sam Raimi Samuel M. Raimi ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007) and the ''Evil Dead'' franchise (1981–present). He also directed the 1 ...
's 1987 film ''
Evil Dead 2 ''Evil Dead II'' (also known in publicity materials as ''Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn'') is a 1987 American comedy horror film directed by Sam Raimi. It is considered both a remake and sequel (or "re-quel") to the 1981 film ''The Evil Dead'', and wa ...
'', Ash's hand becomes possessed and begins attacking him. Ash amputates the offending extremity with a chainsaw, and the hand escapes, roaming free around the cabin Ash is holed up in. Ash traps the disembodied hand under a pile of books; ''A Farewell to Arms'' is the book on top, humorously commenting on Ash's condition. The 1996 film '' In Love and War'', directed by
Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...
and starring Chris O'Donnell and
Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...
, depicts Hemingway's life in Italy as an ambulance driver in the events prior to his writing of ''A Farewell to Arms''.


References


General sources

* Baker, Carlos (1972). ''Hemingway: The Writer as Artist''. Princeton: Princeton UP. . * Mellow, James (1992). ''Hemingway: A Life Without Consequences''. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. . * Meyers, Jeffrey (1985). ''Hemingway: A Biography''. New York: Macmillan. . * Oliver, Charles (1999). ''Ernest Hemingway A to Z: The Essential Reference to the Life and Work''. New York: Checkmark Publishing. . * Reynolds, Michael (2000). "Ernest Hemingway, 1899–1961: A Brief Biography". In Wagner-Martin, Linda (ed.). ''A Historical Guide to Ernest Hemingway''. New York: Oxford UP. . * Roy, Pinaki (2012). ''Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms': A Critical Appraisal''. Kolkata: Books Way. . * Tyler, Lisa, ed. (2008). "Teaching Hemingway's ''A Farewell to Arms''. Kent, OH: The Kent State UP.


External links


Hemingway Archives
at the
John F. Kennedy Library The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963), the 35th president of the United States (1961–1963). It is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighb ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Farewell To Arms, A 1929 American novels American autobiographical novels American novels adapted into films American novels adapted into plays American novels adapted into television shows American war novels Anti-war novels Books by Ernest Hemingway Censored books Modernist novels Novels by Ernest Hemingway Novels first published in serial form Novels set during World War I Novels set in Italy Novels set in Switzerland Works originally published in Scribner's Magazine