Summary
Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is a powerful novel set during the Spanish Civil War. Published in 1940, it tells the story of Robert Jordan, an American volunteer fighting alongside Republican guerrillas. The book is widely considered one of Hemingway's finest works, renowned for its portrayal of war, love, and sacrifice. A critically acclaimed film adaptation starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman was released in 1943, further cementing the novel's place in popular culture.
Plot
Set during the Spanish Civil War in 1937, For Whom the Bell Tolls follows Robert Jordan, an American volunteer fighting for the Republican side. Jordan, an explosives expert, is tasked with blowing up a strategically important bridge to disrupt Nationalist forces. He joins a band of guerrilla fighters in the mountains, where he meets and falls in love with María, a young woman traumatized by Nationalist brutality.
As Jordan plans the mission, he encounters resistance from Pablo, the guerrilla leader who fears reprisals. Pablo's wife Pilar, a strong-willed woman, supports Jordan and takes command of the group. The mission becomes more complicated when another guerrilla band, led by El Sordo, is discovered and killed by Nationalist forces. Pablo, fearing for their safety, steals and disposes of the detonators for the explosives, nearly sabotaging the operation.
Despite setbacks and increasing doubts about the mission's strategic value, Jordan remains committed to his duty. On the day of the attack, the guerrillas successfully destroy the bridge, but at a great cost. Anselmo, Jordan's elderly guide, is killed in the explosion. As they flee, Jordan is gravely wounded when his horse is shot from under him. Knowing he will slow the others down, Jordan bids farewell to María and stays behind. The novel ends with Jordan, alone and in pain, preparing to make a final stand against approaching enemy soldiers.
Themes
Sacrifice and duty in wartime
Love and relationships during conflict
Brutality and violence of war
Death and mortality
Loyalty and betrayal
Idealism versus pragmatism
Loss of innocence
Setting
Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls takes place in 1937, a pivotal year in the conflict. The novel unfolds over four days and three nights in the mountainous region of the Sierra de Guadarrama, situated between Madrid and Segovia. This rugged terrain serves as both a sanctuary for the Republican guerrillas and a strategic location for their operations against Franco's fascist forces.
The story's focal point is a hidden guerrilla camp nestled in these mountains, where the protagonist Robert Jordan meets the band of fighters he will work with to complete his mission. From this secluded base, Jordan plans the destruction of a nearby bridge, a task that will take him and his comrades into enemy territory. The camp also becomes the setting for Jordan's passionate romance with María, adding a layer of personal drama to the wartime narrative.
Beyond the immediate setting of the guerrilla camp, Hemingway paints a vivid picture of war-torn Spain. References to cities like Valladolid, Segovia, El Escorial, and Madrid ground the story in the broader context of the conflict. The novel captures the chaos and brutality of the war, with scenes of violence and political intrigue unfolding across the Spanish landscape, from remote villages to besieged urban centers.
Characters
Robert Jordan: An American university instructor and explosives expert fighting for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War
María: A young Spanish woman who becomes Jordan's love interest after being rescued from Fascist forces
Pablo: Leader of a guerrilla band, initially reluctant to help with Jordan's mission
Pilar: Pablo's strong-willed wife who becomes the de facto leader of the guerrilla group
Anselmo: Elderly guide who assists Jordan and acts as an intermediary with the guerrillas
El Sordo: Leader of another guerrilla band who supports Jordan's mission
Agustín: Foul-mouthed but loyal middle-aged guerrilla fighter
Rafael: Incompetent but well-meaning gypsy member of Pablo's band
Fernando: Middle-aged guerrilla fighter in Pablo's band
Andrés and Eladio: Brothers who are members of Pablo's guerrilla band
Primitivo: Older guerrilla fighter in Pablo's group
Karkov: Soviet agent and journalist in Madrid, friend of Jordan
General Golz: Soviet officer who orders the bridge's destruction
Joaquín: Young, enthusiastic Communist member of El Sordo's band
Quick facts
Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1939 in three different locations—Havana, Cuba; Key West, Florida; and Sun Valley, Idaho.
The story is based on Hemingway's experiences as a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War.
The novel's title comes from a meditation by metaphysical poet John Donne, which Hemingway uses as the book's epigraph.
For Whom the Bell Tolls was published in 1940 and became an immediate bestseller, selling half a million copies within months.
For Whom the Bell Tolls was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, but the award was ultimately withheld that year due to objections from the president of Columbia University.
The famous scene describing executions in Pilar's village was based on actual events that occurred in Ronda, Spain, in 1936.
Many characters in the novel are based on real people Hemingway met during the Spanish Civil War.
For Whom the Bell Tolls was initially banned in Spain under Francisco Franco's regime and wasn't published there until 1968.
Hemingway's portrayal of the relationship between Robert Jordan and María has been criticized for its “literary medievalism."
The novel popularized the phrase “the earth moved,” which became a euphemism for orgasm and entered the Oxford English Dictionary.
About the Author
Ernest Hemingway was one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. His spare, economical writing style revolutionized American literature. He developed what he called the “iceberg theory” of writing, where the deeper meaning of a story lies below the surface of the prose. Known for their exploration of war, death, and loss, his works include The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and To Have and Have Not. Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 “for his mastery of the art of narrative."
Born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, Hemingway began his career as a journalist and war correspondent. He volunteered as an ambulance driver in World War I, where he was badly wounded but decorated for his service. Throughout his life, Hemingway cultivated a public persona as a rugged outdoorsman and adventurer. He was passionate about bullfighting, big-game hunting, and deep-sea fishing. These experiences often made their way into his writing. Along with Idaho and Key West, Florida, he lived in Paris and Havana, Cuba, at various points in his life, and his time abroad greatly influenced his work.
Tragically, Hemingway struggled with depression and alcoholism in his later years. His physical and mental health declined after he survived two plane crashes in Africa in 1954. On July 2, 1961, Hemingway died by suicide at his home in Ketchum, Idaho.
