A Farewell to Arms
Summary
A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway's seminal 1929 novel, is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of American literature to emerge from World War I. Set against the backdrop of the Italian campaign, this semi-autobiographical story follows an American ambulance driver's passionate romance with an English nurse. Hemingway's stark prose and unflinching portrayal of war's brutality cemented his reputation as a literary giant. With its themes of love, loyalty, and the futility of war, the novel continues to resonate with readers nearly a century after its publication.
Plot
Set during World War I, A Farewell to Arms follows American ambulance driver Frederic Henry as he serves in the Italian army. Frederic meets and falls in love with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. After being wounded, Frederic is sent to a hospital in Milan where his relationship with Catherine deepens as she cares for him. Upon returning to the front, Frederic witnesses the Italian army's chaotic retreat. Despite the threat of execution, he decides to desert.
Frederic reunites with Catherine in Stresa. To escape Italian authorities, they flee to neutral Switzerland by rowboat. The couple settles into an idyllic life in the mountains, with Catherine pregnant with their child. As her due date approaches, they move to Lausanne to be closer to medical care.
Tragically, Catherine experiences complications during childbirth. As a result, their baby boy is stillborn. After the difficult delivery, Catherine begins to hemorrhage. She dies in the hospital with Frederic by her side. Devastated by the loss of both Catherine and their child, Frederic leaves the hospital alone and walks back to his hotel in the rain, bringing the story to its somber conclusion.
Themes
• Love and loss in wartime
• Disillusionment with war
• Masculinity and male friendships
• Duty versus desertion
• Existential questioning and loss of faith
• Inevitability of death
• Impact of trauma on relationships
Setting
Set during World War I, A Farewell to Arms takes place primarily in Italy during the years of 1916 to 1918. The story unfolds amidst the chaos and brutality of the Italian campaign, with vivid depictions of battle scenes, military hospitals, and the broader impact of war on soldiers and civilians alike.
The novel's geographical focus spans several key locations in northern Italy. Much of the action occurs near the Isonzo River, where intense fighting between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces took place. The story also takes readers to Milan, where the protagonist recovers from injuries, and to the picturesque Lake District, including the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore.
As the war situation deteriorates, the setting shifts dramatically. The novel's climactic scenes unfold during the retreat from Caporetto, a major Italian military disaster. The final chapters transport readers to neutral Switzerland, offering a stark contrast to the war-torn landscapes of Italy and providing a temporary haven for the main characters as they grapple with personal tragedy against the backdrop of a world in turmoil.
Characters
• Frederic Henry: The protagonist and narrator, an American serving as an ambulance driver in the Italian army during World War I. He falls in love with Catherine Barkley.
• Catherine Barkley: An English nurse who becomes Frederic's love interest. She is caring and devoted but also emotionally fragile due to losing her fiancé in the war.
• Rinaldi: An Italian surgeon and Frederic's close friend. He is charismatic and fond of women, acting as a foil to the more reserved Frederic.
• The Priest: An unnamed army chaplain who often discusses faith and morality with Frederic. He serves as a moral compass in the story.
• Helen Ferguson: A nurse and friend of Catherine. She is practical and skeptical of Frederic and Catherine's relationship.
• Miss Van Campen: The strict superintendent of nurses at the hospital in Milan. She dislikes Frederic.
• Miss Gage: A kind nurse at the Milan hospital who befriends Frederic and helps him bend the rules.
• Count Greffi: An elderly Italian nobleman Frederic encounters. He represents wisdom and civility amidst the chaos of war.
• Piani and Bonello: Ambulance drivers under Frederic's command. They represent different reactions to the pressures of war.
• Aymo: Another ambulance driver who remains loyal to Frederic during the retreat. His death highlights the senselessness of war.
Quick facts
• Hemingway wrote 47 different endings for A Farewell to Arms before settling on the final version.
• Hemingway considered more than 40 potential titles for the novel before choosing A Farewell to Arms.
• Hemingway wrote parts of the novel in Piggott, Arkansas, at the family home of his wife, Pauline.
• The character of Catherine Barkley was inspired by Agnes von Kurowsky, a real-life nurse who cared for Hemingway during World War I.
• A Farewell to Arms was serialized in Scribner's Magazine from May to October 1929 before being published as a book.
• A Farewell to Arms was banned from Boston newsstands upon initial publication due to accusations of pornographic content.
• Hemingway hand-corrected censored text in at least two first edition copies, including one given to James Joyce.
• A Farewell to Arms was banned in Italy until 1948 because the fascist regime considered it detrimental to the honor of the armed forces.
• A Farewell to Arms has been adapted for the screen multiple times, most notably the 1932 film starring Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
• The novel's success made Hemingway financially independent as an author for the first time.
About the author
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. His most acclaimed novels include The Sun Also Rises (1926), A Farewell to Arms (1929), and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940). He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 for The Old Man and the Sea and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
Born in Illinois, Hemingway began his career as a journalist before establishing himself as a writer of short stories and novels. His experiences as an ambulance driver in World War I and as a foreign correspondent shaped not only his signature themes—adventure, war, sacrifice, loss, disillusionment, and resilience as well as love and gender dynamics—but also his writing style. He became known for his spare, understated prose.
Beyond his literary career, Hemingway was known for his larger-than-life persona as an adventurer and expatriate. He spent significant time in Paris, Spain, Cuba, and Kenya, using his experiences as inspiration for his writing. Hemingway's personal life was tumultuous, marked by four marriages and struggles with alcoholism and depression. Tragically, he died by suicide at the age of 61.