Psychoanalytic and Femisnist Theories in A Farewall to Arms by Ernst Hemingway

“A Farewell to Arms” written by Ernest Hemingway in 1929 attracted much critical acclaim and theoretical interpretation helping to understand the author’s message to the readers the overall importance of the literary work in the world. The events of the novel took place during the First World War in Italy revolving around Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver working for the Italian Army and being wounded on the front. Another very important character in the novel was Catherine Barkley, the nurse taking care of Frederic while he was in the hospital in Milan. They soon becomed involved in a romantic relationship. This paper will focus on the Psychoanalytic and Feminist theories helping to understand the basic meaning of the novel and characters’ roles in the plot, characterized by the continuous interaction with each other and specific conflicts.

Ernest Hemingway always paid much attention to the conflict between people and the world bringing several challenges to people affecting their physical and emotional state of health rather negatively. Wars are some of these conflicts, changing people’s life and affecting their perception of the surrounding reality. The novel described the in war period, a period characterized by desperation, loneliness, and other feelings experienced by people either directly involved in the battlefield or indirectly taking care for those wounded in the front or simply losing their friends, relatives and beloved persons at war. Psychoanalytic theory was mostly based on the issues experienced by Frederic and Catherine, the major characters of the novel under analysis. People living during that period of time tried to find some form of anesthetics helping them to deal with the cruelty of war and suff...

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...ng to build the proper life together in some peaceful place, but the tragedy ruined their plans. Frederic was again left disillusioned and broken, but not by the war but by the loss of the woman he loved and valued highly, the woman who succeeded to change him and show better times and hopes.

Works Cited

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Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Simon and Schuster Publishing, 1997. Print.

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Walker, Ross. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Insight Publications, 2009. Print.