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 (Italian: tenente) in the ambulance corps of the Italian Army. The novel describes a love affair between the American expatriate and an English nurse, Catherine Barkley.
Its publication ensured Hemingway’s place as a modern American writer of considerable stature. The book became his first best-seller and has been called «the premier American war novel from World War I». The title might be taken from a 16th‑century poem of the same name by the English dramatist George Peele.
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, 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 is an American medic serving in the Italian Army, who speaks Italian. The novel begins during the First World War. It is the start of winter, when a cholera epidemic kills thousands of soldiers. Frederic visits Gorizia, where he meets 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, who is about the same age as Frederic.
Rinaldi is fond of beautiful women. He has fallen in love with an English nurse named Catherine Barkley, though not so seriously. Rinaldi takes Frederic to a British hospital, where Frederic is introduced to, and attracted to, Catherine. She tells him about her fiancé, who was killed in battle, and also about feeling uncomfortable in the rain, as it starts to rain. Frederic tries to kiss her, but she refuses and slaps him. She regrets doing so and eventually warms to him and they kiss.
Frederic and his fellow drivers (Passini, Manera, Gordini and Gavuzzi) take the ambulance into war. Passini is killed in a mortar attack. 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 any display of such. 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. A three-weeks convalescent leave is sanctioned for him. Miss Van Campen discovers empty liquor bottles 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, Frederic 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 Grand Hotel des Iles 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 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 caesarean 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 with him by her side. He leaves the hospital and walks back to his hotel in the rain.
Background and publication history
The novel was partly 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.
Kitty Cannell, a Paris-based fashion correspondent, became Helen Ferguson.
