Research Paper on "Farewell to Arms, Sexism in Hemingway"

Research Paper 6 pages (1890 words) Sources: 7

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Farewell to Arms,

Sexism in Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms"

Women seen from Hemingway's perspective

Frederic Henry's character is heavily contrasted by Catherine Berkley's

Gender-related convictions from the early twentieth century are reflected in the relationship between women and men in the novel

Tragic romance and events from First World War's Italy come together in Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms," only with the purpose of covering up for more delicate topics, however. Hemingway's novel generated numerous controversies through time, most of them discussing the way he portrayed the character of Catherine Barkley. Critics like Fiedler and Fetterley have condemned Hemingway's portrayal of women in his novels and of Catherine Barkley in particular, only to be combated by pro-Hemingway individuals like Hatter, Bloom, and Barlowe-Keyes, who claim that Hemingway's plan is actually to improve the image of women.

Women seen from Hemingway's perspective

Hemingway is recognized because of the masculinity he involved in his writings, going over the top about promoting the concept of man's superiority. According to critics, women characters in Hemingway's books "are generally caricatures who fall into two categories, determined by their relationship to the men in the novels: bitches and sex kittens" (Fisher & Silber 105). Critics have actually taken on an aggressive approach in analyzing Hemingway's books, going as far as claiming that the author's thinking could not possibly produce authentic female characters. Instead, the female characters in his books can be considered little more than male imagination regarding the concept of woman (Fiedler 316).

Consequent to going through with reading the book, some might be inclined to believe that Hemingway's account regarding Catherine is obvious proof of sexual objectification. Furthermore, the hospital superintendent, Miss Van Campen, is shown as being an avid critic of the relationship between Frederic and Catherine. One can easily identify Van Campen as belonging to Hemingway's bitch category. Also, given that Catherine is constantly devoted to satisfy Frederic wherever the two find themselves, she perfectly fits the sex-kitten group (Fisher & Silber 105).

According to Bloom, Van Campen "fits the stereotyped category, so comfortable to the male ego, of the frustrated old maid who, because she has never had sex, is jealous of those who do and persecutes them" (Bloom 65). Frederic actually draws attention to this, demonstrating his prejudice when it comes to women. Numerous critics interpret this as being evidence indicating that Hemingway discriminated on account of gender. However, most of them are obviously unwilling to consider that the writer's purpose in writing these passages was actually meant to display early twentieth century's society preconceived notions regarding women. Instead, they prefer to hold Hemingway accountable for Frederic's thinking. Hemingway was apparently the one who influenced readers in believing that he took on a discriminatory approach when he discussed women.

III. Frederic Henry's character is heavily contrasted by Catherine Berkley's

From Frederic's conversation with the head nurse from the hospital where Catherine works, one is left to believe that the woman despises the novel's protagonist for the fact that he would rather search for sexual pleasure than go to war, where he belongs. People are influenced to believe that it is only natural for someone to be condemned for putting across such behavior, considering that Frederic dares looking for a woman at a hospital holding wounded people who have just arrived from the front, directly proving his lack of interest in assisting his companions.

Van Campen is not necessary the hardened woman constantly devoted to harming young lovers through exploiting her position. Hemingway is apparently interested in presenting the superintendent as one whose nature was shaped by society and by her life experiences. Considering her job, it is only natural that he saw numerous men like Frederic and that she has all the reasons to think that he is going to get Catherine into trouble.

The novel's female protagonist is generally portrayed from Frederic's perspective, with him seeing her (at least in the beginning of the novel) a prize that he has to win. "I did not love Catherine Barkley nor had any idea of loving her. This was a game, like bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards. Like bridge you had to pretend you were playing for money or playing for some stakes" (Hemingway 30-31). As the storyline progresses Henry discovers that Catherine is much more than he initially thought. Her loving empowers him to shape an ethical opinion concerning the war and society as a whole.

As described by Fiedler, all that the women in Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms" "wanted was innocent orgasm after orgasm on an island of peace in a world at war, love-making without end in a scarcely real country to which neither owed life or allegiance" (Fiedler 317). Catherine is initially using Frederic instead of feeling something for him. She simply wants to make up for the past through changing her dead fiance with Frederic, in hope that this will compensate for the fact that she was reluctant to marry her ex-boyfriend before he went to war.

Hemingway seems to portray Catherine as an individual who cannot develop rational thoughts and who constantly feels the need to live in the past. Frederic is shown as feeling little sorrow as a result of the traumas he felt during his time on the front. He is nonetheless capable to move on and to adopt new convictions that come against some of the ideals he respected before meeting Catherine.

All across the book, Frederic's naive and prejudiced character is contrasted by Catherine's dedication to her work and to her role as a woman. Frederic is eventually shown as being incapable of performing a series of tasks, ranging from his role as a fighter to his mission of making Catherine happy. "In Hemingway the rejection of the sentimental happy ending of marriage involves the acceptance of the sentimental happy beginning of innocent and inconsequential sex, and camouflages the rejection of maturity and of fatherhood itself" (Fiedler 317).

The fact that when the two initially meet Catherine is a nurse tending for the wounded, whereas Frederic is in need of assistance proves the woman's superiority (at least in this case) enforces the belief that Catherine is more powerful than Frederic. In addition to that, the stick that Catherine carries shows that she rediscovered herself consequent to her fiance's death. His death prepared her to take on the role of a strong woman who feels no need for assistance.

Catherine is unhesitant about cutting her hair several times in the novel, even if her hair is actually one of the things referencing her feminine sexuality. Hemingway's choice to have readers imagine Catherine as she cuts her hair is most probably meant to relate to the woman's reluctance to accept society's rules. Through cutting her hair Catherine contributes to the belief that society was particularly discriminatory toward women at the time of the First World War. The world experienced significant change as a result of the conflict and as a result many individuals became reluctant to act in accordance with conventional values promoted by their communities. The fact that Catherine is willing to accept having a child with Frederic in spite of the fact that she was previously reluctant to marry her fiance before he went to war proves that the woman changed a series of perspectives regarding life.

IV. Gender-related convictions from the early twentieth century are reflected in the relationship between women and men in the novel

All through the novel Hemingway stresses how women were treated as objects in the early decades of the twentieth century. This matter is, however, divisive. In response to critics who claimed that the writer expressed explicit ideas discriminating women, numerous individuals have gotten actively engaged in re-establishing Catherine's image and demonstrating that she is actually the true hero in Hemingway's novel. The woman apparently used Frederic as a tool to replace her fiance departure. Catherine distinguishes herself from Frederic through the fact that she in point of fact succeeds in her plans. . Her pregnancy does not stop her from continuing her job with great dedication. Henry feels completely lost and helpless when he has no one whom he can rely on, but Catherine manages to appreciate everything she has and does not feel discomforted with the fact that he is sometimes alone in foreign countries (Hatten 77).

V. Conclusion

Critics are essentially unwilling to accept Hemingway as being a man who is actually interested in improving the image of women. This is owed to the fact that they cannot understand a man taking on the mission of writing from a feminine perspective. However, it would seem that writing in a feminine mode is not something influenced by gender, but on the context the author discusses in. According to the writer's supporters, "gender relations and identities, which are "always clearly a question of war, of battle" ("Castration" 47), must change if men and women are to relate without confrontation. And it is this message… READ MORE

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