Ernest Hemingway is one of the celebrated modern American writers in the realm of World literature who has every privilege to be called a legend. He has authored a number of diverse narratives and short stories. He is famous for his two main and critically acclaimed novels, A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Both the novels project the war heroes, the passionate love and the inevitable climaxes that draw in wide public attention. One who reads the novels of Hemingway finds in him a superb craftsman, a great story- teller and also a thinker who has striven to give artistic expression to his views on life and human destiny.
Hemingway tries to give poetic expressions to the harsh realities of life. He pictures the modern man’s predicament and excavates the simple facts of modern life. Hemingway is, an artist who brings something like excellence, impassive, realistic style which can be perceived as an attempt to disclose the unbiased presentation of experience. He manages to carefully create a plain, unemotional depiction of external actions while introducing the characters and incidents. His novels bear witness to the author’s bizarre pre- occupation with war and death. The world of his novels is a world at war where the figure of death looms large. It seems that the novelist has an fascination with evil, sorrow and death, but he remembers to leave a powerful message. The only ray of hope is that provided by the individual human courage. The great heroes like Robert Jordan, Frederic henry etc. show extraordinary fortitude even on the point of death. D. S. Savage highlights:
His typical central character, his "I", may be described generally as a bare consciousness stripped to the human minimum, impassively recording the objective data of experience. He has no contact with ideas, no visible emotions, and no hopes for the future, and no memory. He is, as far as it is possible to be so, a de-personalized being (381).
For Whom the Bell Tolls is a promising novel by Hemingway published in the year 1940. The novel, similar to A Farewell to Arms, deals with the brutalities of civil war. The novel portrays the feelings and experiences of the protagonist, Robert Jordan. The novel reconnoitres themes of war, the condition of war victims, and the military government’s detached unconcern to the helpless individuals. Hemingway’s dexterity in creating the ambience of the war and its atrocities is commendable. Robert Jordan is termed as “code hero”, a term introduced by the Critic Philip Young. The term “code hero” signifies the brave individual who charmingly scuffles against death and annihilation. Jordan is a typical “code hero” who knowing his limitations, moves forward with fierceness and aggressiveness.
The narrative presents the story of the American, Robert Jordan assigned with a dangerous task as a dynamiter. Anselmo, the old peasant guides Jordan to reach a cave where he encounters a group of primitive people Pablo, Pilar, Maria who are to assist him in blowing the bridge on a fixed day. There are anxious episodes of clashes between Jordan and Pablo. After many breath taking incidents, Jordan and his group succeed in blowing up in bridge, but is fatally wounded and is left to face death for certain as the enemy approaches. He waits patiently for death in his unrelenting mood of pacified ecstasy.
Almost all Hemingway’s characters are warriors, sportspersons, prize fighters, drunkards and prostitutes. His works project his preoccupation with death and violence. Because of the unpleasant character of his subject matter, he has often been carelessly classified with the naturalists, but Malcolm Cowley was surely right when he pointed out that his true place was with such “haunted and nocturnal writers” as Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, all of whom “dealt with images that were symbols of an inner world. Obviously he creates by dramatizing his own experiences, but he is much better when he makes fiction of them than he is when he tries to present them in autobiographical or semi- autobiographical works. D.S. Savage claims that:
The harsh note of suppressed grief on which this story closes expresses the fatalistic stoicism which arises in the young American out of his inherent inner passivity as it is affected by his sense of futility and of loss. At such an intensity of suffering there are usually only two courses open to the human heart, a receptive softening or a cynical hardening. But we already know that a desperate, bitter hardness is a characteristic of Heming- way's work as a whole (393).
Hemingway's writings articulate on purpose a stance on life which is undesirable and even extends to the point of scepticism. The war creates tragic elements and the hero withstands all the confusions and atrocities with extreme gallantry and heroism and continues to fight against all the odds till the end of his life. For Whom the Bell Tolls discusses many relevant themes. It seems like the characters compete to make a better constructed plot and the chief character Jordan signifies a distinct personality, “the man willing to die for a cause and from this specific type of character stems the "mighty theme" of For Whom the Bell Tolls, the oneness of mankind” (William T. Moynihan, 127). As like any other war novel, this novel too places many obstacles in the path of the hero and he needs to move across this and reach his destination. The novelist assigns a responsible duty to the hero and the hero is expected to act accordingly whatever dangers or troubles come his way. Jordan encounters similar difficult situations who stick to his responsibility and devotion to his duty and the novelist creates numerous troubles that make his journey a tedious one. The present paper attempts to analyze the duty, responsibility and devotion as displayed by the characters, especially Robert Jordan, the American academic trainer of Spanish language and an expert in devastations and explosives. It also attempts to analyze the crucial elements that shape the characters and their destiny. There are various elements that unveil the temperaments of characters- “the self-sacrificing character of the protagonist, the parade of tempters, and the absolute determination of the hero” (128).
The responsibility and devotion to his duty is explicit from the actions of Jordan when he manages to take a dangerous job right in the beginning. Jordon’s and Golz’s conversation speak their minds, but Jordan, however, willingly headways without a second thought and he is ready to face anything for a cause. “He is a quasi- Marxist sacrificing himself in Christian terms. That he does not really believe in Marxism and is aware of the brutality of its system, and yet persists in his assigned task of self-destruction that makes his act less meaningful but more pathetic and even more tragic”(128). As Jordan encounters Pablo, the lead of a group of anti- fascist insurgents, he comprehends that Pablo will definitely be a constraint to his objectives and he contemplates, “That's the sadness that comes before the sell-out" (For Whom the Bell Tolls 12).
Pablo’s hostility, however, is balanced by the devotion of Pilar, Pablo’s wife and Jordan finds a positive spark in her and makes up his mind to progress toward his objective. Maria, another significant character and his lady love, also stands in the path of Jordan and weakens his will power. Despite all the obstacles and difficulties, Jordan manages to move forward and be truthful to his duty and thus keep up his responsibility. El Sordo’s, the leader of a fellow guerrilla band, fall shatters Jordan and his death deters him to an extent. Pablo even commits a fraudulent act of stealing the detonators and Pilar rightfully comments, “the famous Judas Is- cariot” (391). These distractions though shake him temporarily, shapes him and he moves forward with tremendous dedication. His devoutness alters the mind of Pablo who in turn realizes his mistakes and joins the group to offer a helping hand to Jordan.
Hemingway makes his protagonist give up his life for a cause and many critics argue that Jordan naively missteps toward death. But Jordan claims that he perishes for "the American dream," "for all the poor in the world. . . ." (236). Jordan sacrifices his life for the sake of humanity and he finds gratification in a genuine, abrupt and a passionate piety to discipline. Jordan, like other Hemingway heroes, is a man of valour and nobility. Hemingway defines honour as “In Spain, hero is a very real thing called pun donor, it means honour, probity, courage, self-respect and pride in one word. Pride is the strongest characteristic of the race and it is a matter of pun donor not to show cowardice.” (354). Hemingway experienced many grievances during various periods in his lifetime. He feels something missing from his life and always was in pursuit of something that can bring meaning to his life. Dinesh Kumar comments:
He further says that in order to live in this world a man has “got to be tough” Like Nick Adams, the hero of his short stories, who has suffered both physical and psychic injuries in his fight but he bears his pains silently and uncomplainingly, "With him, as with his heroes, to suffer uncomplainingly becomes an important part of the code” (354).
He strives hard to accomplish the privileges and rights of common man and poses to be an idealist in his actions. All his activities project him as an ardent American travelling to Europe to make the world a better place to live in and eventually make it safe for democracy. Jordan’s personality unveils through the rest of the characters, flashbacks and the internal monologues. Hemingway excellently uses the structural device of contracting time which helps him to enhance the intensity of the action and facilitates him to pierce deep into the characters and circumstances. The novel brings in memories of the precious lost lives of the soldiers and other men who have surrendered their lives for the country. There are several episodes that add to its universalistic appeal. The war is like any other war and the war heroes replace any other heroes who struggle hard to maintain peace in the world. El Sordo and Jordon waits for death and these are emotional scenes where they remind us of the myriad number of courageous men who stand and stare at death. Jordan contemplates: “It was three o'clock. [The ninth hour of the Ro- mans-what is a more appropriate time for a brave man to die?] Then he heard the far-off, distant throbbing and, looking up, he saw the planes”(356).
Maria plays a key role in reflecting the strains and alterations in Jordan and protects him, to a certain extent, from the pervasive threats of extremism. Jordan realizes the situation which makes him think:
That was one thing that sleeping with Maria had done [away with]. He had gotten to be as bigoted and hidebound about his politics as a hard-shelled Baptist and phrases like enemies of the people came into his mind without his much criticizing them in any way. . . . To be bigoted you have to be absolutely sure that you are right and nothing makes that surety and righteousness like continence (164).
Maria’s love arrests him and he also desires to live with her: “So far she had not affected his resolution but he would much prefer not to die. He would like to spend a long, long time with her" (164). But his devotion to his duty cleanses all the blocking thoughts from his mind and he moves forward courageously. Hemingway presents a passionate and spiritual love in this novel and both the lovers Jordan and Maria capture the hearts of the readers. Lust has no place in their relationship and their pure innocent love that has the quality of purity, wonder and romance. They love each other very passionately and Jordan says, “I have never run with many women,” he said, truly. “Until thee I did not think that I could love one deeply” (344).
Pablo is depicted by the novelist as a vicious person in the beginning who stands against Jordan. As time passes, he too becomes credibly apologetic. “I am drunk on wine and I would be happy except for those people I have killed. All of them fill me with sorrow . . . . If I could restore them to life, I would, Pablo said” (209). The aloofness of Jordan, his random disinterest and coldness to Maria, his recurrent self-awareness not to contemplate on anything, his rambling introspection into his family so as to assess the characteristics and behaviors of the members, can be taken as conscious attempts to sustain for him the terrible task which he has embarked on. William T. Moynihan asserts:
There is always present in Robert Jordan's mind the almost positive knowledge that his life is coming to an end. Maria tells us this explicitly: "The Pilar told me," she says to Robert, "that we would all die tomorrow and that you know it as well as she does and that you give it no importance. She said this not in criticism but in admiration" (130).
Jordan’s devotion to his duty in turn influences the people around him. Pilar foresees Jordan’s impending fate as she does palm reading. She comprehends Jordan’s future and his resolution to stick to his duty and his indifference to death. His resilience makes Pilar forget about death. Pilar’s prompt and apt actions are commendable. When Pablo loses confidence and fails to execute his actions, Pilar gains strength from Jordan and leads the insurgents. The audacity and fortitude of Jordon enthuses Pablo to get over his timidity. Jordon has also instigated the commendable Anselmo the prospect to die as he desires to die- valiantly and not run in battle. Jordan is responsible for shaping the characters around him in many ways and all the other characters contribute in shaping the destiny of Jordan and in helping him reach his final destination. Robert O. Stephens points out:
Frazer's two basic principles of imitative and contagious magic operate in Robert Jordan's world as he finds necessary connections between words and events. And he sees how the magical mind works among the Navarrese when he reads the letter taken from the dead fascist cavalryman. The horseman's sister has written that the chest badge of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has talismanic power to stop bullets (155).
Hemingway delineates the characters quite realistically. His association with the other characters like Pablo, Pilar, Maria, Anselmo, and Karkov takes him forward and he learns a lot from these people. Karkov, symbolic of the novel communal morality-Communism, teaches him many things: “You have probably enough to think about for today, so drink that beer that is left in the pitcher and run along now” (248). His death marks him not as a mere naïve anti- fascist, but an audacious, respectable man. Pilar, by introducing Maria to Jordan, gives him the most precious moments of his life. Anselmo too plays a significant role in Jordan’s journey to his destination. His association with each character acquires diverse symbolic meanings and they play distinct roles in leading him forward. Jordan thinks:
I wonder about the Ingles, [Anselmo] thought. He told me that he did not mind it [the killing]. Yet he seems to be both sensitive and kind. It may be that in the younger people it does not have an importance. Jordan later says to himself, “ admit that you have liked to kill as all who are soldiers by choice have enjoyed it You have been tainted with it for a long time now” (287).
There is violence in Hemingway’s novels. In this novel, the morality of killing is debated, its pros and cons at tiresome length. Hemingway has written upon this subject some of the unhealthiest pages in American literature. He has romanticized killing; he has obliged himself to find a moral meaning in it. He follows symbolist technique for expressing the subjective conditions of his characters. He makes use of symbols in his fiction. In For Whom the Bell Tolls, snow is used as a symbol of death. A spring snowfall increases the danger of Jordan’s mission and indirectly contributes to his death. The three sinister Fascist planes and the hawk also stand for death. During their first night together in the sleeping robe, to Jordan and Maria they signify death.
Robert Jordan gives significance to his actions than thoughts. His high unrealistic concepts, notions, philosophies and a fabricated sense of nobility and poise do not attract him in any manner. Jordan disbelieves in deception and treachery. Hemingway has instilled many autobiographical elements in Jordan. Hemingway quite realistically portrays the incidents and convincingly projects the background of war and inevitable destruction and death associated with it. William T. Moynihan comments:
A symmetry of a number of events reinforces [the] idea of oneness.The rape of Maria and the execution of her parents are balanced by Pilar's story of the massacre of the fascists. Joaquin's story of the murder of his family re- minds Robert Jordan of how Loyalist agents often have inadvertently brought death to families who secreted them.Two men, each from opposing forces, pray one prayer, one beginning, the other ending it (132).
His devotion to his profession and responsibility towards his country persuades him to embrace the crucial vision that of the coherence of life. Despite the various factors that stand in opposition to his accomplishments, his unfailing mental power proceeds him further. Then he becomes a man who stands for a cause and sacrifices his life for that cause. The craving, the lure of death, the assigned period, the supremacy and jeopardy of the opponent, the prescribed guidelines, the matador's consciously performing in spaces of extreme vulnerability- all the prevailing poignant and transcendent forces which Hemingway sees in the bullfight- are present in the novel. “The dying Jordan determinedly fighting off unconsciousness- the final and unexpected obstacle to his purposeful death-with his crushed thigh, his matador's wound, epitomizes the "terrible beauty" of Hemingway's vision” (Moynihan 132).
As the curtain falls, we find the protagonist waits anticipating death. The extreme affinity to fulfil responsibility and devotion to duty brings in the tragic end of Jordan. Hemingway leaves a strong message through the depiction of Jordan and other memorable characters. He succeeds in inculcating a strong aesthetic experience through his creation of characters and discloses the philosophy of life through the hero, Robert Jordan.
Works cited
Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1940. Print.
Kumar, Dinesh. "Autobiographical Elements in Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls." 1.9 (2014): 350-59. International Journal of Research (IJR). Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Moynihan, William T. "The Martyrdom of Robert Jordan." JSTOR. National Council of Teachers of English. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/372836>.
Savage, D.S. "Ernest Hemingway." JSTOR. The Hudson Review, Inc. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3847332>.
Stephens, Robert O. "Language Magic and Reality in or Whom the Ell Tolls." JSTOR. Wayne State Uniersity Press. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/23099037>.
Wiener, Gary. War in Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2013. Print.
