In this video, I’ll summarize the plot of A Farewell to Arms in about four minutes and give you an analysis of the story. Okay, let’s get started with the introduction.
1. The Romance Begins
Set during World War I, A Farewell to Arms follows Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver in the Italian army. At the beginning of the novel, Henry is stationed near the front lines, where he meets Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. Catherine, still mourning the loss of her fiancé, flirts with Henry as a distraction from her grief. What begins as a playful relationship quickly turns more serious when Henry is injured in battle and sent to a hospital in Milan, where Catherine is transferred as well.
2. Escape in Milan
While recovering in Milan, Henry and Catherine’s relationship deepens into a passionate romance. Away from the war, they create an intimate world of their own. Catherine becomes pregnant, though they decide to keep it secret. Meanwhile, Henry’s injury heals, and he is ordered to return to the front. The couple dreads their separation, but duty calls Henry back to the war.
3. The Chaos of Retreat
Back at the front, Henry experiences the brutality of war firsthand. The Italian army begins a chaotic retreat after a failed offensive, and Henry, along with his comrades, struggles to navigate the disorder. As the retreat turns disastrous, Henry is falsely accused of being a deserter and nearly executed by Italian officers. Realizing he has had enough of the war, he makes a split-second decision to escape, diving into a river to avoid capture.
4. New Life in Switzerland
After his escape, Henry reunites with Catherine in Stresa. Determined to leave the war behind, they flee to neutral Switzerland by rowing across a lake in the middle of the night. In the peaceful setting of the Swiss Alps, Henry and Catherine attempt to build a new life, free from the war that has haunted them. They spend a quiet winter together, dreaming of their future with their unborn child.
5. Tragedy Strikes
Their happiness is short-lived. As Catherine goes into labor, complications arise. After a long and painful delivery, their baby is stillborn. Catherine suffers from severe hemorrhaging and dies shortly afterward. Devastated, Henry is left alone, walking out into the rain with nothing but grief. The novel ends on this somber note, reinforcing its bleak and tragic tone.
Theme 1: The Reality of War
One of the central themes of A Farewell to Arms is the brutal reality of war. Hemingway portrays war not as a glorious or heroic endeavor, but as chaotic, senseless, and indifferent to human suffering. Through Henry’s experiences on the front lines and his desperate escape, the novel highlights the randomness of survival and the inescapable destruction war brings. Henry’s eventual disillusionment reflects Hemingway’s broader critique of war and the way it strips individuals of their illusions.
Theme 2: Love as a Refuge
Another major theme is the idea that love is a fleeting escape from the harshness of reality. Henry and Catherine’s relationship offers them solace from the war, but it is ultimately unable to shield them from suffering. Their love exists in stolen moments, away from the violence and destruction, but it is fragile and impermanent. Catherine’s death at the end of the novel underscores the idea that no matter how deeply one loves, loss is inevitable.