Assignment:3"FOR WHOM THE BELL
TOLLS": REGENERATION OF THE
HEMINGWAY HERO
This blog is part of an assignment for the paper 108: The American Literature, Sem:2,2024.TABLE OF CONTENTS: -
❍ Personal information
❍ Assignment Details
❍ Abstract
❍ Keywords
❍ Introduction
❍ The Hemingway Hero and Abandoned Faith
❍ Robert Jordan’s Journey
❍ The Philosophy Behind Robert Jordan’s Actions
❍ Conclusion
❍ work cited
PERSONAL INFORMATION: -
Name: - Priyanshiba Kanaksinh Gohil
Batch No: M.A. Sem 2 (2023-2024)
Enrollment Number: - 5108230018
E-mail Address: - priyabagohil7126@gmail.com
Roll Number: - 21
ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: -
Topic: - “For Whom the Bell Tolls”: Regeneration of The Hemingway Hero
Paper & subject code: - 108: The American Literature
Submitted to: - Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar.
Date of Submission: - 25 April,2024
About Assignment: - In this Assignment, I try to explore Regeneration of The Hemingway Hero in “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.
Abstract:
Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” portrays the regeneration of his archetypal hero through the character of Robert Jordan, an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. This study examines the evolution of the Hemingway hero from a state of abandoned faith to one of renewed purpose and commitment. Drawing upon Gary D. In Elliott's analysis, the paper explores how Jordan’s journey reflects a departure from the despair of Hemingway’s earlier characters, such as Nick Adams and Frederic Henry, towards a rationale for living that transcends traditional religious faith. The epigraph from John Donne’s Devotions upon Emergent Occasions encapsulates the philosophy that drives Jordan’s actions, emphasizing a collective human responsibility over isolated individualism. This abstract synthesizes insights from critical literature, including Elliott’s work on the religious attitudes of Hemingway’s heroes and the broader implications of Jordan’s dedication to a cause greater than himself.
Keywords:
Earnest Hemingway, For Whom The bell Tolls, Hemingway Hero, Abandoned Faith, Robert Jordan
Introduction:
Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is a poignant exploration of the human condition amidst the chaos of war. Set during the Spanish Civil War, the novel introduces us to Robert Jordan, an American teacher who joins the antifascist Loyalist army. Hemingway’s literary landscape is populated by heroes who grapple with existential questions, haunted by disillusionment and loss. These heroes often face a crisis of faith, questioning the meaning of life and their place in the world. Robert Jordan embodies this archetype, and his evolution becomes a lens through which we explore regeneration.
Hemingway’s early stories and novels feature characters like Nick Adams and Frederic Henry, who confront the void left by abandoned faith. Their despair drives them to seek a rationale for existence beyond traditional religious constructs. Jordan’s journey from the classrooms of the University of Montana to the rugged Spanish mountains becomes a quest for meaning. His involvement with the Loyalist cause provides a purpose greater than himself, a cause that transcends individualism. The novel opens with an epigraph from John Donne’s Devotions upon Emergent Occasions: “No man is an island…” This epigraph encapsulates the philosophy that propels Jordan’s actions a belief in interconnectedness and shared responsibility.
The Hemingway Hero and Abandoned Faith
Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” features the character Robert Jordan, who exemplifies the regeneration of the Hemingway hero. This hero is characterized by a journey from a state of abandoned faith towards finding a new rationale for living. In the novel, characters like Nick Adams, Frederic Henry, and Jake Barnes initially face despair and a loss of religious faith, leading them to confront the “nada” or nothingness of existence. However, unlike his predecessors, Robert Jordan finds a cause in the Spanish Civil War that gives him a purpose beyond himself, aligning with John Donne’s idea that “No man is an island.”
Jordan’s dedication to his mission and the larger fight against tyranny takes on almost religious proportions, with the challenges he faces becoming akin to temptations. His task of blowing a bridge is not just a physical act but a symbolic one, representing his commitment to a collective effort and the interconnectedness of humanity. The novel’s epigraph from Donne’s “Devotions upon Emergent Occasions” encapsulates this philosophy, emphasizing the shared human experience and the impact of one’s actions on others.
Robert Jordan’s Journey
Robert Jordan’s journey in Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is a profound narrative of personal growth and ideological commitment. Robert Jordan, an American college instructor of Spanish, volunteers for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. Initially, he believes in the Republican cause with near-religious faith and feels an “absolute brotherhood” with his comrades. As an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, Jordan’s task to blow up a bridge becomes a pivotal point in his life, intertwining his fate with the Republican cause and the lives of the guerrilla fighters he joins.
Jordan’s character is a study in contrasts: a teacher turned soldier, an idealist facing the harsh realities of war, and a man seeking connection in the midst of chaos. His military duty requires killing, yet he struggles with the abstract concept of taking lives. His love for Maria clashes with his military responsibilities. Superstitions haunt him, revealing his inner turmoil.These conflicts weigh heavily on him throughout most of the novel.His internal struggle is emblematic of the Hemingway hero, who often grapples with notions of courage, duty, and existential purpose. Throughout the novel, Jordan confronts his own beliefs, the brutality of war, and the complexities of love and loyalty.
The regeneration of the Hemingway hero in Jordan’s character is marked by his gradual shift from detached observer to passionate participant. Despite his initial reservations and the looming threat of betrayal, Jordan commits to the mission, finding solace and meaning in his relationship with Maria and his camaraderie with the guerrilla fighters. His final act of sacrifice underscores the novel’s thematic exploration of interconnectedness and the individual’s role in the collective struggle.
The Philosophy Behind Robert Jordan’s Actions
The philosophy behind Robert Jordan’s actions in Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is a topic of interest in literary studies.
Robert Jordan, the protagonist, is seen as a regeneration of the Hemingway hero. He is a university teacher who volunteers his services to the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War, working as a demolition expert behind enemy lines.
Jordan’s dedication to his task and the larger cause of fighting tyranny assumes religious proportions for him. Despite the despair and abandonment of faith seen in Hemingway’s earlier heroes, Jordan is not content to remain a creature of despair. Instead, he searches for a rationale for living.
His faith in his work becomes a substitute for orthodox religious faith, emphasizing man’s responsibility to men and, ultimately, a man’s responsibility to himself.
Jordan understands that man cannot make it alone, and he believes that the Spanish Civil War provides the most meaningful way to serve mankind, thus giving him a cause other and greater than himself.
Jordan faces imminent death with a clear sense of his responsibility. He knows that the bridge will not be blown easily and dedicates himself to the task, promising to take no “useless risk” until the job is finished.
Conclusion
In Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” the protagonist Robert Jordan epitomizes the regeneration of the Hemingway hero, evolving from a state of lost faith to one of profound commitment. Jordan’s journey through the Spanish Civil War is not just a tale of military engagement but also a narrative of personal growth and ideological affirmation. His initial idealism is tempered by the brutal realities of war, leading to a deep introspection about the nature of humanity and individual responsibility. The novel’s philosophical underpinnings, drawn from John Donne’s meditation that “no man is an island,” reflect Jordan’s realization that his actions, though seemingly isolated, are inextricably linked to the larger human experience. This connection underscores the novel’s central theme: the individual’s sacrifices and struggles are a microcosm of the collective human endeavor. Hemingway’s hero, once mired in despair, finds redemption in the shared fight for a cause greater than himself, illustrating a rebirth that transcends the mere survival of the fittest.
Work cited.:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jul. 2023,https://www.britannica.com/topic/For-Whom-the-Bell-Tolls-novel-by-Hemingway. Accessed 24 April 2024.
ELLIOTT, GARY D. “‘FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS’: REGENERATION OF THE HEMINGWAY HERO.” CEA Critic, vol. 38, no. 4, 1976, pp. 24–28. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/44375989. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Martin, Robert A. "Hemingway's for Whom the Bell Tolls: Fact into Fiction." Studies in American Fiction, vol. 15 no. 2, 1987, p. 219-225. Project MUSE, https://doi.org/10.1353/saf.1987.0004.
KRZYŻANOWSKI, JERZY R. “‘FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS’: THE ORIGIN OF GENERAL GOLZ.” The Polish Review, vol. 7, no. 4, 1962, pp. 69–74. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/25776431. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Slatoff, Walter J. “The ‘Great Sin’ in ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls.’” The Journal of Narrative Technique, vol. 7, no. 2, 1977, pp. 142–48. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/30225612. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c2ea/6232fbfadd881cf4f681e98ebbd069f715ad.pdf
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