'A Farewell to Arms' by Hemingway - glorification of war?

Question

I personally don't think it is but I have to quote other people's opinions in my coursework.

'Is 'A Farewell to Arms more of a glorification or condemnation of war?'

Please help - you may get quoted in my coursework! (with credit in the bibilography, of course) *ooh, exciting*

Thanks for all the help!

Genuine critics irritate me so I thought it would be better to get the general public's opinions. The idea that it was glorified was actually touted by a critic - not exactly loving that idea...

Answer 1

I never thought of it as a glorification of war. Anybody who tries to get away from it so badly must really hate it.

PS. I think your teacher is looking for quotes from literary critics, not us shlubs on Yahoo Answers.

Answer 2

Please don't quote me but think this: many criticize Hemingways works as macho posturing, but I always thought "A Farewell To Arms" was more about the about the futility of war rather than the glorification or the condemnation of war.

Answer 3

Quite the contrary - It is a condemnation of war. Henry the main character chooses desertion over returning to the front. He is seriously wounded by a trench mortar shell and almost killed by Italian soldiers who are executing officers separated from their troops after the Italians suffer a terrible defeat at Caporetto. And he is only an ambulance driver - someone who is supposed to be out of bounds to the enemy - and safe from his own fellow Italian soldiers. This is a condemnation of war.

Answer 4

It is not the glorifcation of war Hmmingway wa looking at it was a simple breakdown of his opinion, athough have you though to look at his lide, Hemmingway fought in the Spanish civil war and in the mexican wars he was a rough tough type of guy a real john wayne type action hero - rey reading about his life and see if it gives you any clues as to his opinon and feeling when he wrote the book

Answer 5

I'd say a pretty unequivocal condemnation - after all it seems everyone dies painfully & miserably. Its been a while since I read it but I remember thinking it was very dark & grim & certainly graphic in his descriptions of the land after battles & the breadth of human suffering.

Answer 6

Hemingway didn't glorify war, but he was an adventurer and was
fascinated by violence and death. It could be argued that Hemingway sought out dangerous and confrontational situations as a spur for his writing.