Frederic Henry as a Modernist Hero in A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Abstract

Heroism in literature has traditionally been linked with courage, sacrifice, and moral certainty. The modernist period, however, redefined this concept by emphasizing alienation, dislocation, and survival over triumph. Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms reflects this transformation, particularly in the portrayal of Frederic Henry in Book I. The paper investigates Frederic Henry’s characterization through Malcolm Bradbury’s (1976) Modernist Hero Archetype, which identifies six defining features of the modernist protagonist: alienation, existential disillusionment, fragmented consciousness, cosmopolitan existence, anti-heroic endurance, and aesthetic individualism. A qualitative textual analysis of selected passages demonstrates that Frederic Henry, though detached from traditional ideals, embodies these traits. The study concludes that Frederic Henry represents a distinctly modernist hero whose significance lies in endurance and authenticity rather than conquest. This reading highlights Hemingway’s contribution to reshaping the literary idea of the protagonist in the twentieth century.

Keywords: Modernism, A Farewell to Arms, Frederic Henry, Bradbury, Modernist Hero