For whom the bell tolls short. For whom the bell tolls, Ernest Hemingway. "For whom the Bell Tolls"
And let’s look at its brief content in detail. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is a novel about the military events that took place in Spain in the 1930s. The writer himself took the fascist rebellion very seriously. He not only called on Europe to intervene, but even bought military equipment with his own money. But this did not help - the Republicans were not ready for confrontation.
About the product
The novel For Whom the Bell Tolls was published in 1940. A summary of the work confirms that Hemingway was on the side of the Spanish government. In addition, he was an implacable opponent of fascism. The events described in the novel began in 1936, and then Europe and the United States could not imagine how their connivance would end. Unfortunately, the writer’s protest was never heard, and in the year when the book was published, fascism had already gained enormous strength.
Hemingway, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”: summary (plot)
The main character is Robert Jordan, an American by birth, who takes part in the civil war in Spain. He sides with the Republicans. A young man is given the task of blowing up a bridge in front of advancing enemy forces.
Before the enemy approaches, Robert must stay in the guerrilla detachment, which is led by Pablo. There are many rumors about this man. For example, they talk about his bravery, that at the very beginning of the war he killed more fascists than the plague, but now he has become rich and wants to retire.
A brief description (“For whom the bell tolls”) fully conveys the atmosphere of long-ago events. The reader sees how different people feel about what is happening. So, Pablo did not want to participate in the bombing, since this promised him and his people only trouble. However, Pilar, Pablo’s wife, who enjoyed great respect from her husband’s subordinates, entered the dispute. The woman said that those who seek security lose everything. The partisans liked her words and supported the idea of destroying the bridge.
Pilar
Hemingway portrays many strong personalities in his work, this is confirmed by the summary. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is a novel about war, and there is no place for weak people.
Pilar is a bright personality, a convinced republican, devoted to the people's cause, she will never turn away from her chosen path. This wise and courageous woman harbors many talents, including the gift of clairvoyance. Looking at Robert's hand on the first day they met, it became clear to her that his life's journey was nearing its end. She also saw that the hero and Maria, a girl who joined the partisans after her parents were killed, would passionately love each other. Pilar does not interfere with the attraction of young people; on the contrary, she pushes them in every possible way, knowing that their happiness will not last long. The woman understands that true love can heal Mary’s crippled soul.
Robert instructs Aselmo to look after the road, Rafael to look after the sentries at the bridge, and he goes with Maria and Pilar to El Sordo, the commander of another partisan detachment. During the trip, Pilar talked about how the revolution began in the town where she and her husband lived, and how the locals dealt with the fascists. The people lined up in two parallel ranks, armed with clubs and chains, and the fascists were driven through this formation. This was done so that everyone was responsible for their actions. None of those who passed through this corridor survived. Everyone died in different ways - some with dignity, and some begging for mercy to the last.
Jordan's Reflections
The summary of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” perfectly conveys the emotional drama of the characters. Robert, listening to Pilar's story, begins to think about what is happening. He is not at all surprised that he ended up in the war. Even his profession, a Spanish language teacher at the university, is connected with this country. In addition, he often came here to stay, he liked to communicate with the Spaniards. The fate of these people was not indifferent to him, so the hero could not close his eyes to what was happening. Jordan does not consider himself a “red”, but believes that fascism will not lead to good. That's why we need to win the war. And after that he will write a book that will help him free himself from all the horrors he has seen.
Robert understands that during the preparation for the explosion he may not survive - he has very few people: Pablo gave seven, El Sordo promises the same, but there is too much to do. What saddens him most is that it was in this chaos and horror that he met true love. He begins to think that maybe this life is giving him a chance to know true feeling, because he doesn’t have long to live in this world? But he pushes away gloomy thoughts and concludes: in 70 hours you can sometimes live a more fulfilling life than in 70 years.
Snowfall
Our summary continues (“For Whom the Bell Tolls”). Robert, Maria and Pilar, having secured the support of El Sordo and his promise to get horses, return to their camp. It's starting to snow. No one expected such weather at the end of May, because it could ruin everything planned. Robert also looks warily at Pablo, who is constantly touching the bottle. In this state, he can harm the business without even realizing it.
As promised, El Sordo got the horses. They will be needed if you suddenly have to flee after committing an explosion. But due to the deep snow, the fascist patrol noticed traces of animals and people that led to Sordo’s shelter. The muffled sounds of battle begin to reach the fighters of Pablo's squad. But they cannot intervene, otherwise the operation will be completely disrupted, and without it it will not be possible to prevent the enemy’s offensive. Sordo and his men die.
Pablo's Escape
Gradually, all the plans of the main character of the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” begin to collapse. The summary allows you to understand how Robert feels. After the destruction of Sordo's detachment, Pablo disappears from the camp and escapes, taking with him a fuse cord and a box with a fuse. And without these things, it is much more difficult to carry out an explosion, and the risk increases several times.
Anselmo arrives with a report on movements along the road. The news is disappointing - the Nazis are starting to bring in equipment. Jordan draws up a report on everything that happened to General Goltz, who commands the front. Robert emphasizes that the enemy is aware of the impending counteroffensive; the Republicans will not have the chance to take advantage of surprise, which they so hoped for. Andres, one of the partisans, volunteers to deliver the package to its destination. If the paper can be transferred before dawn, then the offensive will certainly be postponed, as will the time of blowing up the bridge. But there is no order yet, so we need to prepare to implement the plan.
The night before the fight
The work “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is approaching its climax. We recommend reading the summary only if you have already read the original, otherwise you may miss many important points.
On the night before the explosion, Robert, lying next to Maria, sums up his life. The hero comes to the conclusion that he did not live in vain. Death does not frighten him, he is afraid of only one thing - not being able to complete the mission that was entrusted to him. Jordan remembers his grandfather, who also took part in the American Civil War, when the North and the South came together. He thinks that she must have been as terrible as this one. Anselmo’s words emerge in his memory that those who fight for the fascists are just as poor as those who support the Republicans. But you can’t think about this, otherwise you will stop hating the enemy, and then you won’t be able to carry out the plan.
The morning begins with a real surprise - Pablo has returned. He brought people with him to help and got horses somewhere. Pablo, under the influence of alcohol and anger, threw Robert's detonator into the abyss. But after that he was visited by remorse. He realized that he couldn't just leave to save his own skin while his comrades were in such trouble. Pablo decided to help the partisans. In one night, he managed to recruit volunteers from the surrounding villages who were ready to fight the Nazis. Some of them took animals with them.
Mining the bridge
The decisive event is approaching. A brief summary (“For Whom the Bell Tolls”) helps to understand this. Ernest Hemingway prepared the reader in advance for the fact that his hero was not destined to survive the impending operation. This can already be seen from Pilar’s prediction.
Jordan, not knowing whether Andres managed to convey the report, goes with a detachment of partisans to the river. Their road lies through the gorge. It was decided to leave Maria to look after the horses, and the rest began to complete the tasks received in advance. Robert and Anselm make their way to the bridge and kill the sentries. Dynamite manages to be installed right next to the supports. Everything is ready to explode. All that remains is to understand whether there will be an offensive.
Unfortunately, Andres reaches Goltz too late. It is no longer possible to cancel the offensive.
Denouement
The summary of Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is coming to its conclusion. Robert blows up the bridge, killing Anselmo. The survivors are in a hurry to retreat. During the retreat, a shell explodes not far from the hero's horse, the animal falls and crushes the rider. Jordan cannot continue on his way - his leg is broken. He persuades Maria to leave him. Wounded, Robert goes to the machine gun, he decides to delay the enemy for as long as he can.
This is how Hemingway ends his novel. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (a chapter-by-chapter summary demonstrates this) talks about the horrors of war and how it contradicts human nature.
Ernest Hemingway
For whom the Bell Tolls
There is no person who would be like an Island, in itself: every person is part of the Continent, part of the Land; and if a Wave carries the coastal Cliff into the sea, Europe will become smaller, and also if it washes away the edge of the Cape or destroys your Castle or your Friend; the death of every Man diminishes me too, for I am one with all Mankind, and therefore never ask for whom the Bell tolls: it tolls for You.
John Donne
He lay on the brown ground covered with pine needles, his chin buried in his folded arms, while the wind stirred the tops of the tall pines above him. The slope in this place was not steep, but then it dropped off almost vertically, and one could see the road winding like a black stripe along the gorge. She walked along the river bank, and at the far end of the gorge she could see a sawmill and a water slide near the dam, white in the sun.
This sawmill? - he asked.
I don't remember her.
It was built after you. The old sawmill is not here; it is further down the gorge.
He laid out a map on the ground and looked at it carefully. The old man looked over his shoulder. He was a short, stocky old man in a black peasant blouse and gray trousers made of coarse fabric; on his feet were sandals with rope soles. He had not yet caught his breath from the climb and stood with his hand on one of the two heavy backpacks.
So you can't see the bridge from here?
No, said the old man. - Here the place is flat, and the river flows calmly. Further, around the bend, where the road goes behind the trees, there will be a deep gorge...
I remember.
A bridge has been built across the gorge.
Where are their posts?
One is over there, at this very sawmill.
The young man who was studying the area took his binoculars from the pocket of his faded khaki flannel shirt, wiped the glass with a handkerchief and began to tighten the eyepieces until all the outlines suddenly became clear, and then he saw a wooden bench at the door of the sawmill, a large pile of sawdust behind a circular saw, covered under the canopy, and part of the chute on the opposite slope, along which the logs were lowered. From here the river seemed calm and quiet, and through binoculars one could see splashes flying in the wind above the strands of the waterfall.
There is no sentry.
There is smoke coming from the chimney,” said the old man. - And the laundry is hung on the line.
I see this, but I don’t see the sentry.
He must have taken refuge in the shadows,” the old man explained. - It's still hot now. He's probably on the side where the shadow is, we can't see it from here.
Maybe. Where's the next post?
Behind the bridge. In the road foreman's house, at the fifth kilometer.
How many soldiers are there? - He pointed to the sawmill.
No more than four and Cpl.
And there, in the house?
There's more. I'll check.
And on the bridge?
Always two. One at each end.
We will need people,” he said. - How many people can you give?
“You can bring as many as you like,” said the old man. - There are a lot of people here in the mountains now.
How many?
More than a hundred. But they are all divided into small units. How many people will you need?
I'll say this when I inspect the bridge.
Do you want to inspect it now?
No. Now I want to go where I can hide the dynamite. It must be hidden in a safe place and, if possible, no more than half an hour's walk from the bridge.
“It’s not difficult,” said the old man. - From where we are going, there is a straight road down to the bridge. Just to get there, you have to push yourself a little more. Are not you hungry?
“Hungry,” said the young man. - But we'll eat afterwards. What is your name? I forgot. - He thought it was a bad sign that he had forgotten.
Anselmo,” said the old man. - My name is Anselmo, I am from Barco de Avila. Let me help you lift the bag.
The young man - he was tall and thin, with bleached blond hair, a weather-beaten and tanned face, wearing a faded flannel shirt, peasant trousers and rope-soled sandals - bent down, stuck his hand into the belt strap and hoisted a heavy backpack onto his shoulders. Then he put on another strap and adjusted the backpack so that the weight fell on the entire back. The shirt on my back is still not dry after climbing the mountain.
Well, I'm ready, he said. - Where to go?
Up,” Anselmo said.
Bent over under the weight of their backpacks, sweating profusely, they began to climb the slope, densely covered with pine trees. The path was not visible, but they kept going up and up, sometimes straight, sometimes around, then they came out to a narrow stream, and the old man, without stopping, climbed further along the rocky riverbed. Now the climb became steeper and more difficult, and finally a smooth granite rock rose ahead, from where the stream fell down, and here the old man stopped and waited for the young man.
How are you?
“Nothing,” said the young man. But he was all sweaty, and his calves were cramping from the strain of lifting.
Wait for me here. I'll go warn you. With such a burden it is not suitable to come under fire.
“Yes, this is a bad joke,” said the young man. - How far is it still?
Very close. What is your name?
Roberto,” answered the young man. He lowered his backpack from his shoulders and carefully placed it between two boulders by the stream.
So, Roberto, wait here, I'll come back for you.
“Okay,” answered the young man. - Tell me, does the same road lead to the bridge?
No. We will take a different road to the bridge. It's closer there and the descent is easier.
I need the material to be stacked not too far from the bridge.
You'll see. If you don't like it, we'll choose another place.
“We’ll see,” said the young man.
He sat down near the backpacks and began to watch the old man climb the rock. He climbed without difficulty, and from the way he quickly, almost without looking, found places to stand, it was clear that he had made this path many times before. But those who lived up there made sure that there was no path.
Robert Jordan - that was the name of the young man - was painfully hungry, and his soul was anxious. The feeling of hunger was familiar to him, but he did not often have to experience anxiety, since he did not attach importance to what could happen to him, and besides, he knew from experience how easy it was to move behind enemy lines in this country. Moving in the rear was as easy as crossing the front line, if only there was a good guide. Things only get difficult when you consider what could happen to you if you get caught, and it's hard to decide who to trust. You need to trust the people you work with completely or not trust them at all, so you have to decide who is trustworthy. But all this did not bother him. Something else was troubling.
Anselmo was a good guide and knew how to walk in the mountains. Robert Jordan himself was a good walker, but several hours into the journey - they left before dawn - he became convinced that the old man could drive him to death. Until now, Robert Jordan trusted Anselmo with everything - except his judgment. There has not yet been an opportunity to test the correctness of his judgments, and in the end everyone is responsible for their own judgments. Yes, Anselmo did not bother him, and the problem with the bridge was no more difficult than many other problems. There is no bridge that he could not blow up, and he has already had to blow up bridges of all sizes and designs. The backpacks contained enough dynamite and everything necessary to blow up this bridge according to all the rules, even if it is twice as large as Anselmo says, and what he himself remembered from 1933, when he crossed it while traveling in these places on the way to La Granja, and what is said in the description that Goltz read to him the night before yesterday in one of the upper rooms of the house near Escurial.
“Blowing up a bridge is not all,” Goltz said then, running a pencil over a large map, and his shaved, scarred head glistened in the light of the lamp. - You understand?
Yes, I understand.
It's almost nothing. Simply blowing up a bridge is tantamount to failure.
Yes, Comrade General.
They have always captivated readers with the relevance of the topic, the fascination of the plot and the complexity of the issues raised. The characters depicted in such works amaze with their effectiveness, psychologism and realism.
Ernest Hemingway's novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is considered the most widespread among works about the war. According to one official study conducted by a respected French magazine, it ranks eighth among a selection of the hundred most outstanding books of the twentieth century.
What kind of novel is this - "For Whom the Bell Tolls"? A brief summary of the work will be presented in this article. We will also get acquainted with the history of writing and film adaptation of the book. But first, let's learn a little about its author.
E. M. Hemingway and his books
As a writer and journalist, Hemingway traveled halfway around the world, visited the hottest spots and made acquaintance with many outstanding personalities. Therefore, everything that this talented man wrote about is not just a figment of the imagination of a typical layman or amateur. Every line of his writings is the result of deep conclusions based on experience and real events experienced and passed through the heart.
The writer's presentation style is laconic and vivid, very specific and realistic. His heroes come to life in the imagination and resonate in the hearts of millions of readers.
Biography of the writer
After graduating from school, the future writer worked as a police reporter, went to all sorts of incidents, got acquainted with the life of street bandits, prostitutes, scammers, and so on.
Then the First World War began, which the young man volunteered for, since he was not taken to the front due to poor eyesight. There he experienced the horror of combat, was seriously wounded, and then returned home as a hero.
Then Hemingway began to seriously engage in literary activity, for which he even made a difficult trip to Africa.
The Spanish Civil War touched the courageous heart of this man, and he asked to go on a business trip there. Subsequently, impressed by what he saw in those difficult years for the whole world, Hemingway wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (a summary of the novel will be presented in this material).
The Second World War also did not leave the writer indifferent. He organized a counterintelligence group and participated in the bombing of Germany and other military operations.
In the post-war period, the writer traveled extensively and fruitfully around the world and worked actively in the literary field.
In the last years of his life, Hemingway suffered from paranoia, underwent horrific treatment in psychiatric clinics several times, and attempted suicide.
The writer succeeded in one of these attempts - he died in the summer of 1961.
What is remarkable about Ernest Hemingway's novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls"? Let's find out.
History of writing
The first date of publication of the work was 1940. At the height of World War II, the topic of the fight against fascism became more relevant than ever. And although the author has repeatedly stated that everything written is a figment of his imagination, now literary researchers believe that in some places the book describes real events and people. For example, some believe that the main character of the work is a literary image of an NKVD worker, Hero of the USSR and leader of the partisan movement - Kirill Prokofievich Orlovsky.
Another interesting fact is that the writer gave one of the central characters (the Soviet demolition bomber Kashkin) the name of a man whose work he greatly respected. He was a translator and literary critic from the Soviet Union, Ivan Aleksandrovich Kashkin.
What events are described in the book “For Whom the Bell Tolls”? The plot of the work will be discussed below.
Dangerous and responsible task
Events in the work begin to unfold when young Robert Jordan (American by birth) receives a task from the rebel center to blow up a bridge of strategic importance in the upcoming offensive.
At the disposal of the demolitionist is a guerrilla detachment of a certain Pablo, a once brave and passionate rebel. However, over time, the Spaniard became rich and lost his former enthusiasm. He refuses to help Jordan because he understands that half of his guys may not return from the mission.
What should a young bomber do?
Meet brave women
Pablo's wife, fifty-year-old Pilar, a gypsy by nationality, but a patriot in spirit, takes Robert's side. She calls on her husband's squad to march with Jordan and show courage for the sake of the fatherland. A fearless gypsy is elected commander of a partisan detachment.
However, Pilar is not the only woman among the underground. Recently, a pretty girl, whose life was crippled by the war, joined the squad. Her parents were brutally killed, and she was brutally abused by the Nazis.
The gypsy, caring for Maria, tries to help her forget those terrible events and overcome tragic memories. She sees relationships forming between young people and pushes them towards each other. Pilar understands that true feeling will heal Maria’s withered soul, and will give Robert, who will die while performing the task, his last earthly happiness.
Maria and Jordan develop mutual passion and tenderness for each other and become close.
Memories of heroes
The conversation that took place between Pilar and Robert on the way to El Sordo, another partisan commander, is the central dialogue of the entire work. It raises deep and serious questions to which, unfortunately, it is impossible to give a clear answer.
Pilar recalls how the Republicans brutally punished local fascists and even killed a priest during the performance of the service. Such cruelty and hatred of the common people towards their own brothers will not lead to anything good. The fratricidal war that unfolded in Spain generates only suffering, pain and death.
Jordan, in turn, remembers why he volunteered for the Republican forces. Spain is his second homeland, he is deeply concerned about the fate of the local residents, and he sincerely hates Nazi ideology.
What preceded the fighting?
Further in the novel, Robert describes the actions taken to implement the mission entrusted to him. He asks for help from El Sordo's squad, but suddenly snow falls ruins the whole thing. The fascists discover the underground fighters and kill them, and Jordan and Pablo's squad hear the battle and cannot come to the rescue - if they reveal themselves, then the whole plan to blow up the bridge may fail.
Robert's situation is further complicated by the fact that on the eve of the offensive, Pablo escapes, taking with him a box of explosives. After some time, he returns, because he cannot sit in a safe place, knowing that his friends and comrades are risking their lives for their common goal.
The climax of the novel
Giordano managed to blow up the bridge. He completed the task. However, many partisans die, and the bomber himself is seriously wounded. He persuades Maria to leave him, assuring that only if she leaves can they be truly together.
When all of Robert's friends leave, he is left alone with a machine gun. The enemy comes out to meet him, and Jordan is ready to kill at least one more fascist at the cost of his own life.
This is where the novel ends.
We read the summary of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Hemingway.
Main images of the work
As you can see, the novel is replete with bright, extraordinary characters. For Whom the Bell Tolls is not your average book about military exploits. It exposes not only the cruelty of fascist ideology, but also the unreasonableness of the fratricidal war. In the work, the author shows that on both sides there are ordinary people who also fight for a high idea, who also fear for their lives, who also do not want to kill others.
Every chapter of the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is imbued with this thought. Robert Jordan, on his last night, also reflects on the absurdity of the fight that the Spaniards wage with each other. And yet this brave, fearless man tries not to think that among the fascists there are ordinary people. He understands that fascism is an evil that needs to be eradicated.
Pablo also appears before the readers as an interesting and original hero. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" portrays this man, once fearless and courageous, as materialistic and weak. But a man is not capable of betrayal. Yielding to a momentary impulse and momentary weakness, he leaves the detachment in order to return and serve his newfound ideals with redoubled strength.
Film adaptation of "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
Three years after publication, the novel was filmed. The film was shot in the USA by the talented director and producer Sam Wood.
The film stars such famous actors as:
- Gary Cooper (winner of three Oscars, one of which was for his overall contribution to the development of American cinema). Role: Robert Jordan.
- Ingrid Bergman (Swedish and American actress, winner of three Oscars). Role - Maria.
- Katina Paxino (Greek and American actress who received the coveted statuette for her role in this film adaptation). Her character is Pilar.
- Akim Tamirov (American actor of Armenian origin, winner of the Golden Globe for his role in For Whom the Bell Tolls). His character is Pablo.
The film was nominated for an Oscar in eight categories, but only Katina Paxino received the prestigious award.
HEMINGWAY "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOMS"
Hemingway's novel is one of the few books in the history of world literature that is so inextricably fused with its title, or more precisely, with the epigraph from which this title is taken. The phrase itself, borrowed from an epigraph and quickly becoming a saying in various languages (including Russian), belongs to the famous English poet of the 17th century John Donne. Here is his authentic saying:
There is no person who would be like an Island, each person in himself is part of the Continent, part of the Land, and if a Wave carries a coastal Cliff into the sea, Europe will become less, and also if the edge of the Cape is washed away or your Castle or your Friend is destroyed, death every person belittles me too, for I am one with all Humanity, and therefore never ask for whom the Bell rings, it rings for You.
John Donne
This is a novel about the tragedy of the Civil War. Any civil war - regardless of where and when it took place, because it is always the greatest tragedy of people, families, nations, countries. Hemingway's action takes place in Spain in 1937 (the novel itself was written in 1940 - hot on the heels). But such civil wars have happened more than once in world history, at different times and in different countries - in Ancient Rome, the USA, Russia, Mexico, China, Kampuchea, Afghanistan. Who knows where else? Everywhere and always it looks the same - with inhuman cruelty, mutilated lives and destinies of thousands and millions of people.
And of course, this novel, like many other works of the great American writer, is about love, about Great Love, that Love that at all times has proven stronger than any War, and therefore stronger than Death. To write a book of such amazing power, you had to see it yourself, experience it and let it pass through your heart. As a war correspondent, Hemingway really went through all this hell. Before his eyes, due to an absurd accident, or more precisely, due to inconsistency in the actions and orders of commanders and commissars - representatives of different political parties - the entire detachment with which he walked for many months along the thresholds of war died. This incident changed his soul forever - the writer became a different person.
The plot of the novel is simple. Unexpected fleeting love (“three nights and three half days”) between the American internationalist, dynamite bomber Robert Jordan and the fragile Spanish girl Maria – almost a child. Shortly before the chance and fateful meeting that turned the lives of both of them upside down, she was brutally abused by a detachment of fascist punitive forces, who had previously shot her father and mother before her eyes. The action takes place in a mountain partisan detachment, where Robert is sent with the task of blowing up a strategically important bridge.
Love flared up instantly as soon as their eyes met. Hemingway masterfully, as only he could, describes all the stages of its development - from the first hopes to the last tragic farewell:
And he began to think about the girl Maria, whose skin, hair, and eyes are the same golden-chestnut hue, only her hair is a little darker, but it will seem lighter when her skin tans more in the sun, her smooth skin, whose dark complexion is like as if shining through the pale golden top cover. Probably her skin is very smooth and her whole body is smooth, and her movements are awkward, as if there is something in her or with her that confuses her, and she thinks that everyone can see it, although in fact it is not visible, it's only in her thoughts. And she blushed as he looked at her; That’s how she sat, with her hands wrapped around her knees, the collar of her shirt open, and her breasts round, stretching the gray fabric, and when he thought about her, his throat constricted and it became difficult to walk...
The girl herself came to him that same night - without coercion she climbed into the sleeping bag in which he spent the night in the open air. The love of a man and a woman, who had not even suspected each other’s existence in the morning, flared up as naturally and brightly as the lights in the night sky:
- I love you. I love you so much. “Put your hand on my head,” she said, still hiding her face in the pillow. He put his hand on her head and stroked her, and suddenly she lifted her face from the pillow and pressed herself tightly to him, and now her face was next to his face, and he was hugging her, and she was crying. He held her tightly and carefully, feeling the entire length of her young body, and stroked her head, and kissed the salty moisture in her eyes, and when she sobbed, he felt her small round breasts quiver under her shirt. "..."
They lay side by side, and everything that was protected was now left unprotected. Where once there was rough fabric, everything became smooth, wonderfully smooth, and rounded, and clung, and shuddered, and stretched, long and light, warm and cool, cool on the outside and warm on the inside, and pressed tightly, and froze, and tormented with pain, and gave joy, plaintive, young and loving, and now everything was warm and smooth and full of aching, sharp, plaintive melancholy...
In describing love, Hemingway reaches truly cosmic heights, because he describes it as a truly cosmic feeling, as the greatest gift and greatest happiness bestowed on man by Mother Nature:
Then there was the smell of trampled heather, and the prickly breaks of the stems under her head, and the bright reflections of the sun on her closed eyelids, and it seemed that for the rest of his life he would remember the curve of her neck when she lay with her head thrown back in the heather, and her slightly moving lips, and the trembling of the eyelashes on the eyelids, tightly closed so as not to see the sun and not see anything, and the world for her then was red, orange, golden yellow from the sun penetrating through the closed eyelids, and everything was the same color - fullness , possession, joy - all of the same color, all in the same bright blindness. But for him there was a path in the darkness that led nowhere, and only nowhere, and again nowhere, and again, and again, and again nowhere, his elbows pressed into the ground, and again nowhere, and infinitely, hopelessly, forever nowhere, and more no strength, and again nowhere, and unbearable, and again, and again, and again, and again nowhere, and suddenly in the unexpected, in the burning, in the last, all the darkness scattered and time froze, and only the two of them existed in motionless, stopped time , and the ground beneath them shook and floated.
The love of Robert and Mary - the main theme of the novel - unfolds against the backdrop of a ruthless and dangerous war, or rather, people drawn into its bloody whirlpool. With the artist's precise and colorful brushstrokes, Hemingway recreates a whole gallery of folk heroes - from illiterate and wild patriotic guerrillas to the leaders of the Spanish Republic. The horrors of the civil war are depicted as if from the point of view of a chronicler journalist recording ingenuous and terrible stories of participation in the events that took place. But it is precisely from such dispassionate naturalism that goosebumps run through the body. It makes no difference whether we are talking about how republican peasants flail and throw their fascist neighbors alive from a cliff, or about how in another place and at another time, fascists cut off the heads of murdered republicans.
Death permeates Hemingway's entire novel from beginning to end. It ends with the death of the main character. With a broken leg and absolutely untransportable in difficult mountain conditions, Robert Jordan, after completing his main task - the successful explosion of a bridge - is forced to stay on the mountain path to cover the retreat of the partisan detachment, save his beloved and stop the fascist punitive forces at the cost of his own life. Hemingway does not depict the death of the American internationalist itself; it is inexorably approaching, but remains, as it were, behind the scenes, although from the very first pages of the novel it hovers over the hero’s head.
The writer wants the reader to forever imprint not Death, but Love - the same one that lasted only three nights and three half days. Probably, this is quite enough to at least once experience real human happiness, the fullness of feelings that nature sparingly bestows on us. It may even be worth living your whole life just for the sake of such three nights “and three incomplete days...
During the Spanish War, American-born Robert Jordan, a Republican supporter, must blow up a bridge before the offensive begins. Before this, Jordan is obliged to be in Pablo’s squad, which in the past destroyed many enemies, but then became a fairly wealthy man and decided to stop fighting. Pablo categorically does not want to take part in the case. However, Pablo's wife, Pilar, takes Robert's side. This woman has enormous authority among the partisans compared to her husband. Pilar says you shouldn't strive for safety. As a result, fifty-year-old Pilar becomes the undisputed leader of the squad.
Pilar sincerely believes in the Republicans and is ready to fight for her people to the end. Among the many talents of this woman, the gift of foreseeing the future stands out. She tells Jordan that his life is coming to an end. In addition, Pilar notices the outbreak of feelings between Robert and Maria, a girl from the detachment. Maria has a sad past: the Nazis killed her mother and father, and the girl herself was raped. Pilar has nothing against the love of a young man and a girl. On the contrary, a wise woman wants them to realize their feelings as soon as possible. Spaniard Pilar always helps Maria; she understands that nothing can heal a girl’s soul like real love.
The next day, Pilar, Maria and Robert go to the commander of one of the partisan detachments named El Sordo. At this time, Rafael must watch the change of guards near the bridge, old man Anselmo - monitor the road.
On the way to El Sordo, Pilar tells the girl and the young man about the beginning of the revolutionary movement in her and Pablo’s hometown. The people beat the fascists to death, without distinguishing which of them were decent people and which were not. During the massacre, some begged for mercy, some bravely accepted death. The people killed the priest while he was praying. Pilar claims that there is no longer a God in Spain. After all, if he had existed, he would not have allowed such cruel reprisals against his compatriots.
Robert has many memories associated with Spain. He serves in this country and also teaches Spanish. Jordan sincerely worries about the fate of the Spanish people. Despite the fact that Robert is not a representative of the Reds, he believes that this war must be won. After the end of all the terrible events of the war, Jordan plans to write a book about these events.
The American has a little more than ten people at his disposal, but he needs to carry out a significant number of operations. Jordan does not deny the possibility that he will die during the war. The young man considers it ironic that it was at this time that he found his first love. Robert is not sure that his life will last more than three days. Nevertheless, he is confident that in seventy hours one can experience no less events than in seventy years.
Pilar, Maria and Robert, after receiving El Sordo's permission to get the horses and begin the operation, lead the way back to the camp. On the way they are overtaken by snow - a very atypical phenomenon for May, foreshadowing trouble and disruption of the upcoming business. In addition, Pablo's constant intoxication may interfere with the operation. Before the attack, at night, Pablo escapes and runs away from the camp with things that may be needed during the attack.
That same night, El Sordo headed to the camp with horses, which were needed in case of retreat. The fascists discover traces of El Sordo's people and horses. The fighters from Otrado Pablo cannot influence the course of the battle, as there is a risk of disrupting the entire upcoming operation. El Sordo's squad is killed. One of the fascist lieutenants walks around the mountains of corpses and curses the war.
According to Anselmo's report, the fascists are preparing equipment for the offensive. Jordon understands that the enemy knows about the offensive and reports this in detail to General Goltz. Now you can't count on surprise. Robert hopes that the partisan Andres will have time to convey the report to the general before dawn, and the offensive will be postponed. But preparations continued anyway.
During his final night with Maria, Jordan realizes that his life was not without meaning. The American is not afraid of death, but of not doing his duty properly. He also thinks that the Civil War, which his grandfather fought in, was just as terrible. Robert understands that the same poor people fighting on the side of the fascists are the same as on the side of the partisans. But such thoughts, which evoke pity, can take away all the anger and strength during the offensive.
In the morning, Pablo suddenly appears with an army and horses in the detachment. He realizes that he has no right to be in a secluded place while his brothers are fighting. All night he agitated the people to participate in the fight against the fascists.
Jordan, having received no newsfrom Andres, decides to move towards the river. Everyone is obliged to mind their own business, and Maria looks after the horses. Robert and Anselmo order the sentries to leave. Jordan leaves dynamite near the bridge in case the attack does begin.
Andres was unable to convey the American’s report to Goltz in time. On the way, the partisan is detained by the chief commissar of the International Brigades, who wanted to convict Golts of treason. Time is lost, so the offensive cannot be canceled under any circumstances.
Anselmo is killed when the bridge explodes. Jordan breaks his leg when his horse falls on him during the retreat due to a shell explosion. Robert convinces his beloved to retreat along with everyone else, since this is the only way she can save him.
Jordan stands alone, leaning on a tree trunk, not far from the machine gun. He reflects on the fact that sometimes it is necessary to kill, but one should not love murder. The American wants to detain the enemy in order to end his life in a dignified manner.
At this time, a representative of the enemy troops appears in the clearing...
Please note that this is only a summary of the literary work “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” This summary omits many important points and quotes.
