Throughout A Farewell to Arms there is a common theme of love and passion shown that demonstrates the main character, Frederick Henry’s, longing for his newly found other half, Catherine Baker. However, being in the middle of a war, Henry is forced to spend multiple days and nights without her during his long journey on the warfront. With his fired-up love for her staying strong, it causes great pain being separated so with the help Alfred Lord Tennyson’s esteemed poem “Sweet And Low”, the audience is better able to grasp the true feelings Henry experiences. The idea of his passion is reinforced through Hemingway and Tennyson’s use of weather and religious references as well as lines of comfort and reassurance to sooth the family is found commonly throughout to create a the well-built meaning of love.
Weather poses as an extremely important source for Frederick Henry to express his infatuation with Catherine which is strongly supported by the allusion to “Sweet and Low”. The term ‘blow’ is seen throughout the text over and over again. Henry says “blow, blow, ye western wind…blow her again to me” which is a key allusion to Tennyson’s line “low, low, breath and blow wind of the western sea…blow him back to me.” (Hemingway 197) (Tennyson line 3-4 and 7). This line is vital to this scene in the novel because based off of the loving vibe given off by the poem, readers are able to value the seriousness of Henry’s words and his longing for his loved one. Rain also played a key part especially with his wishing “that [his] sweet love Catherine down might rain” (Hemingway 197). Through the references made about weather, it describes more in depth Henry’s need for Catherine to be with him where he is and with the help of the “Sweet and Low” allusion it creates a much stronger affect and better understanding for the reader.
Throughout a few different scenes in the novel and in this poem, the reader can see a strong since of religious references being used quite often. When asking for Catherine to be ‘blown’ his way or ‘rained’ down on him he also carries it as far as to say "Christ, that my love were in my arms tonight” (Hemingway 197). This quote seems to be praying to a higher power to bring Henry to his loved one at once. There also is a noticeable repetition of the word ‘Father’ throughout “Sweet and Low” (Tennyson lines 10, 12, and 13). The word ‘Father’ can mean multiple meanings and for its use in this novel I feel like it can not only mean the obvious meaning of a dad or parent to kids, but also God the Father. When wishing, or praying, that the “Father will come to thee soon”, it can be that the author is hoping for the Father (God) to help him with his suffering and comfort him in such ways that only He is capable of doing. The intensity of both authors’ word choices is deemed crucial in order for the readers to dig deeper in the meaning and the underlining of the religious references that can so easily be overlooked.
In a time of pain and longing, reassuring a loved one that everything will be okay and helping them to feel better is extremely imperative. Both Alfred Lord Tennyson and Ernest Hemingway, through the character of Frederick Henry, do an excellent job of this. Henry shows his love for Catherine once again by his peacefulness. He whispers aloud to himself, “Good-night Catherine, I hope you sleep well. If it’s too uncomfortable, darling, lie on the other side…I’m sorry he makes you so uncomfortable. Try and go to sleep, sweet.” (Hemingway 197). Even though they are miles and miles away, Catherine is still on Henry’s mind and he wants to do anything in his power to make sure that she sleeps soundly and is comfortable. Although the novel does not allude to this quote about sleep, there is much repetition within both works about being content and sleeping tight. Tennyson stresses rest with the example of stating for the loved one to “sleep and rest, sleep and rest…sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep” (Tennyson lines 9 and 16). It is unmistakable that neither of the authors wishes for their other half to be in pain and the repetition and the stressing of the ease only contribute that much greater to this scene.
Between both A Farewell to Arms and “Sweet and Low”, the immensity of the love given off by the characters through not only their reassurance but also their strong use of references makes the love apparent to all its readers. It is clear that they both care deeply about to whom the works are written towards and without the diction they used, the major theme of love and passion would not be as evident.
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