Editha Analysis

1248 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Changes in American literature after the Civil War essay

William Dean Howells’s “Editha” is about a couple named Editha Balcom and George Gearson who adore each other, but are completely divided on the issue of the war. Editha holds a much more favorable view of the war and hopes for George to share her perspective. However, George has complete disdain for the war, going as far as saying that all wars make him sick. Editha writes a letter to George, telling him that she will always love him, but that she cannot marry a man who does not put his country first. But before she can give him the letter, George, who was out drinking, volunteers to enlist in the war and is chosen to be made captain. Before he leaves for war, he tells Editha to not forget his mother. There are “not many letters” while he …show more content…

For centuries, war has been a popular theme in the arts: paintings, books, sculptures, films, and music have all been ordained to celebrate the life of a solider, so therefore people have come to romanticize the idea of war. In the story, for example, Editha thinks of George as nearly the perfect man, but admits that it would have been better if he had been a “hero,” given that she had “believed in the war from the beginning” (1492). Editha adores George and thinks of him very highly, as most Romantics do of others whom they admire, but her attitude towards the war seems to match the love she has for George. Both have a rightful place in her heart. This shows that Editha is not only the romanticist when it comes to war, but it also shows that she is quite patriotic. When she is writing a letter to George, for instance, she says that she loves George but that she must marry a man who puts his country first and foremost (1494). This is a clear display of patriotism, and with patriotism comes a certain type of Romanticism, a type that is not fully Romantic but that exhibits the Romantic characteristics of love and emotion—emotional attachment, that is—to one’s country. Furthermore, the view of going to war for “liberation of oppressed people” and for “liberty and humanity” are all ideals that have been held quite strongly to support war, but this also creates a vibrant, and even aesthetic, image that only heightens the appeal of the war. Howells may suggest this appeal has the power to triumph even the tragedies that stem from war, such as even after the death of George, Editha is not shaken up for long, and continues on with her life and again lives "in the

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of David Snead's An American Soldier In World War I

    1362 Words  | 3 Pages

    In An American Soldier in World War I, David Snead examines account of George Browne, a civil engineer who fought as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. Snead shares Browne’s account of the war through the letters he wrote to his fiancé Martha Ingersoll Johnson. Through Browne’s letters and research conducted of the AEF, Snead gives a concise, informative, and harrowing narrative of life as a soldier serving in the camps and front lines of the Great War. Snead attempts to give the reader an understanding of Browne’s service by focusing on his division, the 42nd Division, their training and preparation, combat on the front lines, and the effects of war on George and Martha’s relationship. As Snead describes, “Brownie’s letters offer a view of the experiences of an American soldier. He described the difficulties of training, transit to and from France, the dangers and excitement of combat, and the war’s impact on relationships.” (Browne 2006, 2) Furthermore, he describes that despite the war’s effect on their relationship, “their

    Read More

  • War and Memory in Irene Zabytko?s ?Home Soil?, Bruce Weigl?s ?Song of Napalm?, and Wilfred Owen?s ?Dulce et Decorum Est?

    755 Words  | 2 Pages

    The three narratives “Home Soil” by Irene Zabytko, “Song of Napalm” by Bruce Weigl, and “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen all have the same feelings of war and memory, although not everyone experiences the same war. Zabytko, Weigl, and Owen used shifting beats, dramatic descriptions, and intense, painful images, to convince us that the horror of war far outweighs the devoted awareness of those who fantasize war and the memories that support it.

    Read More

  • George Gearton's Editha Sparknotes

    473 Words  | 1 Pages

    “Editha” is a story about a young naïve woman named Editha, who insists that her fiancé, George Gearson, a methodical man, to fight in the Spanish-American War. Editha blindly and ignorantly believes in the heroic romanticism of war and is totally oblivious to the real consequences of battle. She is overjoyed that war is being declared and cannot apprehend his hate for war and his reluctance to fight in a war. Editha believes that her boyfriend is not a real 'man' unless he goes to fight for his country. George has is his chance, because the Spanish-American War has been declared. The fact that George does not seem to take anything very seriously irritates Editha, and she practically torments him into enlisting in the army when war is declared

    Read More

  • Comradeship in James Hanley's The German Prisoner, Ernest Hemingway's Farewell to Arms, Not So Quiet, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Pat Baker's

    1439 Words  | 3 Pages

    James Hanley provides an uncommon perspective of comradeship that contrasts the usual romantic representations by other World War 1 writers. Elston is from Manchester, England, a poor industrial city and O’Garra is from the impoverished town of Dublin, Ireland (48). Both men enlist in the service to escape their poverty and squalid environments. O’Garro is physically repulsive and the more aggressive of the two but loathes Elston who contrasts him in disposition and phys...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Heinrich Von Treitschke's The Young People Of Today

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Young People of Today, a series of opinion polls conducted among young educated Frenchmen by Henri Massis and Alfred de Tarde find romantic sentiments for war much like von Treitschke. The two authors interviewed a professor who tried to explain that there were in fact unjust wars, however, according to the professor, “the class obviously did not follow me; they rejected that distinction” (Massis and de Tarde 224). Massis and de Tarde go on to write about the many young men who left their high studies to pursue lives as soldiers because for them “it is not enough, for them to learn history: they are making it” (Massis and de Tarde 224).

    Read More

  • Protest

    583 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vivid imagery is one way with which writers protest war. Crane uses imagery to glorify, and shortly thereafter demean and undercut war, through the use of imagery, by placing positive and negative images of war close to eachother. “Blazing flag of the regiment,” and “the great battle God,” are placed before “A field where a thousand corpses lie.” (A) These lines’ purposes are to put images into the reader’s head, of how great war may appear, and then displaying that there are too many casualties involved with it. In Dulce Et Decorum Est, a man is described dyin...

    Read More

  • Comparing In Flanders Fields 'And Dulce Et Decorum Est'

    556 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” attempts to make war seem as repulsive as possible. The author’s goal is to discourage people from joining the war or any future conflicts by shattering the romantic image people have of the fighting. The setting of this poem helps

    Read More

  • The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jones, Peter G, War and the Novelist: Appraising the American war Novel. University of Missouri Press, 1976. 5-6. Rpt. in Literary Themes for Students, War and Peace. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 449-450. Print.

    Read More

  • Dulce Et Decorum Est And Wilfred Owen Analysis

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    Both Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est” as well as “next to of course god america i” written by E.E. Cummings preform critic on war propaganda used during the first world war. Besides this the influence war propaganda has on the soldiers as individuals as well as on war in more general terms, is being portrayed in a sophisticated and progressive manner. By depicting war with the use of strong literary features such as imagery or sarcasm both texts demonstrate the harshness of war as well as attempt to convey that war propaganda is, as Owen states “an old lie”, and that it certainly is not honourable to die for one’s country. Therefore, the aim of both writers can be said to be to frontally attack any form of war promotion or support offensively

    Read More

  • The Use Of War In Voltaire's Candide

    1448 Words  | 3 Pages

    With exaggeration, authors craft their writing to have an even greater, more impactful effect on their audiences. This enhanced effect found in Candide serves the purpose of highlighting how humans adopt a type of absolute viciousness and inhumanity in times of war. One example is the instance where Candide - a member of the Bulgar army, at the time - must choose between being “flogged” by the entirety of the military command, or to endure “twelve bullets in his brain” (24). Here, Candide is given a nonsensical, almost ludicrous, ultimatum. Voltaire offers an embellished example that serves to demonstrate the barbaric military practices that come with war. Being a recurring aspect of war, Candide is, essentially, forced to choose between death and death. In fact, along with exaggeration, Voltaire satirizes war even further as the choice of whether it be a gradual or speedy demise is Candide’s own luxury. Voltaire does not just simply antagonize the ramifications of war, but rather, he ridicules all facets of war. Another example within Candide is when the Old Woman reveals the story of her own life as proof of the grim hardship that she too has experienced. In the midst of another battle, “one buttock” was cut off of the live bodies of every woman present in the interest of feeding the starving soldiers (56).

    Read More

  • Editha, by William Dean Howells

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Dean Howells was an advocate of realism in writing; he believed that literary art should reflect the reality of the common man and demonstrate the truth of everyday current issues. He believed in truthful writing and he accepted very little at face value. He practiced this belief in his own writing, and his story called “Editha” is a good example of this. In this ironic tragedy, W.D. Howells shows the truth and nature of war. He uses a combination of metaphoric characters, irony, and the pathos appeal to create an almost grotesque parody of the reality of war. In final analysis, Howells is successful in highlighting the consequences of war and inspiring the audience to question the wisdom of those who advocate armed conflict.

    Read More

  • The Affect of War on One's Innocence

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    The simple definition of war is a state of armed competition, conflict, or hostility between different nations or groups; however war differs drastically in the eyes of naive children or experienced soldiers. Whether one is a young boy or a soldier, war is never as easy to understand as the definition. comprehend. There will inevitably be an event or circumstance where one is befuddled by the horror of war. For a young boy, it may occur when war first breaks out in his country, such as in “Song of Becoming.” Yet, in “Dulce et Decorum Est” it took a man dying in front of a soldier's face for the soldier to realize how awful war truly is. Both “Song of Becoming” and “Dulce et Decorum Est” are poems about people experiencing the monstrosity of war for the first time. One is told from the perspective of young boys who were stripped of their joyful innocence and forced to experience war first hand. The other is from the perspective of a soldier, reflecting on the death of one of his fellow soldiers and realizing that there is nothing he can do to save him. While “Song of Becoming” and “Dulce et Decorum Est” both focus on the theme of the loss of innocence, “Song of Becoming” illustrates how war affects the lives of young boys, whereas “Dulce et Decorum Est” depicts the affect on an experienced soldier.

    Read More

  • Romanticism and Realism in "Editha"

    329 Words  | 1 Pages

    Now Howell uses George's view on war, his family history and even his death to symbolize realism. From the beginning George sees war as a negative thing that can bring so much pain and suffering contrary to Editha's views. His family had a personal experience with war, having his father lose his arm at war shaped his family's view on war influencing George. His mother's straight forward words about girls that give up their loved ones thinking they will come back alive and unaltered, only expecting to "kill someone else- kill the sons of those miserable mothers and husbands of those girls.

    Read More

  • Themes of Love and War in A Farewell to Arms

    2035 Words  | 5 Pages

    Theme is a literary element used in literature and has inspired many poets, playwrights, and authors. The themes of love and war are featured in literature, and inspire authors to write wartime romances that highlight these two themes. Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms deals with the collective themes in the human experience such as love and the reality of war. A Farewell to Arms is narrated from the perspective of Fredric Henry, an ambulance driver in the Italian army, and pertains to his experiences in the war. The novel also highlights the passionate relationship between Henry and Catherine Barkley, a British nurse in Italy. Henry’s insight into the war and his intense love for Catherine emphasize that love and war are the predominant themes in the novel and these themes contribute to bringing out the implicit and explicit meaning of the novel. Being a part of the Italian army, Henry is closely involved with the war and has developed an aversion to the war. Henry’s association with the war has also made him realise that war is inglorious and the sacrifices made in war are meaningless. Specifically, Henry wants the war to end because he is disillusioned by the war and knows that war is not as glorious as it is made up to be. The state of affairs and the grim reality of the war lead Henry towards an ardent desire for a peaceful life, and as a result Henry repudiates his fellow soldiers at the warfront. Henry’s desertion of the war is also related to his passionate love for Catherine. Henry’s love for Catherine is progressive and ironic. This love develops gradually in “stages”: Henry’s attempt at pretending love for Catherine towards the beginning of the novel, his gradually developing love for her, and finally, Henry’s impas...

    Read More

  • Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms as an Anti-War Novel

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Farewell to Arms is clearly an anti-war novel; the story swifts from naive game playing, through the stages of love and hope, to pure despair and an understanding that a war can lead to no winners. The passionate love story of the novel strengthens the message still more by showing the ironic similarity, but also its discrepancy, with the war. The discrepancy is to be taken into serious account, this discrepancy  is the important message of this novel; make love not war.

    Read More

More about Editha Analysis

Open Document