Courage is a trait everybody desires to have, but often times, fear interferes to prevent people from being courageous. In The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane shows through the character of Henry, the internal battle between desiring to become a real hero, his journey to finding manhood, and cowardice being a constant conflict.
First of all, Henry's view of death is that it is the only way to become a true hero. When he pictured a hero, they were men who died for a courageous cause. As Henry began to think about death and the way it was a step into becoming heroic, his views on battle began to change. It was not that death itself was pleasing, but, "It was perhaps that they dreaded to be killed in insignificant ways" (Crane 101). It
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is ironic that Henry wants a significant death because one of the first instances of Henry being wounded was when another Union officer accidentally hit Henry on the head with his gun, which was far from a valiant wound. “Well, then!' bawled the man in a lurid rage. He adroitly and fiercely swung his rifle. It crushed upon the youth's head. The man ran on" (Crane 94). After this occurred, Henry proceeded back to camp where the corporal inspects his wound and decides that he's been skimmed by a bullet, as he finds "a queer lump jest as if some feller had lammed yeh on th' head with a club" (Crane 104). Also, Wilson, Henry's fellow private in the regiment, bandages Henry's head and respects him because "a shot in th' head ain't foolin' business" (Crane 104). While Henry did not proclaim a false truth about the nature of his injury, in no way did he try to correct the men. He wanted to make the wound seem more than it was because of how embarrassing it was for him to essentially get hurt while trying to run away from battle. The way Wilson and the Corporal viewed Henry when they believed his wound was valiant showed Henry that dying a significant death is what creates a hero.
Him obtaining a wound courageously is what made them respect Henry, and he knew that if they were aware that it was all an accident between regiment soldiers, he would no longer be viewed as a hero. What scared Henry was dying and being forgotten or dying a death not worthy of being heroic. He wanted to be known for his sacrifice and prove to the world that his individual life was worth celebration, and dying a significant death or being wounded in a courageous war effort was the way to do that, in Henry's eyes. In the same way that death needed to be purposeful, it needed to have substance in order to create Henry into a hero. "He finally concluded that the only way to prove himself was to go into the blaze, and then figuratively to watch his legs to discover their merits and faults ... To gain it, he must have blaze, blood, and danger, even as a chemist requires this, that, and the other" (Crane 115). Like a chemist needs to meet certain requirements in order to be a chemist, Henry knew that in order to be the hero he always wanted to be, his death must be filled with the necessary aspects, such as a blazing fire, blood, and danger. Without risk, his death could not have been heroic. Henry experienced many dead corpses and bloody wounds and saw the ways the world simply passed over them and …show more content…
failed to value those lives, which forced Henry to realize that just because he dies in war, does not make him a war hero. He must overcome his fears and doubts and prove to the world that he is deserving of honor and respect. Death was not what was desired by Henry, but a meaningful death that would leave him seen as a hero was his goal. Furthermore, his journey to finding manhood and becoming a man in the eyes of those around him, drove him to push through his fear instead of running away.
Henry's view of masculinity relied heavily on the opinions of people around him. He viewed "real men" to be ones full of strength and courage, and hoped to one day be seen as that man by others. When speaking of Henry, it was said, "In the shade of its flourishing growth he stood with braced and self-confident legs, and since nothing could now be discovered he did not shrink from an encounter with the eyes of judges, and allowed no thoughts of his own to keep him from an attitude of manfulness. He had performed his mistakes in the dark, so he was still a man" (Crane 179). This reveals a lot about Henry's outlook on manhood because it is made clear that his view of his own masculinity was based on what others thought him to be. If no one was there to see his faults, then to Henry, it made no difference. Henry did not find his self-worth in himself, but in the approval of other people and the desire he had to become a hero and prove once and for all that he deserved to be viewed as great. In the same way that Henry's view of being a hero is based on a idealized view that he has in his mind, becoming a real man is also something that is an external thing. At one point in the novel, "he saves himself from humiliation and tells a small white lie so that his dignity is preserved" (Truman). Henry realizes the correlation
between being a "real man" and having dignity and honor, but his fault becomes apparent as he ironically lies to protect his dignity. In reality, lying is a trait that would diminish Henry's dignity, but to Henry, dignity is not about true, genuine integrity as much as it is about the importance of other people viewing him to have it. Henry is incapable of feeling like a "real man" unless other people are there to affirm his confidence. As the story progresses, "He understands later that manhood means carrying out your duties" (Lorcher). Henry changes slightly in his idea of what truly makes a man, but ultimately, he wanted to be seen as a "real man" to everybody and would not allow his fears from battle to stand in the way of that goal. Lastly, Henry's cowardice serves as a primary conflict in his journey to becoming the hero he has always dreamed of becoming. Throughout the novel, Henry deeply desires to be heroic and courageous, but his natural doubts and fears keep him from giving his full focus to that goal. When first heading into the regiment, the view that Henry held about becoming a war hero and fighting valiantly was a "story-book" view. "From all the tales told by others of fighting and glory, he can not help but idolize the duty of the soldier and aspire to become the very same soldier" (Truman). Everything about the idea of being remembered and honored excited Henry, but when bloody battles became his reality, his cowardice became strong. "There was a more serious problem. He lay in his bunk pondering upon it. He tried to mathematically prove to himself that he would not run from a battle" (Crane 37). Henry needed to logically convince himself that staying and fighting bravely was the right and best thing to do, because naturally, Henry wanted to rapidly run away. Throughout the novel, "Henry is confronted with character tests that one would expect to lead him onto the path to heroism, only to fail miserably by making the cowardly or selfish choice. When a previously thought defeated enemy mounts an attack on his regiment, Henry flees in terror. Then, instead of owning up to his actions, rationalizes his decision, even condemning his fellow soldiers for electing instead to stay behind and fight" (The Red Badge of Courage: Henry Fleming: Coward?). Henry is repeatedly given opportunities to prove himself to be worthy of the title of "Hero," but he chooses to lie or run away each time because his cowardice overpowers his ability to act courageously. He is more concerned with convincing people he is strong and not afraid, instead of actually proving to himself and others that he actually is brave and heroic. William Shakespeare once said, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." (Alchin). So much can be accomplished when people simply try, but doubts and fear are a natural enemy to people who wish to do and accomplish greatness. People are heroes because it was difficult to accomplish what they did and not everybody is capable of doing the same. When fear is stronger than focus and mental strength, the successes that someone might achieve may never even be attempted. Henry battled both physically and mentally because as war was in full-swing, Henry wanted nothing more than to hide. Henry's cowardice throughout the novel serves to be his primary conflict and obstacle as he knew his goals and had every intention of obtaining them, yet his fear and doubt continuously fought against his will to be a hero.
The important conflict in The Red Badge of Courage is Henry Fleming's. fear about how he will perform in his first battle. There were three people. who expressed their ideas about their fears before the first skirmish. They Henry Fleming, Tom Wilson, and Jim Conklin.
The hero of The Red Badge of Courage, which was written by Stephen Crane in the late 1800s, was a young private named Henry Fleming, who was fighting for the North in the American Civil War. Like Pip, in Great Expectations, Henry was a commoner. He was new to the Army and few people knew his name. The main difference between Henry and the earlier heroes is that Henry was not born with leadership qualities or traits like bravery. In fact, in the first battle he fought, he proved himself to be a coward by running from it.
The first time Henry's flaw improves is when he is mad at himself for running away from the battle and he begins to relate to nature.
But in Henry’s own mind he describes himself as “the mirror of all Christian kings” and also a “true lover of the holly church. In the beginning of the play Henry is set up to be the ideal of a Christian King. Interestingly, Shakespeare highlights this as an important characteristic as this occurs earlier in the play. Therefore readers are tricked to respect and agree with Henry’s decisions later on in the play.
In the Red Badge of Courage, the protagonist Henry, is a young boy who yearns to be a Great War hero, even though he has never experienced war himself. Anxious for battle, Henry wonders if he truly is courageous, and stories of soldiers running make him uncomfortable. He struggles with his fantasies of courage and glory, and the truth that he is about to experience. He ends up running away in his second battle.
Events of crisis tend to reveal people’s true character, as well as help those people learn from the experience. Decisions people make during crises can display what kind of personality they have. In The Red Badge Of Courage by Stephen Crane, the youthful main protagonist, Henry, decides to join the army. In the beginning of the novel, Henry exhibits multiple cowardly qualities. However, through a series of battles, Henry learns more about himself and begins to become a remarkably brave soldier. Henry’s transformation from cowardice to bravery is portrayed through Henry’s change in thoughts, actions, and dialogue.
The Red Badge of Courage is not a war novel. It is a novel about life. This novel illustrates the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Stephen Crane uses the war as a comparison to everyday life. He is semi-saying that life is like a war. It is a struggle of warriors—the every day people—against the odds. In these battles of everyday life, people can change. In The Red Badge of Courage, the main character, Henry Fleming, undergoes a character change that shows how people must overcome their fears and the invisible barriers that hold them back from being the best people—warriors, in the sense that life is war—they can be. Henry has a character change that represents how all humans have general sense of fear of the unknown that must be overcome.
middle of paper ... ... to royalty. Additionally the relationship between Henry and his nobles are friendly and caring. The last persuasive technique Henry exploits is the word 'man hood,' deliberately to suggest manliness could only be earned by achieving honour in battle.
In the Historical fiction, “The Red Badge of Courage”, written by Stephen Crane; a young man try’s to find courage in himself in the time of war. After watching your commander die in war, would you stay and fight or return home and be a coward? Enlisting Himself into war Henry, to be more than the common man to prove worthyness and bravery. With the sergeant dead will Henry lead his men to victory, or withdraw his men in war. Not being the only are faced with the decision Jim and Wilson Henry’s platoons will have the same decision.
At the beginning, Henry Fleming has an undeveloped identity because his inexperience limits his understanding of heroism, manhood, and courage. For example, on the way to war, “The regiment was fed and caressed at station after station until the youth [Henry] had believed that he must be a hero” (Crane 13). Since he has yet to fight in war, Henry believes a hero is defined by what others think of him and not what he actually does. The most heroic thing he has done so far is enlist, but even that was with ulterior motives; he assumes fighting in the war will bring him glory, yet another object of others’ opinions. At this point, what he thinks of himself is much less important than how the public perceives him. As a result of not understanding
Stephen Crane's purpose in writing The Red Badge of Courage was to dictate the pressures faced by the prototypical American soldier in the Civil War. His intent was accomplished by making known the horrors and atrocities seen by Unionist Henry Fleming during the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the conflicts within himself.
The Red Badge of Courage, by it’s very title, is infested with color imagery and color symbols. While Crane uses color to describe, he also allows it to stand for whole concepts. Gray, for example, describes both the literal image of a dead soldier and Henry Fleming’s vision of the sleeping soldiers as corpses and comes to stand for the idea of death. In the same way, red describes both the soldiers’ physical wounds and Henry’s mental vision of battle. In the process, it gains a symbolic meaning which Crane will put an icon like the ‘red badge of courage’. Stephen Crane uses color in his descriptions of the physical and the non-physical and allows color to take on meanings ranging from the literal to the figurative.
In chapter nine, Henry shows his brave character once again. In Paula, Henry was installed in a roadside trench. Some of the men were hungry so Henry volunteered to go and fetch some cold macaroni from the other side of the trench. The major advised him against it and said, “You better wait until the shelling is over.” Henry replied, “They want to eat.” (53) As Henry and the others came back to the dugout, shelling began and bombs burst around them. Then the blast furnace door swung open and Henry was badly injured. This incident showed his selfless courage and bravery. He did not have to do it, yet he went and got the food anyway. Henry risked his life for the others, and that is another true sign of bravery.
Through high moral character Henry established credibility with the audience through creating a setting that aroused feelings in the people at the convention in order to convince them they had to fight for more than just peace. The goal Henry had when he spoke about war was to be honest with the crowd and point out that they needed to do something now or they would lose not just what he loved, but what they also loved. Henry said “If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending.and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight!”. In this quote, the tactic of ethics is apparent in that Henry wanted to achieve a personal level of connection with the audience and establish his credibility. By relating losing the war it also meant the loss of their feelings of comfort and contentment from the privileges they had worked hard on to achieve.
‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more’, one of the most celebrated openings to, arguably, the most famous passage within the entire Henry V Shakespeare play. Through this opening we can tell that Henry is a character of perseverance and fortitude as he drives his troops into war. Shakespeare’s presentation of Henry is without doubt one of a hero and protagonist as he is presented as a man with a degree of intelligence and allure with motives that are not focused on a lust for power, like most kings, but to his obligations and responsibilities as an exalted rank. It is also apparent from Henry’s unquestionably rousing speeches that Shakespeare intends for us to view Henry as a hero, or, at the very least, as an estimable king.