For Whom the Bell Tolls

More about the book

In a gripping and renowned novel, Ernest Hemingway depicts three days in the life of Robert Jordan, an American fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. Driven by a love for freedom, he is tasked with advising partisans in the mountains north of Madrid and blowing up a strategically important bridge. Amidst the tension, Jordan meets Maria, a young woman whose parents were murdered in the war. Their love helps her forget the horrors of the past, while Jordan learns to overcome his loneliness. During the battle for the bridge, he is injured and stays behind to cover the retreat of others. The characters are unforgettable: alongside Robert Jordan and Maria are the old Anselmo, the cunning Pablo, and his companion Pilar. Their accounts of the brutal events in their hometown are among the most striking passages of the novel, while the love story between Maria and Robert is one of its tenderest. Hemingway's motto "No man is an island" marks a turning point in his work and reflects the moral dilemmas of his time. Robert Jordan knows his time has come and faces it.