How Does Hemingway Present Masculinity In His Work?
Ernest Miller Hemingway is known for as an American journalist, author in the 20th century, and one of the greatest influences on American literature in history. Before he published one of his most distinguishing collection, In Our Time, he served in World War I as an ambulance driver. In 1954, Hemingway received the Nobel Prize in Literature and many people consider his work as classic American Literature. Around when Hemingway was alive, he epitomized male roles in society. Hemingway, a macho man, did what most men would love and dream about doing, but additionally Hemingway would expressed his thoughts and feelings with a pen, and paper. What were those most prevalent themes Hemingway use to portray masculinity in his work? To begin,
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sports were a major part to Hemingway’s life and stories. He was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, but his family spent a great deal of their time in their cabin in northern Michigan. It was there that Hemingway learned to hunt, fish, and overall enjoy the great outdoors. Throughout Ernest’s life he fancied over bullfighting, which he believed to be an art. Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera, professor of the University of Puerto Rico introduces this fact in one of his excerpts ‘“Hemingway said that bullfighting "is a good deal like the Grand Opera for the really great matadors except they run the chance of being killed every time they cannot hit high C"’ (Herlihy-Mera). Adoring the fact that the whole bullfighting activity was a life or death scenario, Hemingway would often go see multiple shows. Doing so, many people assumed Hemingway was a simple fool, yet he cared for no one’s opinion but his own, and continued on writing about his experiences. Another escape for the successful writer was hunting. It was more as a stress relieving interest for Hemingway. As odd as it seems, he was into big game hunting. Which was hunting lions, elephants, deers, and etc. Dr. Gil Boese professor of the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc. Zoological Society of Milwaukee writes an article about Hemingway’s second safari trip in 1953. “Hemingway makes sure we know this: “I had never seen a lion looking that way except in a painting or in a heroic sculpture” (Boese 1) Death was an intriguing subject for Hemingway, like as he would see it as the pain of beauty. It gave him an adrenaline rush and a urge to write about, which he did pursue and accomplish. Fishing was also served as an occupation for Hemingway, he would spend his happiest and furthermore most cherished times out on the sea, having a laugh with his buddies while catching marlin and other fish. Fishing allowed Hemingway time to relax and reflect on his writing, such as novels he worked on like The Old Man and the Sea. “You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman.” (Hemingway 105) His tone and respect for fishing was clearly illustrated by his words in his books. To Hemingway, fishing was priceless and irreplaceable, it could've even been a career that he would have loved and for him to put in his thoughts on this immeasurable hobby of his is quite beautiful and spectacular. For ages, alcohol was treasured and valued by millions and millions of people around the world, Hemingway being one of them. He would casually interpret his characters being influenced with alcohol in his own work. The characters in these novels of his drank or used alcohol frequently. A sample given by Agori Kroupi, an english teacher who attended the University of Southern Denmark voices her own opinion on Hemingway’s story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, both the Macombers and Robert Wilson would drink. Drinking was not only in that particular novel of Hemingways, but it was also in many other novels of his as well. (Kroupi 1) As mature as Hemingway was, he had the tendency of adding even the slightest drop of alcohol to the stories to make it a Hemingway masterpiece. Consuming a drink or two is considered normal, but Hemingway was in fact an alcoholic, he has had one to many. Author and an associate professor emerita of English and philosophy at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, Doris Lanier put some thought to her mind on article that discusses alcoholism in one of Hemingway’s short stories Hills Like White Elephants “Hemingway expects his reader to have knowledge of the almost mythical tales of self-destruction associated with the drink to understand the destructive nature of the couple’s relationship and the woman’s ironically expressed disappointment in her life.” (lanier 1) Hemingway had an interpretation, on alcohol. What he treasured, he thought and believed that others would have the same perspective of it too. Hemingway emotionally transformed alcohol as a symbol of something important in his stories and also personally in his own life existence. As time escalated so did his drinking habits, which eventually created a terrible and horrific problem that it could might of have been a lead to Hemingway’s suicide. Matt Djos a retired freelance writer and author discusses the topic in a piece that he wrote, “This makes the story all the more realistic and compelling. Indeed, like the disease of alcoholism itself, the plot may be quite deceptive because it presents no images of addictive self-destruction on a grandiose scale.”(Djos 1) The tremendous fact of what can happen while being an alcoholic can make a human cringe; it can truly be a dreadful outcome. In the end there was a possibility that alcohol could have drove Hemingway to depression or suicide, but from learning about Hemingway it is to be seen that alcohol may have been or was a substitution for his happiness, that made him forget about the past and his pain that was going through his head. Ernest Hemingway, followed his whims; traveling, hunting, and finding new women, he was not faithful to most of his wives.
Hemingway had a passion for exciting, young, and gorgeous women: he could have resisted himself but chose not to. To Hemingway cheating was acceptable, he may not have confessed it but his actions show his morals. For example, Dr. George Cheatham dean of Marymount University believes that in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, Robert Wilson represents Hemingway himself. Wilson by fact knows how intimidating and cruel Margot Macomber is to her own husband, but Wilson could care less and didn’t give any sympathy to Francis because Margot was a gorgeous American woman and from there an affair was afflicted. (Cheatham 1) Hemingway believed that in order for him to be happy, he would have to go out and find various solutions to his problems most times it would be women. Having four wives and countless lovers/partners, Hemingway had an intriguing charm that lured women in his trap, which caused him to be un-loyal and dishonest to his wives. The Wilson Quarterly, a magazine published by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C sees that Hemingway was a lover in his novel and in real life. "I have a theory that Ernest needs a new woman for each big book...If there's another big book I think we'll find Ernest has another wife.” (The Wilson Quarterly 1) The writing of Hemingway releves his infatuation for his wives, without a doubt the affection he had for each one of them was present and alive, but Hemingway seemed to be never satisfied. Knowing a person’s first love will always be their true love, was clearly Hemingway’s mindset. He regretted being a fool and letting go of his true love, but neverless, his wives and other ladies were adored by Ernest as well, in some
capacity. Ernest Hemingway, the manly man who known as a world class sports fisherman, big game hunter, lover, and alcoholic was and still is respected and appreciated by countless of people all over the world that have the privilege to read his novels. Pioneer contemporary legend scholar, Steward F. Sanderson considered that if one was a first time reader of Hemingway, they would automatically have the thought of how emotional and personal the experiences would have been for Hemingway to put in his novels. Those who already have had a grasp of knowledge of Ernest Hemingway would recognize his personality and favorite hobbies in numerous prints. (Sanderson 1) Hemingway was am original catch and fairly different than most famous authors that have ever lived; there was always a mystery for his readers to solve, plus there was a part of him roaming in the lines of his novels and short stories. It is not difficult to catch a glimpse of what kind of things Heminway hold dearly to throughout his life, only because most of it was on paper in black or blue ink. Ernest Miller Hemingway in the most lively and spirited manner contributes masculine themes which he adored in his work, by using sports, alcoholism, and his own relationship habits.
sports were a major part to Hemingway’s life and stories. He was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, but his family spent a great deal of their time in their cabin in northern Michigan. It was there that Hemingway learned to hunt, fish, and overall enjoy the great outdoors. Throughout Ernest’s life he fancied over bullfighting, which he believed to be an art. Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera, professor of the University of Puerto Rico introduces this fact in one of his excerpts ‘“Hemingway said that bullfighting "is a good deal like the Grand Opera for the really great matadors except they run the chance of being killed every time they cannot hit high C"’ (Herlihy-Mera). Adoring the fact that the whole bullfighting activity was a life or death scenario, Hemingway would often go see multiple shows. Doing so, many people assumed Hemingway was a simple fool, yet he cared for no one’s opinion but his own, and continued on writing about his experiences. Another escape for the successful writer was hunting. It was more as a stress relieving interest for Hemingway. As odd as it seems, he was into big game hunting. Which was hunting lions, elephants, deers, and etc. Dr. Gil Boese professor of the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc. Zoological Society of Milwaukee writes an article about Hemingway’s second safari trip in 1953. “Hemingway makes sure we know this: “I had never seen a lion looking that way except in a painting or in a heroic sculpture” (Boese 1) Death was an intriguing subject for Hemingway, like as he would see it as the pain of beauty. It gave him an adrenaline rush and a urge to write about, which he did pursue and accomplish. Fishing was also served as an occupation for Hemingway, he would spend his happiest and furthermore most cherished times out on the sea, having a laugh with his buddies while catching marlin and other fish. Fishing allowed Hemingway time to relax and reflect on his writing, such as novels he worked on like The Old Man and the Sea. “You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman.” (Hemingway 105) His tone and respect for fishing was clearly illustrated by his words in his books. To Hemingway, fishing was priceless and irreplaceable, it could've even been a career that he would have loved and for him to put in his thoughts on this immeasurable hobby of his is quite beautiful and spectacular. For ages, alcohol was treasured and valued by millions and millions of people around the world, Hemingway being one of them. He would casually interpret his characters being influenced with alcohol in his own work. The characters in these novels of his drank or used alcohol frequently. A sample given by Agori Kroupi, an english teacher who attended the University of Southern Denmark voices her own opinion on Hemingway’s story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, both the Macombers and Robert Wilson would drink. Drinking was not only in that particular novel of Hemingways, but it was also in many other novels of his as well. (Kroupi 1) As mature as Hemingway was, he had the tendency of adding even the slightest drop of alcohol to the stories to make it a Hemingway masterpiece. Consuming a drink or two is considered normal, but Hemingway was in fact an alcoholic, he has had one to many. Author and an associate professor emerita of English and philosophy at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, Doris Lanier put some thought to her mind on article that discusses alcoholism in one of Hemingway’s short stories Hills Like White Elephants “Hemingway expects his reader to have knowledge of the almost mythical tales of self-destruction associated with the drink to understand the destructive nature of the couple’s relationship and the woman’s ironically expressed disappointment in her life.” (lanier 1) Hemingway had an interpretation, on alcohol. What he treasured, he thought and believed that others would have the same perspective of it too. Hemingway emotionally transformed alcohol as a symbol of something important in his stories and also personally in his own life existence. As time escalated so did his drinking habits, which eventually created a terrible and horrific problem that it could might of have been a lead to Hemingway’s suicide. Matt Djos a retired freelance writer and author discusses the topic in a piece that he wrote, “This makes the story all the more realistic and compelling. Indeed, like the disease of alcoholism itself, the plot may be quite deceptive because it presents no images of addictive self-destruction on a grandiose scale.”(Djos 1) The tremendous fact of what can happen while being an alcoholic can make a human cringe; it can truly be a dreadful outcome. In the end there was a possibility that alcohol could have drove Hemingway to depression or suicide, but from learning about Hemingway it is to be seen that alcohol may have been or was a substitution for his happiness, that made him forget about the past and his pain that was going through his head. Ernest Hemingway, followed his whims; traveling, hunting, and finding new women, he was not faithful to most of his wives.
Hemingway had a passion for exciting, young, and gorgeous women: he could have resisted himself but chose not to. To Hemingway cheating was acceptable, he may not have confessed it but his actions show his morals. For example, Dr. George Cheatham dean of Marymount University believes that in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, Robert Wilson represents Hemingway himself. Wilson by fact knows how intimidating and cruel Margot Macomber is to her own husband, but Wilson could care less and didn’t give any sympathy to Francis because Margot was a gorgeous American woman and from there an affair was afflicted. (Cheatham 1) Hemingway believed that in order for him to be happy, he would have to go out and find various solutions to his problems most times it would be women. Having four wives and countless lovers/partners, Hemingway had an intriguing charm that lured women in his trap, which caused him to be un-loyal and dishonest to his wives. The Wilson Quarterly, a magazine published by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C sees that Hemingway was a lover in his novel and in real life. "I have a theory that Ernest needs a new woman for each big book...If there's another big book I think we'll find Ernest has another wife.” (The Wilson Quarterly 1) The writing of Hemingway releves his infatuation for his wives, without a doubt the affection he had for each one of them was present and alive, but Hemingway seemed to be never satisfied. Knowing a person’s first love will always be their true love, was clearly Hemingway’s mindset. He regretted being a fool and letting go of his true love, but neverless, his wives and other ladies were adored by Ernest as well, in some
capacity. Ernest Hemingway, the manly man who known as a world class sports fisherman, big game hunter, lover, and alcoholic was and still is respected and appreciated by countless of people all over the world that have the privilege to read his novels. Pioneer contemporary legend scholar, Steward F. Sanderson considered that if one was a first time reader of Hemingway, they would automatically have the thought of how emotional and personal the experiences would have been for Hemingway to put in his novels. Those who already have had a grasp of knowledge of Ernest Hemingway would recognize his personality and favorite hobbies in numerous prints. (Sanderson 1) Hemingway was am original catch and fairly different than most famous authors that have ever lived; there was always a mystery for his readers to solve, plus there was a part of him roaming in the lines of his novels and short stories. It is not difficult to catch a glimpse of what kind of things Heminway hold dearly to throughout his life, only because most of it was on paper in black or blue ink. Ernest Miller Hemingway in the most lively and spirited manner contributes masculine themes which he adored in his work, by using sports, alcoholism, and his own relationship habits.