Sofia Israel
Centre number: 10236
Component code: 9ET0/04
Candidate number: 2137
Page 1
With reference to wider critical reading and context compare how Hemingway in For Whom The
Bell Tolls and Shakespeare in King Lear explore morality
Hemingway and Shakespeare present morality as a tool to explore humanity’s potential for
corruption and its fated consequences. Both novels shed light upon the dangers of excessive greed
and egotism, from internal and external forces, skewing one’s moral conscience as Hemingway and
Shakespeare explore themes of power, inevitability and love. King Lear conveys morality through
the pursuit of power of individuals, warning the audience of such greed which can come at the cost
of virtue. Shakespeare demonstrates the consequences of immorality, considering the extent to
which inevitability plays a part, and the effects of manipulating the concept of love, confronting
those who must face the ramifications of their moral or immoral behaviour. The contemporary
belief of the Great Chain of Being serves as a basis for morality, which bears punishment if
challenged, as this was seen as challenging god’s Divine Order — perhaps Shakespeare’s attempt to
urge the audience to adhere to the natural order. For Whom the Bell Tolls explores the collective
nature of morality surrounding war, as the characters endure the consequences of the misuse of
power of high status decision-makers, who control the destinies of the soldiers, as Hemingway
portrays the horrors of the Spanish Civil War. Love perpetrates an uplifting essence amongst the
warfare, offering a glimmer of hope and a sense of moral conscience. The narrative of Robert
,Sofia Israel
Centre number: 10236
Component code: 9ET0/04
Candidate number: 2137
Page 2
Jordan, a guerrilla fighter for the Republicans, conveys an underlying opposition towards Fascism,
and perhaps Hemingway’s presentation of moral corruption veers towards Fascism and its
prominence in 20th century Europe.
Morality is central to both novels as Hemingway and Shakespeare explore the concept of power as
futile, and how this can corrupt one’s moral compass. For Whom the Bell Tolls delves into the
realities of war through the perplexing power struggle beyond the control of an individual, whilst
Shakespeare focuses on the dangers of individual desire for power and its aftermath. For Whom the
Bell Tolls evokes the brutal experiences of the Spanish Civil War of 1936, raising the question of
how war can be justified and to what extent the pursuit of power remains in the realms of moral
correctness. The psychological impact of war in For Whom the Bell Tolls encompasses the mind-
numbing sense of duty beyond all else, instilled by higher powers. ‘You are instruments to do your
duty’1, the political power struggle between the Fascists and Republicans is rife, and twists the
characters’ moral values into believing their purpose is purely a utilitarian one, hence ‘instruments’.
Shakespeare likewise explores this tragic idea; ‘Man’s life is as cheap as beast’s’2, portraying Lear’s
changed outlook on life as he is no longer blinded by illusory hierarchical status. The link of ‘man’
1Ernest Hemingway , For Whom the Bell Tolls (The Random House Group Limited: Arrow Books, 2004), p.
46.
2William Shakespeare , King Lear, ed. by R. A. Foakes , Arden Shakespeare edn (A & C Black Publishers
Ltd: Thomas Nelson, 1997), p. 255. Act 2, Scene 4
, Sofia Israel
Centre number: 10236
Component code: 9ET0/04
Candidate number: 2137
Page 3
and ‘beasts’ perhaps aligns all beings and reduces the seemingly superior human race to that of a
beast, as all beings end in death and decay, regardless of the transient status within life. Morality is
conveyed in a complex manner as ultimately, status in the hierarchy and actions during life are
diminished at death, portraying life and moral consequences as meaningless. This nihilistic attitude
is furthered by Hemingway, as death becomes a recurrence in his novel, perhaps implying the
normality of it within the unforgiving terrain of the Spanish Civil War; ‘Your nationality and your
politics did not show when you were dead’3. This undermines the false significance of social status
and political belief, conveying morality within life as seemingly unimportant, also insinuating a
tender idea that politics does not define a person, and we are all linked by our humanity. Furmanek
interlinks morality and duty, ‘both Fascist and Republican characters in the novel demonstrate an
ongoing contest between political allegiance and moral belief’4. The numbing essence of war
challenges Furmanek’s claim, as Hemingway’s characters seem completely detached from moral
ethics and indoctrinated by political allegiance, lacking any form of an ‘ongoing contest’; ‘the men
who ran were shot. There was nothing wrong about it. Their running was a selfishness.’5 This
outlook corrupts the value of human life, interfering with moral conscience, ‘there was nothing
wrong about it’ evokes an eerie insight into the psychological impact of war and perhaps
3Ernest Hemingway , For Whom the Bell Tolls (The Random House Group Limited: Arrow Books, 2004), p.
246.
4 Julia Furmanek, A Common Faith: Religious Faith and Political Fanaticism in “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
5Ernest Hemingway , For Whom the Bell Tolls (The Random House Group Limited: Arrow Books, 2004), p.
244.
