Stephen Crane’s novel The Red Badge of Courage was published in 1895. It is about the American Civil War. Henry Fleming or the “young soldiers” in the story fights for the Union Army. He only seems to want to fight in order to become a hero of war, and not for his beliefs. Henry is curious in the beginning and fights bravely against the Confederate soldiers. Henry fled when the Confederate attack again after the first fight.
The soldiers march on without any battle action. The first battle is fought in chapter 3. One morning, the tall soldier awakens Henry and together they march to battle. Henry thinks twice and even considers fleeing. Henry would’ve fled from this battle as soon as possible. Henry discovers, during his first combat, that “he’d never wanted war to begin with” (Crane). Henry cannot escape when he realizes that he will be unable to leave the regiment. It contained him” (32). Henry’s desire to escape is evident in this image, but he was unable to do so.
Henry does not give up in the first fight, despite internal struggles to flee. The horrors of warfare and Henry’s will to battle are revealed in this first battle. Henry flees immediately after the second fight. As he watches his enemy’s army approaching, he becomes panicked. “He begins to exaggerate their endurance, their skill, and their valor” (54). His panic becomes worse and he begins to think about fleeing. Henry is “running like a sighted man” when his fear overcomes him. Henry hides himself until his General announces that the fighting has ceased. They hide until it seems that the worst of battle is over.
Henry’s conflicted behavior is evident when he engages in battle in one battle, and then flees from the other. He no longer faces an internal struggle over his desire to fight. He faces the chance to run. Henry fought only in the initial battle because he thought he had no choice. Henry only realizes that he doesn’t want war when he fights the first battle. Henry runs away almost instantly when the enemy attacks. Henry is aware that he does not want to go to war, but he appears too proud to run away. Henry is less embarrassed to flee the battle after the second one, as the general had also fled. Henry is less ashamed of his actions because he has seen others do it. He’s not weak and does not think it’s bad that he fled because other people in his regiment did the same.
Henry’s struggle is one that will be repeated throughout the entire novel. Henry seems to want to run away, but only when he can. The reader learns that the young soldiers isn’t nearly as brave as they thought.
