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A Farewell to Arms · Chapter

XXXVII explained

Frederic and Catherine successfully row across Lake Maggiore to Switzerland, landing at Brissago.

What happens

Frederic and Catherine successfully row across Lake Maggiore to Switzerland, landing at Brissago. They have breakfast in a café, are briefly arrested by Swiss customs, questioned by a lieutenant, and sent to Locarno where they receive provisional visas. They decide to go to Montreux for winter sports and check into the Hotel Metropole, exhausted but relieved.

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the emotional and psychological peak of Frederic’s…

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Themes in this chapter

  • Escape and Retreat

    Frederic and Catherine's successful escape from the war-torn Italian front to neutral Switzerland represents a literal and symbolic retreat from violence and disillusionment.

  • Love and Loss

    Their shared joy and relief upon reaching Switzerland highlight the strength of their bond, set against the backdrop of war's losses.

Characters to notice

  • Frederic Henry

    Rowing the boat to Switzerland, negotiating with Swiss officials, and feeling exhausted but relieved upon arrival.

  • Catherine Barkley

    Rowing with Frederic, excitedly stepping into Switzerland, and helping with the cover story about art and winter sports.

Key passages

  • “I am a sportsman. Rowing is my great sport. I always row when I get a chance.”

    Frederic claims he is an avid rower who rows for sport.

    Frederic's cover story to the Swiss lieutenant to explain their arrival by boat.

  • “Rubens. Large and fat. Titian. Titian-haired. How about Mantegna? Don’t ask hard ones. I know him though—very bitter. Lots of nail holes.”

    Catherine and Frederic joke about art, referencing painters Rubens, Titian, and Mantegna.

    Their playful banter to maintain the pretense that Catherine studied art.

  • “What a lovely country. Isn’t it grand? I love the way it feels under my shoes.”

    Catherine expresses her delight at being in Switzerland, feeling the ground beneath her feet.

    Catherine's emotional reaction to their safe arrival in neutral Switzerland.

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