In Louis de Bernières’ Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, war most significantly shows its’ importance as a central part of the book in; the physical effect it has on the people of Cephallonia, the emotion of hatred which it evokes from them, the emotional lives it destroys, the threatening and consequential protection of goodness, and the war carried out by the book itself on stereotypes.
War has its effects shown firstly through the physical war (WWII). The physical war is central to Captain Corelli’s Mandolin because it is as a result of the war that many of the major characters come in and out of the life of the central character, and thus create a chain of events which develop into complications and create the book’s plot. The war is threaded through the very essence of the book, creating a historical back-drop to the themes of the story, as it is a consistent factor in the events of Pelagia’s life, being the ongoing political issue of the time. Consequently, this centres the theme of war within the text as a creator of interesting events and a provider of material sufficiently entertaining and complex to engage a reader.
War has its effects shown secondly through hatred. Hatred is a central idea and issue within Captain Corelli’s Mandolin because it is the driving force behind the outlook on the physical war in Cephallonia. It is what designates how the physical war is seen, and how people behave towards this war. This makes hatred important because it is intertwined with much of what happens in Cephallonia, as it dictates people’s behaviour towards one another, as they give in to their hatred for the opposing forces, or give up petty rivalries amongst neighbours to stand together in hatred of their opponents. This is markedly important in Cephallonia as the inhabitants of Cephallonia’s close proximity to the occupying Italian troops give rise to numerable encounters between opposing forces, encounters which in turn lead to decisions of great import which in eventuality impact on Pelagia (such as Iannis’ decision to help her forget Mandras, and to accept Corelli – begrudgingly - into their home) and which are made on a basis of hatred. In this way, hatred is central to the text as it creates the foundation by which many interactions are made and many problems dealt with within Pelagia’s small world.
Hatred is also markedly important as a basis for the characters themselves, and the reader’s perception of them. This is due to the way in which it breaks down a character until they are their smallest form, and their truest self. So as hatred strips down a person, it in this way seemingly adds layers of complexity to them, as we see them completing unthinking acts of the kind which we thought them incapable of, such as Pelagia’s immersion in the water of Captain Corelli’s pistol, regardless of what she feels for him but merely due to her hatred of the Italian army as a group. So hatred proves a character builder as it not only brings out some of the hidden parts of characters, but lets us see them at their worst, driven there by hatred.
The third effect of war is that of the emotional destroying and corrupting of lives. This is central to the plot of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin as it is what disrupts many of the characters emotional journeys throughout the book, and what helps us to see into the hearts of the characters, as it leaves them raw from exposure, and creates levels of sadness which ensures a reader’s empathy for the character. This is shown when Mandras’ whole world is destroyed when he discovers that Pelagia does not love him as she used to, and the reader recalls that when Mandras first saw Pelagia, that was when “[he] became aware of [his] destiny,” (p. 25), and that his love for her had led him to his emotional ruin. In this way the emotional destroying of lives is what evokes much emotion from a reader, as they feel for the characters in their distress.
Fourthly, the war shows its effect through the protecting of threatened goodness. This is central to the book’s plot as it creates a sufficient sub-plot to the story, through the characters symbolic struggle to keep and protect that which is dear to them, from mandolins to people. This is an integral part of the book, as it humanises some of the untouchable characters, showing their hopes and dreams, and enabling us to be taken on their journey and hope for the protection of what they hold dear. For Pelagia and Corelli, this is shown in their testimony to, “After the war,” (p. 367), and all their hopes for that time, which they guard together and which creates the foundations for their relationship which is in essence the main plot of the book.
Lastly, the war is shown in the book by the author’s apparent war on stereotypes throughout the story. This makes up a central part of the book as it is the basis for many of the character’s personalities, as they are designed to challenge stereotypes, and prove that actions do not dictate how a character is perceived. This is clear through de Bernières clear stating of Weber as “The Good Nazi,” (p. 238), through the chapter titles, which in itself is a contradiction of stereotypes, but which was taken further within the chapter, as the reader manages to empathise with Weber and his sorrows when his life is destroyed, despite his misdeeds throughout the book, proving that character’s cannot only be judged by their actions. This is central as it dictates how the characters are perceived by the reader, in its way of making it so that this very thing (the perceiving of characters) cannot be dictated.
Louis de Bernières has shown the bare reality of war within his text, through his characters journeys and actions, clearly showing that he is opposed to war, and views it as a harsh extravagance which adversely affects the lives of everyone it touches, both emotionally and physically. He as utilised his characters as a way to combat stereotypes, showing that he believes stereotypes to be an unrealistic and unworkable structure for his – or anyone’s - characters to be formed on.
War has its effects shown firstly through the physical war (WWII). The physical war is central to Captain Corelli’s Mandolin because it is as a result of the war that many of the major characters come in and out of the life of the central character, and thus create a chain of events which develop into complications and create the book’s plot. The war is threaded through the very essence of the book, creating a historical back-drop to the themes of the story, as it is a consistent factor in the events of Pelagia’s life, being the ongoing political issue of the time. Consequently, this centres the theme of war within the text as a creator of interesting events and a provider of material sufficiently entertaining and complex to engage a reader.
War has its effects shown secondly through hatred. Hatred is a central idea and issue within Captain Corelli’s Mandolin because it is the driving force behind the outlook on the physical war in Cephallonia. It is what designates how the physical war is seen, and how people behave towards this war. This makes hatred important because it is intertwined with much of what happens in Cephallonia, as it dictates people’s behaviour towards one another, as they give in to their hatred for the opposing forces, or give up petty rivalries amongst neighbours to stand together in hatred of their opponents. This is markedly important in Cephallonia as the inhabitants of Cephallonia’s close proximity to the occupying Italian troops give rise to numerable encounters between opposing forces, encounters which in turn lead to decisions of great import which in eventuality impact on Pelagia (such as Iannis’ decision to help her forget Mandras, and to accept Corelli – begrudgingly - into their home) and which are made on a basis of hatred. In this way, hatred is central to the text as it creates the foundation by which many interactions are made and many problems dealt with within Pelagia’s small world.
Hatred is also markedly important as a basis for the characters themselves, and the reader’s perception of them. This is due to the way in which it breaks down a character until they are their smallest form, and their truest self. So as hatred strips down a person, it in this way seemingly adds layers of complexity to them, as we see them completing unthinking acts of the kind which we thought them incapable of, such as Pelagia’s immersion in the water of Captain Corelli’s pistol, regardless of what she feels for him but merely due to her hatred of the Italian army as a group. So hatred proves a character builder as it not only brings out some of the hidden parts of characters, but lets us see them at their worst, driven there by hatred.
The third effect of war is that of the emotional destroying and corrupting of lives. This is central to the plot of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin as it is what disrupts many of the characters emotional journeys throughout the book, and what helps us to see into the hearts of the characters, as it leaves them raw from exposure, and creates levels of sadness which ensures a reader’s empathy for the character. This is shown when Mandras’ whole world is destroyed when he discovers that Pelagia does not love him as she used to, and the reader recalls that when Mandras first saw Pelagia, that was when “[he] became aware of [his] destiny,” (p. 25), and that his love for her had led him to his emotional ruin. In this way the emotional destroying of lives is what evokes much emotion from a reader, as they feel for the characters in their distress.
Fourthly, the war shows its effect through the protecting of threatened goodness. This is central to the book’s plot as it creates a sufficient sub-plot to the story, through the characters symbolic struggle to keep and protect that which is dear to them, from mandolins to people. This is an integral part of the book, as it humanises some of the untouchable characters, showing their hopes and dreams, and enabling us to be taken on their journey and hope for the protection of what they hold dear. For Pelagia and Corelli, this is shown in their testimony to, “After the war,” (p. 367), and all their hopes for that time, which they guard together and which creates the foundations for their relationship which is in essence the main plot of the book.
Lastly, the war is shown in the book by the author’s apparent war on stereotypes throughout the story. This makes up a central part of the book as it is the basis for many of the character’s personalities, as they are designed to challenge stereotypes, and prove that actions do not dictate how a character is perceived. This is clear through de Bernières clear stating of Weber as “The Good Nazi,” (p. 238), through the chapter titles, which in itself is a contradiction of stereotypes, but which was taken further within the chapter, as the reader manages to empathise with Weber and his sorrows when his life is destroyed, despite his misdeeds throughout the book, proving that character’s cannot only be judged by their actions. This is central as it dictates how the characters are perceived by the reader, in its way of making it so that this very thing (the perceiving of characters) cannot be dictated.
Louis de Bernières has shown the bare reality of war within his text, through his characters journeys and actions, clearly showing that he is opposed to war, and views it as a harsh extravagance which adversely affects the lives of everyone it touches, both emotionally and physically. He as utilised his characters as a way to combat stereotypes, showing that he believes stereotypes to be an unrealistic and unworkable structure for his – or anyone’s - characters to be formed on.
