Man's Hope

Man’s Hope is an epic novel about the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. During this bloody conflict, the Fascist elements of the Spanish military and the Catholic church, under the leadership of the Falangist dictator Francisco Franco, were supported vigorously by Benito Mussolini’s Italy and Adolf Hitler’s Germany and overthrew the leftist Republican government of Spain which was supported by the Soviet Union and by individual citizens of the Western European nations.

André Malraux was among many anti-Fascist Europeans who volunteered to fight for the Republicans, and he played a significant role as an organizer of the International Squadron of aircraft for the Republic. Man’s Hope is based on Malraux's experiences which he show more chronicled during the battles on the Republican side and and published while the war was still raging; it depicts the events of 1936-1937 as an adventure of the human spirit within a framework of historical, political, and philosophical ideas.

The novel is divided into three parts of which the first, “Careless Rapture”, begins with the optimistic and carefree mood of the Republican militia and their international volunteer comrades during the first summer of the Civil War. The second section of part 1, entitled “Prelude to Apocalypse,” concerns the mismanagement of the emotions of the Republican movement. This is followed by “The Manzanares” (the second part), with sections are entitled “Action and Reaction” and “Comrades’ Blood.” “The Manzanares” begins with the rout of the Republicans from Toledo in September, continues with the siege and bombing of the Republicans in Madrid (now a city in flames), and ends in December with the Republican counterattack. The final part of the novel was originally entitled “The Peasants,” but Malraux changed the title to “Hope” in his definitive 1947 revision—probably to underscore its importance for the work as a whole.

A significant theme of the novel concerns the nature of a revolution or popular uprising. From Malraux's perspective, a revolution comes into being under the impetus of a lyric burst of feeling, the best of which is found in freedom and fraternity. At this stage, Anarchism seems to fit well with the revolution. For a revolution to be sustained, however, these feelings have to be disciplined and organized; hence the need for a political machinery such as that of the Communist Party (which will, ironically, destroy the lyric impulses of revolution).

On a political level, then, Man’s Hope dramatizes the self-defining process of a revolution. As it does so, Malraux also explores the meaning of being human. When humanist intellectuals such as Scali are confronted with the brutalities of war and carefree individuals such as Manuel evolve into effective military leaders, they have to come to terms with the meaning of humanity—their own as well as others’. By means of symbolic epiphanies Malraux provides an assurance of hope in the endurance of fundamental humanity. Overall this book is a great sort of mess mirroring the morass of war. show less

Un acontecimiento cultural de fundamental importancia: la aparición en nuestra lengua de este libro que Malraux publicó en 1937 y cuya traducción al español se negó a autorizar mientras persistiera el régimen franquista.
André Malraux partió hacia España en 1936 y regresó a Francia un año después para describir las exigencias de la disciplina en medio de la lucha. "La esperanza, dice Jean Lacoutre, significa en la obra de Malraux el triunfo de la verdad objetiva sobre lo imaginario, y del "hacer" sobre el "ser". (...) Desde el punto de vista histórico y de la formación de la conciencia política de Malraux (de su conciencia, sin más) este libro múltiple, rico como la vida y desbordante de generosidad estética y humana, show more está concebido, centrado, organizado en torno a la historia de Manuel, el combatiente que sacrifica día a día a la revolución lo que considera más valioso como hombre. (...) Este libro inmenso y ardiente, tempestuoso y exacto, este libro que por su fuerza colma la ambición y abruma con su resplandor a quienes pretenden, mediante el reportaje, hacer que la verdad sea mas verdadera que el hecho, es un libro de combate." Louis Aragon saludó con estas palabras la aparición de La esperanza: "Un libro fundamental de nuestro tiempo, un libro en que nuestros ideales más elevados se confrontan con las realidades más urgentes... Expresa nuestro tiempo: ¿de qué otro libro se podría decir a tal punto lo mismo? La grandeza de Malraux no consiste en explicar la guerra de España, sino en hundirse en ella. Desde La condición humana se produjo un cambio fundamental en Malraux. El acontecimiento no le sirve de pretexto o de marco, sino de apertura. Malraux es realista en cuanto trasciende la realidad." show less

Man's hope .... I almost lost my hope with this one ... revolution, rebellion, revolt, counter this and that; unions, parties, syndicates; communists, anarchists, falangistas, recruits, mercenaries, volunteers ... confusing.

I did not find a story in the book but lots of little ones. They were, of course, tied together by the subject matter and the setting, but they still did not come together.

This was more an interesting book than a good book. I guess that is why I actually finished it. There is nothing wrong with the writing. Reading was easy but it was also easy to put the book away. There were exceptions: the fight over Madrid was more than just interesting, and some other shorter sections after that were gripping too.

This book has show more been first published in 1937. The narrative ends March 1937, (covering eight previous months), so it has been written in the middle of the fights it tells about, or at least very quickly after, while the war was still on. What strikes me is that the ending is hopeful, and knowing now what happened afterwards, that is nearly tragical, sorrowful at least. show less

Very good book about the Spanish Civil War - almost in the same class as Hemingway and Orwell. The only problem is the translation - bizarre usage of English slang and odd choices of words muddles most of the dialogue - it's a shame, as it is otherwise a fine book, with many excellent scenes and monologues about the nature of war.

Le pilote continuait son cercle, reprenait l'Alcazar à la tangente ; la bombe était tombée au milieu de la cour. Les obus, de l'Alcazar suivaient l'avion, qui repassa, lança la seconde grosse bombe, reparti s'approcha de nouveau. La main de nouveau dressée de Marcelino ne s'abaissa pas : dans la cour, des draps blancs venaient d'être étendus en toute hâte : l'Alcazar se rendait : Jaune et Pol boxaient de jubilation. Tout l'équipage trépignait dans la carlingue. Au ras des nuages apparut la chasse ennemie.

Reading List: Spanish Civil War by Foreigners

1. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
2. Pagan Spain by Richard Wright (post war)
3. For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
4. Days of Hope by Andre Malraux (skip this one)

Beter dan vorige werken van Malraux, door grotere homogeniteit en beter uitgeschreven actiescenes.Literair gehalte ligt hoger. Interessant als historisch document over de vroege burgeroorlog, vooral documentatie van de verdeeldheid bij links. Klassiek recept: mannen over dood, moed, broederlijkheid, eenzaamheid.
Al op 18 jaar eerste stukje gelezen, was toen erg onder de indruk.