Exploring the Style of Men at Arms

Men at Arms triumphs by skillfully weaving together the diverse narrative techniques that Waugh first showcased in Decline and Fall (1928) and Brideshead Revisited. The novel brims with moments of both intense humor and gravity, yet these elements are seamlessly interwoven into the tapestry of the plot, rather than being sharply delineated by abrupt shifts in tone and style.

Gone are the extravagant sentimentality and lush prose of Brideshead Revisited; likewise, the exuberant humor of Decline and Fall is tempered into a more believable, grounded form. Men at Arms stands as the pinnacle of Waugh's quest for a narrative voice capable of encompassing the full spectrum of human experience. It vividly illustrates why even those critics who take issue with his religious and social ideologies often find themselves compelled to acknowledge his exquisite command of literary craftsmanship.

The reverberations of World War II across English society serve as both the backdrop and the focal point of Men at Arms, painting a vivid picture of a nation in flux. The novel unfolds against a backdrop of ceaseless movement, where city dwellers escape to rural havens, coastal inhabitants retreat inland, and soldiers traverse from training grounds to potential war zones. Amidst this tapestry of shifting scenes, where utter chaos alternates with long stretches of tense inactivity, it is only natural for the characters to ponder the ultimate fallout of such upheaval. While the specifics of the future remain elusive, there is a shared belief in a profound democratization, as every corner of society is drawn into the high-stakes conflict between nations.

These vast changes crystallize more distinctly in Men at Arms's focus on the military environment, where age-old traditions of an entrenched social order face an influx of raw, sometimes unassimilable, recruits. Waugh perceives this as an evolving process, with military customs impacting the newcomers just as the recruits reshape military tradition. He presents this with an even-handed perspective: though some departures from tradition may be lamentable, others signify pragmatic enhancements over outdated customs. His principal aim is to craft a meticulous portrayal of military life, viewed as a small-scale reflection of the sweeping transformations sweeping through society, as Men at Arms illustrates a nation at peace confronting the challenges of contemporary warfare.

Men at Arms along with the Sword of Honour trilogy, the inaugural installment of the series, draws intriguing parallels to Ford Maddox Ford's masterful tetralogy, Parade's End—a sequence comprising Some Do Not (1924), No More Parades (1925), A Man Could Stand Up (1926), and The Last Post (1928). Both narratives explore the tumultuous journey of an English gentleman entrenched in the traditional values of his class as he grapples with the ravages of war and its profound social reverberations.

The stories are intricately crafted with a stark, unidealized realism that powerfully conveys their themes in literary form. Guy Crouchback's intertwining of Catholic dilemmas with the broader narrative artfully echoes the groundbreaking work of Graham Greene, who made such topics compelling to the wider audience. Nonetheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that both Ford and Greene served as general muses rather than direct blueprints for Waugh's exceptional creation in Men at Arms and its inspiring trilogy.

Officers and Gentlemen (1955) and Unconditional Surrender (1961) continue the saga begun in Men at Arms, guiding the protagonist, Guy Crouchback, through the tumultuous latter years of World War II. In Officers and Gentlemen, Guy leaves behind the familiarity of the Halberdiers and ventures into the daring world of the Commandos, a journey that climaxes with the heartbreaking defeat at Crete.

The narrative of Unconditional Surrender places Guy on a perilous expedition to the heart of Communist Yugoslavia. Amidst the chaos, he finds reconciliation with his former wife, a reunion tragically cut short by her death in an air raid. The story concludes in a 1951 epilogue, painting the picture of Guy as a contented father, newly remarried and at peace with both his inner self and his place in society. These sequels, if possible, surpass the eloquence and depth of Men at Arms, and together, the Sword of Honour trilogy stands as a masterful depiction of the English wartime experience, considered by many to be unmatched in its portrayal.