A Farewell to Arms characters

Appears from the start

An American serving as a lieutenant in the Italian ambulance corps during the First World War. He narrates with emotional restraint and begins the novel more attached to comradeship and routine than to any patriotic cause.

First appears in chapter 2

An Italian army surgeon and Frederic's close friend. Sociable, teasing, and confident, he shares Frederic's officers' mess and encourages him to meet the British nurses stationed nearby.

First appears in chapter 2

A young military chaplain attached to Frederic's unit. The other officers bait him for his faith and provincial manners, while Frederic treats him with sympathy and listens to his hopes for a peaceful visit to Abruzzi.

First appears in chapter 4

An English volunteer nurse serving at a British hospital near the Italian front. Still grieving a fiancé killed in France, she is striking, direct, and wary of treating courtship as a casual game when Frederic first visits her.

First appears in chapter 4

A Scottish nurse and Catherine Barkley's friend. Practical and protective, she quickly recognizes Frederic's interest in Catherine and watches him with skepticism.

First appears in chapter 13

An American nurse at the Milan hospital where Frederic is treated. Friendly and informal with him, she helps make his long recovery more bearable.

First appears in chapter 13

The superintendent of the American hospital in Milan. She insists on discipline and disapproves of Frederic's drinking, viewing him as a difficult patient rather than accepting his excuses.

First appears in chapter 27

One of the ambulance drivers assigned to Frederic during the retreat from the Isonzo. He is capable, steady, and stays with the group as the roads clog and military order breaks down.

First appears in chapter 27

An ambulance driver in Frederic's retreating party. A socialist who speaks bluntly about the war, he helps the group search for a route around the blocked main road.

First appears in chapter 27

A quiet, dependable ambulance driver traveling under Frederic's command during the Italian retreat. He remains with the vehicles through worsening rain, confusion, and danger.

First appears in chapter 35

An elderly aristocrat whom Frederic meets again at Stresa. Courtly, perceptive, and fond of billiards, he speaks candidly about age, courage, and the likely course of the war.