The Red Badge of Courage

A new edition of Stephen Crane's 1895 Civil War classic, The Red Badge of Courage. A war novel by American author Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage is set during the American Civil War and is centered on the experiences of a young Union Army private, Henry Fleming, who longs to be wounded -- to earn a "red badge of courage" -- to compensate for his feelings of cowardice. The Red Badge of Courage was a ground-breaking work in how it engaged with the inner psychological life of its protagonist, providing an unprecedented psychological portrayal of fear. The novel was also known for its distinctive style, with realistic battle sequences and repeated use of color imagery and symbolic motifs, juxtaposed against an ironic tone. Garnering widespread acclaim in its own day, The Red Badge of Courage has never been out of print and has been the subject of numerous screen adaptations and is considered to be one of the most important and enduring works of nineteenth century American literature. Stephen Crane (1871-1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation, several of his works are considered classics of the Realist literary tradition, as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism. Crane's first novel was the 1893 Bowery tale Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, generally considered by critics to be the first work of American literary Naturalism. He won international acclaim in 1895 for his Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, which he wrote despite having no battle experience. Crane is also known for his poetry, journalism, and short stories such as The Open Boat, The Blue Hotel, The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky, and The Monster. Crane died in 1900 from tuberculosis at the age of 28. Though short-lived, Crane is considered to be among the most important and influential American novelists of his era, his writing having made a deep impression on numerous prominent 20th-century writers, including Ernest Hemingway, and the Modernist and Imagist literary movements.