Page:On Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk.pdf/1



Introductions to the best known Czech novel, The Good Soldier Švejk, typically begin with a tribute to the life of its author, Jaroslav Hašek (1883–1923), not least of all because that life was so extraordinarily dissolute, adventurous, amusing, and sad. I will, however, resist the temptation to review what has already been gone over so frequently and simply urge those interested to consult one of the many sites on the internet which pay tribute to this internationally famous author and humorist (in his life and art). One such link is available here: Hašek (if you know nothing about the man or the astonishing popularity of the book, a visit to this site is well worthwhile, and the following link is a very interesting review of the continuing international appeal of the book: Švejk.

My central concern here is to explore the novel itself in order to promote a more informed discussion of what Hašek is up to in detailing the adventures of the most famous fictional soldier in the Austrian army in World War I. What can we point to in order to explain the astonishing and lasting success of this book?

SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS: THE PICARESQUE NOVEL

The Good Soldier Švejk is in many ways a very traditional work, written as picaresque novel, a story which tells the adventures of (usually) a low-born rogue (picaro is the Spanish for rascal) who uses his native wit to survive a series of adventures. The plot is commonly structured in a linear sequence of incidents which confronts the hero (and