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Maria
Pilar is the leader of the guerilla group, though her husband, Pablo, claims the same role; unlike Pablo, however, Pilar is strong, capable, and commanding, able to influence the other fighters and make informed decisions on behalf of the group. Steadfast and fiercely devoted to the Republican cause, Pilar represents the passion and strength of the Spanish left. While Maria symbolizes sex, love, and desire, Pilar is maternal, described as a coarse, unattractive, older woman who offers comfort and support to Maria and the other fighters: Hemingway’s depictions of both female characters often resort to clichés. Nonetheless, Pilar is a highly complicated character. Though determined to win by any means necessary—she even entertains the idea of murdering her own husband, who has become sullen and disobedient, wreaking havoc on the Republicans’ offensive efforts—she finds the violence and chaos of war abhorrent, and she struggles to maintain her own motivation to fight in the face of impending disaster. Though sometimes cruel and obstinate, Pilar is also powerful and intelligent. She claims to be able to predict the future, and indeed, she correctly predicts that Robert Jordan will die. However, Pilar is unable to see past political ideology and her aspirations for victory to understand that the Republicans’ cause is ill-fated.
Pilar / Pablo’s Wife Quotes in For Whom the Bell Tolls
The For Whom the Bell Tolls quotes below are all either spoken by Pilar / Pablo’s Wife or refer to Pilar / Pablo’s Wife. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
Robert Jordan […] saw also the wife of Pablo standing there and watched her blush proudly and soundly and healthily as the allegiances were given.
“I am for the Republic,” the woman of Pablo said happily. “And the Republic is the bridge.”
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Chapter 10
Quotes
“Do you ever go to Segovia?
“Que va. With this face? This is a face that is known. How would you like to be ugly, beautiful one?” [Pilar] said to Maria.
“Thou art not ugly.”
“Vamos, I’m not ugly. I was born ugly. All my life I have been ugly. You, Ingles, who know nothing about women. Do you know how an ugly woman feels? Do you know what it is to be ugly all your life and inside to feel that you are beautiful? It is very rare […] I would have made a good man, but I am all woman and all ugly. Yet many men have loved me and I have loved many men. It is curious.”
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Because the people of this town are as kind as they can be cruel and they have a natural sense of justice and a desire to do that which is right. But cruelty had entered into the lines and also drunkenness or the beginning of drunkenness and the lines were not as they were when Don Benito had come out. I do not know how it is in other countries, and no one cares more for the pleasure of drinking than I do, but in Spain drunkenness, when produced by other elements than wine, is a thing of great ugliness and the people do things that they would not have done.
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Chapter 43
Quotes
“There is no good-by, guapa, because we are not apart. That it should be good in the Gredos. Go now. Go good. Nay,” [Robert Jordan] spoke now still calmly and reasonably as Pilar walked the girl along. “Do not turn around. Put thy foot in. Yes. Thy foot in. Help her up,” he said to Pilar. “Get her in the saddle. Swing up now.” He turned his head, sweating, and looked down the slope, then back toward where the girl was in the saddle with Pilar by her and Pablo just behind. “Now go,” he said. “Go.”
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Pilar / Pablo’s Wife Quotes in For Whom the Bell Tolls
The For Whom the Bell Tolls quotes below are all either spoken by Pilar / Pablo’s Wife or refer to Pilar / Pablo’s Wife. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
Robert Jordan […] saw also the wife of Pablo standing there and watched her blush proudly and soundly and healthily as the allegiances were given.
“I am for the Republic,” the woman of Pablo said happily. “And the Republic is the bridge.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10
Quotes
“Do you ever go to Segovia?
“Que va. With this face? This is a face that is known. How would you like to be ugly, beautiful one?” [Pilar] said to Maria.
“Thou art not ugly.”
“Vamos, I’m not ugly. I was born ugly. All my life I have been ugly. You, Ingles, who know nothing about women. Do you know how an ugly woman feels? Do you know what it is to be ugly all your life and inside to feel that you are beautiful? It is very rare […] I would have made a good man, but I am all woman and all ugly. Yet many men have loved me and I have loved many men. It is curious.”
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Because the people of this town are as kind as they can be cruel and they have a natural sense of justice and a desire to do that which is right. But cruelty had entered into the lines and also drunkenness or the beginning of drunkenness and the lines were not as they were when Don Benito had come out. I do not know how it is in other countries, and no one cares more for the pleasure of drinking than I do, but in Spain drunkenness, when produced by other elements than wine, is a thing of great ugliness and the people do things that they would not have done.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 43
Quotes
“There is no good-by, guapa, because we are not apart. That it should be good in the Gredos. Go now. Go good. Nay,” [Robert Jordan] spoke now still calmly and reasonably as Pilar walked the girl along. “Do not turn around. Put thy foot in. Yes. Thy foot in. Help her up,” he said to Pilar. “Get her in the saddle. Swing up now.” He turned his head, sweating, and looked down the slope, then back toward where the girl was in the saddle with Pilar by her and Pablo just behind. “Now go,” he said. “Go.”
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