The Red Badge of Courage is a
war novel by American author
Stephen Crane. Taking place during the
American Civil War, the story is about a young
private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound—a "red badge of courage"—to counteract his cowardice. When his regiment once again faces the enemy, Henry acts as
standard-bearer. Although Crane was born after the war, and had not at the time experienced battle firsthand, the novel is known for its
realism. He began writing what would become his second novel in 1893, using various contemporary and written accounts (such as those published previously by
Century Magazine) as inspiration. It is believed that he based the fictional battle on that of
Chancellorsville; he may also have interviewed veterans of the
124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Orange Blossoms. Initially shortened and serialized in newspapers in
December 1894, the novel was published in full in
October 1895. Several of the themes that the story explores are maturation, heroism, cowardice, and the indifference of nature. Adapted several times for the screen, the novel became a bestseller. It has never been out of print, and is now thought to be Crane's most important work and a major American text.
