The Good Soldier Švejk

Napoléon Bonaparte
*15.8.1769 Ajaccio - †5.5.1821 St.Helena
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Napoléon Bonaparte was emperor of France under the name Napoleon I from 18 May 1804 to 6 April 1814. He conquered and ruled over most of western and central Europe and for a couple of years also held power in Egypt. A failed campaign in Russia weakened his position, and laid the foundations for his final defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

Few people in history has become more famous and researched on than Napoléon. His historical importance is still being debated. In France, he is regarded by many as a national hero. He is first and foremost considered a capable commander and military strategist, a second view of him underlines his skills as a politician and social reformer. Others view him primarily as a despot and tyrant.

Context

Napoléon Bonaparte has the honour of being the first to be mentioned in the novel, where he is known as Napoleon. He also mentioned in chapter 1, and appears several times later, including when Švejk talks about him when the train stops before Tábor in book 2, chapter 1.

Quote from the novel

Velká doba žádá velké lidi. Jsou nepoznaní hrdinové, skromní, bez slávy a historie Napoleona. Rozbor jejich povahy zastínil by slávu Alexandra Macedonského. Dnes můžete potkat v pražských ulicích ošumělého muže, který sám ani neví, co vlastně znamená v historii nové velké doby. ... more

Alexander the Great
*20.6.356 BC Pella - †10.6.323 BC Babylon
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Alexander the Great was king of Macedonia. The Greek city states had already been united by his father, Filip II of Macedonia. Alexander conquered Persia, Egypt and a number of other kingdoms and reached northern India. The conquests led to a rapid spread of Greek culture to several continents. Thus he played a major part in the future extending of Greek culture and language.

Context

Alexander the Great is known as one that Švejk exceeds the reputation of. He appears several times later in the novel, including in the author's reflections about the officer servant class.

Quote from the novel

Velká doba žádá velké lidi. Jsou nepoznaní hrdinové, skromní, bez slávy a historie Napoleona. Rozbor jejich povahy zastínil by slávu Alexandra Macedonského. Dnes můžete potkat v pražských ulicích ošumělého muže, který sám ani neví, co vlastně znamená v historii nové velké doby. ... more

Also written:Alexandr Macedonský Hašek Alexandr Veliký cz Alexander der Große de Mégas Aléxandros gr

Josef Švejk

Context

Josef Švejk is mentioned in the first paragraph of the introduction and he is obviously the main character of the novel. He was a dog trader from Prague, who lived by selling bastards animals that he falsified the pedigrees of. Švejk was unmarried and spent a lot of time in the pubs of Prague. He lived in the district of Nové Město not far from where the metro station IP Pavlova is today. His exact domestic address is not known. Švejk was very good at talking, but his mental horizon is still under debate. It is known that he was dismissed from the army because of idiocy but it is seemingly unclear whether this was feigned or not. He certainly had a good memory and had read a lot, which indicates that his limited mental abilities may have been something he put on. In the epilogue to Book One, the author explicitely states that he never meant Švejk to be feeble-minded so that issue is clear. Politically, he was the apparently not very active, only brief passages reveal that he was against Austria and the Catholic church, even though he mostly said exactly the opposite. Švejk is occacionally both deceitful and a thief, but in other cases he shows his moral substance, which is particulalrly clear from Book Two onwards. He can at times appear detached and cynical. Švejk came through the war unhurt but what happened at the front is unknown as the novel was never completed. His first name Josef is first used in his confession at the police headquarters in the second chapter. In the course of the novel the main character is mentioned more than 2000 times in a novel of slightly more than 200,000 words.

Quote from the novel

Velká doba žádá velké lidi. Jsou nepoznaní hrdinové, skromní, bez slávy a historie Napoleona. Rozbor jejich povahy zastínil by slávu Alexandra Macedonského. Dnes můžete potkat v pražských ulicích ošumělého muže, který sám ani neví, co vlastně znamená v historii nové velké doby. Jde skromně svou cestou, neobtěžuje nikoho, a není též obtěžován žurnalisty, kteří by ho prosili o interview. Kdybyste se ho otázali, jak se jmenuje, odpověděl by vám prostince a skromně: „Já jsem Švejk…“ ... more

Herostratus
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Herostratus (also called Herostrates) set fire to the Artemis-temple in Ephesus in 356 BC in order to become known, cf Herostratic fame. He was executed the same year.

Context

Herostratus is ridiculed as being excactly the opposite of the unuassuming here of this novel. Herostratus is described as the fool who set fire to the temple in Ephesus in order to get in the newspapers and text books.

Quote from the novel

Mám velice rád tohoto dobrého vojáka Švejka, a podávaje jeho osudy za světové války, jsem přesvědčen, že vy všichni budete sympatizovat s tím skromným, nepoznaným hrdinou. On nezapálil chrám bohyně v Efesu, jako to udělal ten hlupák Herostrates, aby se dostal do novin a školních čítanek. ... more

Also written:Herostrates Hašek Herostratos cz