“An Episode of War,” which is quite short, is an unexpected
Stephen Crane jewel. Crane is best known for three short stories, “The Open Boat,”
thought by many to be the best short story ever written, “The Blue Hotel,” and “The
Bride Comes to Yellow Sky.”
“An Episode of War” is perhaps the best known of the other
ten Crane stories Simply recorded. It deserves to be right up there with the
top three. As Simply says, this is not an NFL Power ranking, or a compare and
contrast assignment. This is your opportunity to enjoy many of Crane’s other
illuminating and moving works. “An Episode of War” captures the randomness,
futility, and danger of wartime as the Lieutenant is wounded while dividing up
coffee for his men. A long distant random shot wings his arm. He seeks out help
and is given the wrong kind by a well-intentioned stranger. The gruff doctor
promises to take care of it without amputation, but amputation is performed.
The Lieutenant is greeted at home by family and friends and says, “Oh I don’t
suppose it matters so much as all that.” The Lieutenant has seen so many die,
be traumatized, and having worse injuries, that he views his own as a lesser
event. He got home alive; many did not. Another remarkable and
under-appreciated work by Mr. Crane.
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