The Cowards: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Cowards: Analysis of Major Characters" focuses on the complex interplay of personal desires and broader socio-political contexts during the final days of the Nazi occupation in Czechoslovakia. Central to the narrative is Danny Smiricky, an eighteen-year-old jazz saxophonist who grapples with his youthful aspirations and infatuations amid the chaos of war. His longing for the unattainable Irena, who is infatuated with another, highlights the theme of unrequited love and adolescent yearning. Danny's journey intertwines with the local partisan resistance, symbolized by his involvement with the fearless Prema, who leads their efforts against the retreating Nazis.
Other characters, such as Benno, who has faced persecution due to his Jewish heritage, and Dr. Sabata, who navigates the shifting political landscape with ease, further enrich the narrative. The dynamics among the characters reflect a broader commentary on courage, cowardice, and adaptability in the face of tumultuous change. As the story progresses, Danny channels his mixed feelings of regret and hope into his music, emphasizing the personal transformations that occur in times of crisis. This character-driven analysis provides insight into the emotional landscapes of youth navigating their identities against the backdrop of historical upheaval.
The Cowards: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Josef Škvorecký
First published: Zbablci, 1958 (English translation, 1970)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Kostelec, Czechoslovakia
Plot: Social realism
Time: 1945
Danny Smiricky (SMIH-rzhihts-kee), an eighteen-year-old jazz saxophone player in a provincial town in Czechoslovakia. As the narrator of the novel, Danny reveals that he is less concerned with the major political upheavals occurring around him during the final days of the Nazi occupation in his town in May, 1945, than with his own personal future. Infatuated with a girl named Irena, Danny fantasizes about the kinds of heroic deeds he could perform to win her heart. Arrested for a cavalier act of defiance in the face of the Nazi forces, Danny is saved from serious reprisal by Dr. Sabata, a friend of his father and an important figure in the town. Danny joins a group of young partisans, in part out of a simple desire to take possession of a gun, but the partisan unit is pressed into service as part of a newly founded local militia. Danny becomes caught up in a fleeting battle with the retreating Nazis. He then spends the day consoling Irena, who is distracted by a lack of news concerning her lover, Zdenek. Frustrated once again, Danny joins his jazz band to take part in a celebration in honor of the Soviet army, which has entered the town to replace the Germans. As the novel closes, Danny pours into his music his mingled feelings of regret over the passing of his youth and his hope for new joy with some as-yet-unknown girl in the future.
Irena, Danny's would-be girlfriend. Although flattered by Danny's attention, Irena has her heart set on the mountain-climber Zdenek. She serves mainly as the foil for Danny's adolescent longings and desires.
Prema (PREH-mah), the fearless leader of the band of partisan rebels that Danny joins. He and Danny set up a machine gun and stop a file of German soldiers maneuvering with a tank on the outskirts of town.
Benno, a member of Danny's band who spent time in a concentration camp because he is of Jewish ancestry. During a brief battle with the retreating Germans, he flees in an ignominious yet comical fashion into the woods.
Bertie Moutelik (MEW-teh-lihk), a young photographer who industriously takes pictures of the local political and military authorities. He takes a picture of Danny proudly displaying a submachine gun.
Dr. Sabata, a local official who has managed to get along smoothly with the occupying Germans yet is ready to greet the newly arrived Soviet forces with equal zeal.
Dr. Bohadlo, the ineffectual leader of Danny's military patrol.
Mrs. Heiserova, the wife of the general director of a textile mill. When Danny asks her to provide temporary housing for some newly released prisoners of war, she initially balks, until she learns that the men are English, not Russian.
Mitzi, a maid who serves as the object of one of Danny's unsuccessful flirtations.
Haryk, one of the members of Danny's band.
Lucie, Haryk's girlfriend, with whom Danny flirts in his ceaseless quest to secure romantic attention.