Describe Robert’s experiences with women in The Sun Also Rises. Why was he devastated by his divorce? How has Frances affected his life? How has...

When the novel begins, Robert Cohn has had a very negative experience with women. Straight out university he “was married by the first girl who was nice to him” (Hemingway). The use of the passive voice in this sentence clearly demonstrates how little control Robert himself had over the situation: he did not marry the girl, but was married by the girl. Robert’s marriage was quite unhappy, and after four years his wife divorced him for another man -- which came as a terrible shock to him, because he himself wanted to divorce her, but had resisted the temptation because he thought it would be cruel to abandon her. This is the primary reason he is so devastated by the divorce -- not because he loved her or even because of their three children, but because she wounded his pride.

Robert continued to have poor luck with women, and he was soon “taken in hand by” Frances, a lady who only wants to exploit him for his position as editor of a magazine. She had no feelings for him and just used him for money, until after three years she realizes that she is starting to age and developed an “absolute determination that he should marry her”. She, in fact, was the one who made him move to Paris, even though he hates Paris, where he met Jake, the protagonist. Frances is shown from the start to be very possessive and controlling, to the point of getting angry and jealous if even Robert’s friends mention other girls in front of her.

Robert’s perspective changes when he gets a novel published, which results in several women fawning over him. His devotion to Frances wanes and he becomes, according to Jake, rather insufferably arrogant. It is in this frame of mind that he meets Lady Brett Ashley, with whom he cheats on Frances.

Robert’s background sets up his relationship with Brett in several ways. First of all, we see that he has a history of relationships with controlling women, so Brett definitely fits his pattern. Second of all, his recent success and arrogance explain why she is even remotely attracted to him, because Brett appears to be more drawn to strong and confident men than to men who are easily cowed: she would rather toy around with someone powerful than fall into a relationship with someone weak. Finally, his history with women clearly shows how important his pride is to him, which lays the groundwork for his fury and jealousy when Brett ends their affair.