The Red Badge of Courage
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The Red Badge of Courage is an 1895 war novel by American author Stephen Crane. Set during the U.S. Civil War, it is a story of cowardice, valour and redemption. The protagonist is 19-year-old Army recruit Henry Fleming, who overcomes initial fears to become a hero on the battlefield. It is a highly influential piece of American literature and is also considered a strong anti-war novel. The book was a massive critical and commercial success, running through two printings in its first year[1] and receiving high praise for its realism. English critic Sydney Brooks remarked that the novel's realism "its realism is nothing short of a miracle."[2] and the Philadelphia Press called the novel "brilliant."[3]