Violence Quotes - Quotes, The Revolutionist | The Revolutionist- Summary, Themes & Characters - Novels PDF Download

In 1919 he was traveling on the railroads in Italy, carrying a square of oilcloth from the headquarters of the party written in indelible pencil and saying here was a comrade who had suffered very much under the Whites in Budapest. (1)

The violence referenced here is pretty vague. "Suffered very much." So what exactly happened? The fact is that the story never tells us. But the suggestion of extreme violence is enough to ignite our imagination of the conflict the comrade must have experienced in Budapest and the need for him to escape. Importantly, this information comes in the very first sentence of the story—which is to say that violence enters this narrative from the start.

Horthy's men had done some bad things to him. (2)

This is a reference to Miklós Horthy, who became regent of the Kingdom of Hungary after World War I. When the Hungarian Communists seized power in 1919, Horthy led the counterrevolutionary forces and banned the Hungarian Communist Party.

In spite of Hungary, he believed altogether in the world revolution. (3)

The comrade has seen some serious violence… and he's ready for more. Apparently the cause is worth it to him. Again the violence is understated—it hasn't even happened—but the comrade's hope for world revolution definitely suggests the possibility of further bloodshed.

The last I heard of him the Swiss had him in jail near Sion. (8)

Though we don't know what happens to get the comrade caught, being held captive is a violence in its own right, even if it doesn't actively hurt the body. And, of course, physical violence is always possible in a scenario like this as well.