Benedict Arnold. There are few other names that have inspired such immediate and hostile reactions in the hearts of Americans. Even if you don't know the full history, he has become synonymous with villainy and betrayal. The once-heroic American general's 1780 treason has marked him ever since—at best as Judas and at worst as Satan. But what if this malevolent reputation was not so much earned by Arnold's singular actions, as it was a creation and manifestation of jealousy over his military successes and the “bitter animosities within the patriot party”? The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life contends that Arnold's infamy should be regarded as far from unique and rather a result of personal animosity originating from within the Continental Army and Congressional leadership. “The greater his fame,” author Joyce Lee Malcolm asserts, “the greater their determination to destroy his reputation.”
Malcolm seeks to understand Arnold and combat the “two-dimensional caricature” of his being “wicked, self-serving, and greedy.” She asks, despite others' questionable conduct and betrayals (such as Benjamin Church), why is it that “Arnold alone bears the mark of Cain”? Challenging the long-held myopic view, the book's subtitle “An American Life” hints at a central theme: that Arnold was no more flawed than many other American Patriots. Arnold's fate could have befallen any of the generation if faced with similar circumstances. Thus, the American Revolution emerges as a civil war—militarily, politically, and personally. In attempting to “reevaluate” Arnold (and to a lesser extent his wife Peggy Shippen Arnold), Malcolm seeks to uncover “why a man who had risked everything for the patriot cause took that desperate decision to turn against it.”
The Arnold saga is so gripping that an author's best course is to frame the events and let the narrative follow the arc of the turncoat general's life, with all of its inherent drama and character struggles. In this respect, The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold is a well-written and well-conceived biography that entertains, informs, and contextualizes the Revolution. Attempting to replicate Arnold's ascent for her readers, Malcolm's pre-treason treatment is masterful. The book builds up Arnold in a way that mirrors the meteoric rise of his reputation during his own life. Arnold's turn can't be truly shocking unless his status is undeniably cemented, even if begrudgingly.
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