| Reading Strategy
1. First Read: Grasp the Plot & Themes
2. Second Read: Character & Dialogue Analysis
3. Focus on Literary Devices & Style
4. Take Notes & Summarize Each Scene
5. Watch a Recorded Performance
6. Practice MCQs
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| About the Author: George Bernard Shaw |
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| The Text |
| Ø The play was first produced on 21 April 1894 at the Avenue Theatre and published in 1898 as part of Shaw’s Plays Pleasant volume.
Ø Final text published in 1970 ed. by Dan H. Lawrence. Ø Mock-Ruritanian play: Ruritania is a fictional country in central Europe Ø The dramatic device of the coat as a means of linking and developing scenes is derived from Eugène Scribe’s play Bataille de Dames. Ø “It is probably the wittiest play he ever wrote, the most flawless technically, and in spite of being a very light comedy, the most telling.” George Orwell Ø The play takes place during the 1885 Serbo-Bulgarian War. Ø Shaw’s first box-office success was Arms and the Man (1894) Ø Title of the drama ‘Arms and the Man’. Bernard Shaw borrowed the title from the opening line of Virgil’s great epic Aeneid, which reads as follows: “Arma virumque cano”, meaning “Of arms and the man I sing”. Intention: Shaw’s obvious purpose was to satirise and puncture the inflated balloons—the romantic ideas about war and love. Ø What is “drama of ideas”? Would you classify ‘Arms and the Man’ as a drama of ideas? Or, Is ‘Arms and the Man’ a problem play? A drama of ideas or a problem play concerns itself with the problems of life—the maladies of society. The dramatist presents those vividly before the audience/readers with a view to bringing about radical changes in the real situation. Arms and the Man can definitely be classified as a drama of ideas, as it explores the undesirable presentation of the romantic notions of love and war. It can also be considered a Problem Play, as it addresses some fundamental issues in the culture. The play is also a radical propaganda against the romantic concept of war glorified in the capitalist system. Ø Why is Arms and the Man a Ruritarian play? Anthony Hope, an English novelist, penned the well-known tale “The Prisoner of Zenda” (1894), which depicts an imaginary country called Ruritania in Southeastern Europe. As a result, the term “Ruritanian” is associated with romantic adventure and its distinctive setting. Since G.B. Shaw’s Arms and the Man unfolds against a romantic Bulgarian backdrop, depicting traditional notions of love and war before the pragmatic Bluntschli ultimately dismantles them, the play is classified as a Ruritanian drama. Ø Do you consider Bluntschli a Shavian hero/an anti-hero/a numeric hero/an anti-romantic hero? Bernard Shaw deliberately created Bluntschli as an anti-hero or unheroic hero, who exposes the false romantic ideas of love and war. He brings all the characters back to the practical problems of life. He demonstrates that he is truly heroic in the sense that happiness can be found in performing the basic activities of daily life. He is radically rational and logical in his actions and views about life. His character, being commonsensical, is partly based on that of Sidney Webb, the leader of the Fabian Society. Ø Character of Sergius: a foil to Bluntschli/a Byronic hero/a romantic fool/a romantic idiot. G. B. Shaw created Saranoff Sergius as a romantic type made famous by the craze of Byronism in Europe, as a foil to Bluntschli in an apparent attempt to expose the hollowness of the conception of love and war, which the character of the former falsely believes to live by. Shaw shows that, in reality, Sergius is a romantic fool, a coward, full of contradictions. In spite of his higher love for Raina, he flirts with a maid-servant, Louka. In practical affairs, he fails utterly. Ø “He did it like an operatic tenor” – Explain the comment. While describing Sergius’ cavalry charge to Raina, Bluntschli ridicules the act, likening it to the foolishness of Don Quixote, the protagonist of Cervantes’ Spanish novel, who mistakenly attacked a windmill, believing it to be a giant. Just as an operatic tenor sings louder than others, Sergius led his troops with theatrical flair, embodying the image of an ideal hero with his neatly groomed mustache and striking eyes. Bluntschli’s remark underscores Shaw’s critique of exaggerated romanticism in war. Ø “Soldering … is a coward’s art” The quoted comment is spoken by Sergius to Catherine Petkoff, reflecting his deep frustration with modern warfare. Through this remark, Sergius justifies his decision to resign, expressing disillusionment after failing to receive a promotion despite leading a seemingly successful cavalry charge. He bitterly claims that modern warfare is based not on bravery and sacrifice for a country’s glory but on cowardice and calculated strategy, attacking the enemy only when they are at their weakest. Instead of heroism, war has become an exercise in self-preservation, where soldiers avoid danger while trying to secure victory. Shaw uses Sergius’ frustration to dismantle the romanticized illusions of war. Ø “An incurably romantic disposition”? Bluntschli utters this phrase to describe his own nature, revealing that despite his practical and realistic outlook, he has an inherently romantic streak. He explains that as a boy, he ran away from home twice, despite being from a wealthy family, and enlisted in the army, suggesting a love for adventure and unpredictability. Further, he admits that his visit to the Petkoffs’ house to return the coat was merely an excuse; his real reason was to see Raina again. This moment marks his indirect confession of love for Raina, proving that beneath his pragmatic exterior lies an incurably romantic disposition. Ø “If you are incapable of gratitude you are incapable of any noble sentiment.” Raina says this during her conversation with Bluntschli. It occurs when Bluntschli, with his usual practicality, dismisses the idea of showing gratitude for Raina’s help in hiding him. Raina, deeply influenced by her romantic ideals, expects appreciation and nobility in emotions. She reacts to Bluntschli’s indifferent attitude by insisting that gratitude is essential for nobility, implying that a person who fails to acknowledge kindness lacks true honor or virtue. Shaw uses this exchange to contrast Raina’s romantic idealism with Bluntschli’s realistic worldview, highlighting the tension between fantasy and practicality. Ø Is Raina a Superwoman? Shaw presents Raina as a young girl with a head full of false conceptions of love and war. But very quickly she learns the truth as she comes in contact with Bluntschli, whom she rightly chooses as her husband, free from all the illusions. Above all, Shaw endows her with all the attributes of a woman, of a mother, which Shaw found necessary for the creation of Superman. This would be developed in Man and Superman. Ø Character of Louka: the bold modern woman. From the very beginning, Louka knows her worth and judges all other characters correctly. With her physical charm, practical calculations, and feminine tricks, she succeeds in winning over Sergius, who, in the beginning, looked upon her as a mere maid at his disposal for flirting. Ultimately, she boldly stands upright against the whole family to save her honour and win her object, Sergius. She represents the modern woman type rising in status through action and upward mobility in the face of class struggle. Ø Character of Nicola: an enlightened soul. Louka describes Nicola as a man with the “soul of a servant”. He is indeed of a servile nature; yet Bluntschli describes him as the “ablest man in Bulgaria”. He is free from all illusions. He leads his life calculating for the specific purpose of achieving his financial freedom. Above all, he knows himself (his value) and others very well. Ø Raina: Some soldiers are afraid to die. The Man: All of them…It is our duty to live as long as we can. “It is our duty to live as long as we can”? What is the context? Raina, under the influence of her romantic conception of heroism, mocks Bluntschli. She thinks that as he was afraid to die, he escaped from the field. Bluntschli, an experienced soldier, tells her that everybody is afraid to die, and that no soldier should sacrifice a precious possession like life for a false conviction in heroism. Thus, at the very beginning, we witness a battle of the ideas rather than a battle of the sexes. Ø “You can tell the young ones by their wildness…The Old ones come bunched up under the numbers and guard” Who is the speaker? Why does he say all these? Ø I thought you might have remembered the great scene where Ernani flying…an old Castilion noble”. Who is the speaker? How does she find similarity between the conditions of Ernani and Bluntschli? In the opera Ernani by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, the hero Ernani runs away from his enemies and takes refuge in the castle of his rival in love, Ruy Yomet, who refuses to hand him over to his enemies. Raina thinks that Bluntschli’s taking refuge in Petkoff’s house is comparable with that of Ernani. Ø “I thought you might have remembered the great scene where Ernani flying…” How is it relevant for the audience? This line refers to Ernani, a famous play by Victor Hugo that was later turned into an opera by Verdi. In Arms and the Man, Raina mentions it to romanticize heroism, expecting Bluntschli to admire such dramatic scenes of noble warriors fleeing danger. However, Bluntschli, being pragmatic, dismisses such notions, emphasizing the harsh realities of war instead. This contrast highlights Shaw’s critique of overly romanticized views of heroism. This romantic wish—a kind of dramatic irony, conveys to the audience a forecast of their unusual match-making. Ø Character of Catherine: Catherine, a housewife of over forty years, is a typical fashionable nagging wife, who, in spite of her false romantic conceptions of love, war, patriotism, and aristocracy, bears some secrets with her. She is also a typically concerned mother, whose aim in life is now to marry her daughter off to a rich, aristocratic groom. Ø Character of Major Petkoff: Petkoff is a typical husband, about fifty. His life in the military has made him a coarse and proud man who can easily be taken advantage of by the women at home. He proves to be an affectionate husband and father. Ø “What a man! Is he a man!” Who said this and about whom? Why did he say so? After his engagement with Raina is made final, Bluntschli gives necessary instructions for sending off the infantry of the Timok division. He requests Sergius not to get married until he returns and he promises to arrive “punctually at five in the evening on Tuesday fortnight.” Sergius is amazed at his businesslike attitude and almost super[hu]man efficiency. This also betrays his realization of his inefficiency. Ø What kind of morality does G. B. Shaw want to propagate through the play? Shaw believes that moral ideals are reflections of past social needs. Modern man has outgrown such needs, and therefore, the ideals of the past will cause unhappiness. What produces the most good and happiness should be regarded as moral. Such natural morality cannot be systematised into rules. Ø What does Shaw mean by ‘Byronism’ in the play? Lord Byron, an English poet, the author of Child Harold’s Pilgrimage and Don Juan revolted against the conventional society of the day, against hypocrisy and oppression. Sergius’s Byronism is evident in his contempt for everything related to caution, prudence, commerce, and the middle class. He is moody, aristocratic, and has an exaggerated sense of humour, and also in his sensual fickleness. He has also, like Byron, a confused mixture of various personalities. Ø “Soldiering is the coward’s art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong and keeping out of harm’s way when you are weak.” What is the context? Sergius accidentally won a battle in an unscientific and impractical manner. That is why he was not promoted to a higher rank. To protest against this, he tells Catherine that he gave up the job. Now he intends to use his accidental victory to prove his heroism, which, in reality, is false. Ø “If pity is akin to love, gratitude is akin to other thing.” Note the context. As Raina charges Bluntschli with ingratitude and betrayal of faith by making the incident public, he responds that if pity leads to love, gratitude leads to hatred. This line highlights his pragmatic worldview by contrasting emotions. He acknowledges that pity is similar to love, as both involve deep feelings for others. However, he implies that gratitude is more transactional, akin to business or obligation rather than genuine affection. This reflects Shaw’s critique of romanticized emotions versus practical realities in human relationships. Ø “You are a romantic idiot” How does Shaw prove his theory that it is the woman who chases and chooses the man in the play? In spite of his vast experience, Bluntschli commits a mistake regarding the exact age of Raina. This enrages Raina. She succeeds in showing that he has not been able to know all women. On the other hand, Raina knows him perfectly and has been marking him and chasing him for a long time. In fact, as a woman, she outsmarts Captain Bluntschli. Raina feels offended when Bluntschli dismisses her as an overly romantic schoolgirl of seventeen, whose mind is filled with fanciful notions. He also asserts that, being thirty-four, there can be no possibility of love between them. Determined to turn the tables, Raina calls Bluntschli the true romantic fool. If he were more perceptive, he would have realized that she is not a naïve seventeen-year-old but a mature woman of twenty-three. She firmly instructs him to treat her with the respect befitting her real age, rather than regarding her as an inexperienced schoolgirl. The expression is a compliment of love, a claim of love. Ø Is the play solely a satire on love and heroism? Shaw’s play is not limited to a demonstration of the utility of rational behaviour. If so, Raina would not have saved Bluntschli, or Bluntschli would not have returned to the Petkoffs. Certainly, there is romance and bravery enough in the play. Shaw is not criticizing love, impulse, generosity, or bravery; he is showing the foolishness of acting by false systems of behaviour. Ø What did Bluntschli say about the old and new soldier? Bluntschli informs Raina quite unexpectedly and contrary to her romantic conceptions of heroism that experienced and practical soldiers know that food is more valuable on the battlefield than ammunition. He also means to say that old soldiers act from sagacity and prescience, while the young ones conduct themselves foolishly and sometimes recklessly. Ø “This is a better weapon than a revolver”. What is the context? According to Bluntschli, Raina’s cloak is a better weapon than a revolver because without it, Raina will not be able to dress herself properly, and that will prevent her from permitting Bulgarians to enter her room. So he will be safe as long as he has her cloak with him. Ø Act I is full of anti-climaxes. This is one of Shaw’s favourite dramatic devices. Ø Act II starts a little over three months (6 March, 1886) after Act I (November 1885) Ø Act II is a comedy of reversals marked by intrigues, illusions and reality. Ø Act III is set in the library, the same day after lunch.
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| Model Questions |
| Ø The opening scene echoes a familiar sight from
A. The balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet P B. A scene from the Rivals C. Fairy tale D. W. S. Gilbert’s Pirates of the Penzance. Ø What dramatic effect does the library of Major Petkoff offer A. Anticlimax P B. Humour C. Satire D. Fun Ø “The comedy arises…from the collision of the knowledge of the Swiss with the illusions of the Bulgarians.” Who said this? A. Allardice Nicolle B. G. B. Shaw. C. George Orwell D. Sidney Webb Ø Raina is superior to Bluntschli in: A. Intelligence B. Learning C. Manners D. Instinct [Note: Creative Evolution, the making of Superman. It is she who chases and chooses Bluntshli over Sergius. Her choice is almost instinctive, while Bluntshli remains ignorant of her choice for long.] Ø What do Raina and Louka most fittingly represent? A. Modern women B. Domestic women C. New Women D. Predatory women Ø What does Shaw attack in the play? A. Love and war B. False notions of love and war C. Aristocracy D. Social discrimination Ø Dragoman Pass was known for A. Natural beauty of the landscape B. Battle ground of Servo-Bulgerian War (1885) C. Battle of Slivnitza (1881) D. Disputed territory Ø In the manuscript Raina was originally given the name A. Juana B. Anna C. Joana D. Ms. Petkoff Ø “Hand aufs Herz” means A. Hand on heart B. I offer my hand C. My hand on hers D. Hand and heart Ø How many hotels did Bluntschli inherit? A. Nine thousand B. Nine thousand six hundred C. Nine thousand sixty D. Nine hundred Ø Blunschli says “I have three languages…”. What are the languages? A. German, French, Italian B. Swiss, German, French C. Italian, Swiss, German D. Swiss, Italian, French |
Bernard Shaw: Arms and the Man (Pass & Hons/PG)
