Discuss Shaw’s treatment of love, marriage, and war in the play Arms and the Man. 

Answer

Discuss Shaw’s treatment of love, marriage, and war in the play Arms and the Man. 

Or, Discuss “Arms and the Man” as a satire on foolish ideals about love and war. 

Or, how does the author deromanticize the popular fascination with war through the character Bluntschli? 

Or, Remark on Shaw’s approach towards love and marriage in his famous play Arms and the Man.  

Or, discover the problems of the play Arms and the Man. 

“Arms and the Man” (1894) is a famous drama by G. B. Shaw (1856 – 1950), where love, war, and marriage are practically discussed. Shaw has shown how the romance of war leads to the romance of love. He has criticized popular romantic false ideas regarding war, love, and marriage. He believes marriage is a necessary and desirable institution but not in the romantic notion of love only. He has proved all subjects lie ludicrously in this drama.

Raina’s Disillusionment: At the very outset of the play, we meet Raina living in a world where Sergius Sarnoff is the central figure. She considers herself in love with him. She has gathered her ideas of that passion from Byron, Puskin, and operas. She believes that what holds her and her fiancé together is ‘higher love’ and will lead them into a married life of never-ending happiness.

I shall never be unworthy my soul’s hero: never, never.

But her ideas about Sergius are shaken when she listens to the matter-of-fact from frank and lively Bluntschli. But even then, she believes that her lover is the romance hero. She receives him warmly when he returns from the war and calls him her hero and king.

Sergius’ Love for Louka: A few moments later, her vision changes when she sees Sergius shamelessly making love to Louka, who is Raina’s maid. The apostle of higher love falls from the pedestal where her imagination had placed him. Hence, she is unmoved when Sergius decides to Louka. She herself is ready to find happiness with Bluntschli. 

Disillusionment and Pretensions of Sergius