Arms and the Man
Author and plot outline
George Bernard Shaw
•George Bernard Shaw, known at his insistence simply as Bernard
Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist.
His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. Wikipedia
•Born: July 26, 1856, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland
•Died: November 2, 1950, Ayot Saint Lawrence, United Kingdom
•Books: Plays Pleasant: LIterary Series, MORE
•Awards: Nobel Prize in Literature, MORE
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Bernard-Shaw
Plot outline
• Arms and the Man is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's Aeneid, in Latin: Arma virumque cano ("Of arms and the man I sing").[5]
• 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, which also included Candida, You Never Can Tell, and The Man of Destiny. Arms and the Man was one of Shaw's first commercial successes. He was called onto stage after the curtain, where he received enthusiastic applause. Amidst the cheers, one audience
member booed. Shaw replied, in characteristic fashion, "My dear fellow, I quite agree with you, but what are we two against so many?"[6]
• Arms and the Man is a humorous play that shows the futility of war and deals comedically with the hypocrisies of human nature.
Summary of Act 1
• 1. Setting is the bedchamber of Raina, the protagonist. Time a cold November night of year 1894.
• 2. Backdrop: War between Bulgaria and Serbia. Russia was the ally of Bulgaria and Austria was supporting Serbia.
• 3. Catherine, Raina’s mother comes with the news of Sergious’s(Raina’s fiancé) victory at a battle.
• 4. Louka, the maid servant comes with the news that Serbians are being chased and looking for refuge.
To be continued
• 5. A Serbian officer enters into Raina’s bed chamber and asks for refuge.
• 6. Raina saves him from Russian officers
• 7. Louka discovers his presence
• 8. Catherine is informed by Raina about his presence
• The two ladies helped him escape by offering him an old coat owned by Petkoff, Raina’s father.
Summary of Act 2
• 1. Setting is a spring morning at Petkoff’s garden in March 1895.
• Louka and Nicola , the servant of the house are talking.
• Major Petkoff returns from the war followed by Sergius.
• Sergius and Raina pretend Higher love
• Sergius and Louka flirts
• Louka informs him about the presence of a man in Raina’s bedchamber at the middle of a night.
• Sergius scandalized and jelous
To be continued
• Petcoff and Sergius go for work
• Raina and Catherine talks
• Captain Bluntschli, the fugitive of that night comes to return the coat
• Petkoff and Sergius find him out and insist him to stay for lunch
• Raina is happy to see her Chocolate cream Soldier
• Nicola is befooled and insulted to hide the truth
Summary of Act 3
• Setting is Library of the Petkoff house.
• Louka reveals that Bluntschli is the man in Raina’s bedchamber
• Sergius calls for Duel
• Bluntschli gets the news of his father’s death
• Louka manipulates Sergius to be betrothed to her.
• Bluntschli formally proposes to Raina
• Things get fixed in a funny way
