Arms & The Man Background PDF

Introduction to Literary Texts George Bernard Shaw Arms & the Man - Background Week 12  Biography G. B. Shaw (1856 – 1950) An Irish playwright, who belonged to a low class family.  The Fabian Society In 1884, he became a member of the Fabian S...

Introduction to Literary Texts George Bernard Shaw Arms & the Man - Background Week 12  Biography G. B. Shaw (1856 – 1950) An Irish playwright, who belonged to a low class family.  The Fabian Society In 1884, he became a member of the Fabian Society, a British socialist movement of the nineteenth century that believed in social democracy through gradual change rather than revolution. It also advocated principles of the welfare state to bring about social justice and equal opportunity. Members like Shaw wrote pamphlets and  Shaw’s Dramas Shaw sees his drama as another forum for social issues. He used his plays to raise awareness and foster discussion. He is one of the early realists, as a reaction to romanticism. For instance, Arms and the Man (1893) is not the usual romantic comedy of the time about the upper classes. All the social classes are included: The audience first sees the Petkoffs and their story, and then the scene switches to the servants and their lives—how they feel exploited, and how they plan for their future. What is even more revolutionary, we see the servants breaking out of their class roles at the end of the play. Louka  His Style He moves the audience through: Humour Wit / Intellectual appeal: encouraging people to think Satire: the use of humor and wit with a critical attitude, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule for exposing or denouncing the faults or vices of mankind. This usually involves both moral judgment and a desire to help improve society. Emotional appeal: a light-hearted comedy,  What is a Comedy? Comedy - According to Aristotle, in tragedy playwrights reveal men as better than they are - hence the tragic 'hero’ is of 'higher morality‘ than us except for his flaw. In comedy, however, a poet presents man as worse than he is - plagued by some defect or ugliness. Comedy ultimately works in a similar way to  His Plays His plays sought to encourage people to think. They reflect and criticize the social problems in Britain in the Victorian era in a pleasant format—the comedy. Thus, the combination of comic wit [the ability to say things that are both intelligent and amusing at the same time], and social problems make Shaw’s plays distinctive.  Description of the Play Arms and the Man is a social commentary on: a. Manners in the upper class At the very beginning, the reader notices the huge gap between social classes as well as the critical attitude the writer has towards the vain, showy and shallow-minded nature of the upper class. b. War and military values  Description of the Play "On the balcony, a young lady, intensely conscious of the romantic beauty of the night, and of the fact that her own youth and beauty is a part of it, is on the balcony, gazing at the snowy Balkans. She is covered by a long mantle of furs, worth, on a moderate estimate, about three times the furniture of the room“ (Act I, p.1). Here, it is made clear that Raina is within an upper class and strives to maintain the  Historical Background The play mentions historical details of the Serbo-Bulgarian war, such as the Battle of Slivnitza that was the turning point of the war. Serbia (aided by Austria-Hungary) used the pretense of a border dispute to invade Bulgaria (aided by Russia). The Serbians had modern guns but they had trouble with their cannon. They also underestimated the Bulgarians and used  Historical Background The Russian officers allowed the Bulgarian officers like Sergius and Petkoff to conduct the war. They were not as experienced as the Russians, but they had strong patriotism and morale. Shaw makes Petkoff say that without the intervention of the Great Powers, Russia and Austria-Hungary, the Serbs and Bulgarians would not know how to fight.  Historical Background Shaw uses Bulgaria as an example of a backward nation wanting to join the family of modern European nations, especially after their victory. The Petkoffs and Saranoff, wanting to be thought advanced, and adopt the culture of foreign countries. It is an example of a poor nation copying what is trivial and popular in richer countries.  Plot Summary A Serbian soldier in the Serbo-Bulgarian war, Bluntschli, takes refuge in the bedroom of young Bulgarian lady named Raina. She is engaged to a Bulgarian officer named Major Saranoff, whom she has just heard has distinguished himself in the latest action. Bluntschli is scornful of military honor and glory, and seems to think only of avoiding harm to himself and others.  Plot Summary The war ends, and Raina's father returns home. He praises Raina's fiancé's bravery as a military leader; then that young gentleman, Sergius Saranoff, comes for a visit. There is a discussion about a young Swiss soldier (fighting for the Serbians) taking refuge in the house of a Bulgarian. Raina and her mother Catherine now know that the story of their harboring a soldier has become known, though no one knows that it was indeed them  Plot Summary Catherine and Raina’s secret is almost found out, when the coat that they lent to the soldier is requested by Raina's father. Then the man they harbored, now revealed to be the same Swiss army officer (who had fought on the Serbian side) and named Major Bluntschli, comes to return the coat. Raina and Catherine try again to conceal their previous acquaintance with him. The coat is  Plot Summary In the course of this act, it becomes clear that Saranoff loves Louka, and Raina loves Bluntschli, so the initial engagement of Saranoff and Raina is now in trouble. Raina's father is prevented from finding the incriminating photo, but he knew of it all along. He reveals the deception, and it becomes clear which couples love each other. Bluntschli tells everyone that he is a rich man,