ARMS AND THE MAN

George Bernard Shaw

GROUP MEMBERS
Asghar Nazir L13-4533
Saeed Mazhar L13-4522
Muhammad Abuzar L13-4528
Zeeshan Haider L13-4513
 CONTENTS
About the play
Characters
Story
Settings
Stylistics
Conclusion
 ABOUT THE PLAY
Arms and the Man is a play by George Bernard Shaw published in 1884.

The play was one of Shaw's first commercial successes. He was called onto stage
after the curtain, where he received enthusiastic applause.

It is a humorous play which shows the futility of war and deals with the hypocrisies
of human nature in a comedic fashion.
CHARACTERS
Captain Bluntschli
Raina Petkoff
Major Petkoff
Catherine Petkoff
Sergius Saranoff
Nicola
Louka
 RAINA
She is a romantic idealist of twenty-three

she is presented as being a romantically idealistic person in love with the noble
ideal of war and love

she is a pose use who enjoys making dramatic entrances

She idealizes the heroes of war.

 CAPTAIN BLUNTSCHLI
.
A professional soldier from Switzerland who is serving in the Serbian army.

He is thirty-four years old, and he is totally realistic about the stupidity of war
PLOT
End of Serbo-Bulgarian war with the Bulgarians victory
Dramatic entrance of Bluntschli (chocolate cream hero)
Arrival of Major Petkoff and sergius
Status of relation between Raina and Sergious.
Arrival of Major Bluntschli at Petkoffs house.
Emergence of hidden love
 SETTINGS
ACT 1
Takes place in Rainas room on Novembers night in 1885.
The interior of the room is not like anything to be seen in the east of Europe.
The room is lighted by a candle on the chest of drawers
A window on left side while a door on the right side of the room.
A box of chocolate creams and a portrait of Rainas fianc
 ACT 2
The act starts on sixth of March, 1886 in the garden of major Petkoff s house.
It is a fine spring morning.
Within the garden the side of the house is seen on the right, with a garden door
reached by a little flight of steps. On the left the stable yard, with its gateway,
encroaches on the garden.
Fruit bushes along the paling and house, covered with washing hung out to dry.
In the middle of garden there lies a small table, with two bent wood chairs at
it,There is a wooden garden seat against the wall on the left.
 ACT 3
This act takes place in the library, after lunch.
It is not much of a library,
The wall space being occupied by trophies of war.
A row of three large windows in the front of the house.
The door is on the left. The button of the electric bell is between the door and the
fireplace.
At the side of the table, which stands on the right, Bluntschli is hard at work, with a
couple of maps before him
The major has the tube of the hookah within his reach
Raina has a neglected novel in her lap
 STYLISTICS
Tone
Mostly the tone during act 1 is sympathetic. In this act Rainas behavior is sympathetic
towards Bluntschli (helpless soldier). She saves his life and satisfies his hunger.

The tone of the writer during act 2 is mostly informative (revealing different things) and a
little bit jolly.

During third act the tone is serious at first but then it becomes happy towards the end of play.

Overall tone of this play is happy and jolly.

 STYLE
The writers aim in this play is to describe the romantic heroics of war; he wanted to
present a realistic account of war.

Vocabulary used in this play is a bit difficult.

The play follows chronological sequences.

 MOOD
Mood in the first act of play is sympathetic and a bit suspenseful.

Mood in the second act of play is interesting because many secrets have been
revealed to us.

Mood in the third act of the play is interesting at first then it becomes happy and
content.

The overall mood of the play is curious and happy.

 CONCLUSION
In this play the writer has succeeded in making his point quite clear.

The play is interesting and entertaining.

The writer criticizes the attitude of rich people who glorify themselves.

It gives us a lesson, not to glorify the war.

It also describes that love is something beyond the personal interests of human beings.

The condition of todays world is still very similar to the scenario of the play.
THANK YOU
For paying attention