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Discuss Bernard Shaw’s treatment of War and Love in ‘Arms and the Man’.

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Discuss Shaw’s anti-romanticism in the play ‘Arms and the Man’.

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Write a short note on Arms And The Man” as an antiromantic comedy.

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How does G.B.Shaw attcack romantic notion of war and! in ‘Arms And The Man’?

‘Arms and the Man‘ is a play that deals with the theme of war and romantic attitude of war. In this play Shaw ridicules about war and the utility of arms. He satirises the love and its romantic aspect-viewing prevailing social atmosphere.

G.B.Shaw considers marriage as a transaction and an agreement. He knows when a woman and a man are brought together by the creative force, some sort of formal arrangement like marriage is inevitable. But this does not in most cases bring conjugal happiness as it is based more on consideration of money, family and social and economic security than on intellectual and temperamental compatibility. Shaw believes that the happiness which the couples exhibit is only a pose and veil to conceal inner dissatisfaction and unhappiness. He tears the veil of hypocrisy mercilessly but realises than the problem does not have a permanent solution. Therefore he seeks to make the best out of the unavoidable evil. He advocates the freedom to separate-divorce. He feels that it is impossible to maintain a perfectly happy married life but can be made better by making an honest contract.

Raina the heroine of the play is engaged to a young army officer Major Sergius. She considers him to be a romantic hero. When she comes to know of the success of Sergius in the battle-field, fher love for him grows all the more. She prays for becoming a suitable match to him. Then Raina is faced with a crude and stem reality. Bluntschli enters her bed-room. He represents stark realism and is opposed to all sorts romanticism. He derides the feal of Sergius on the battle-field. Ultimately it is Sergius who is given up and Bluntschli is picked up for marriage. Thus marriage has no element of Romance or sentimentalism in it. It is a solemn contract.

His Satire on War and Love

Bluntschli, the mouth piece of Shaw says that war is only absurd and romantic love is only lust. Sergius, who is in higher love with Raina, flirts with louka and ultimately marries her. This is a big satire on sentimentalism. In the same way the attack of Sergius on Serb Battery and his Victory, which gave him a lot of respect was nothing but a freak of chance. It was lucky on the part of Segius that are gun man did not have the power that they actually required otherwise Sergius would have been killed. Bluntschli exposese the illusiouns about the military view of life. He sees things in true perspective. He is not prepared to fling away his life under the feel of sentimental heroism. On the other hand he becomes successful in life. Raina also become conscious of the realities of love as well as war. She gives up her romantic attitude towards Sirglus and accepts Bluntschli. The idea of romance and heroism is gone. She becomes a realist. She avoids considering herself a beautiful heroine. She enters into a solemn contract about marriage. Sergius begins to realise his own folly in the cavalry attack. He resigns his job out of frustration. It proves the futung of war. He marries Louka-an instance of stark reality.

Shaw was opposed to war. He did not believe in the glorification of war and the heroism accompanied with it. ‘Soldiering is the coward’s art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong, and keeping out of harms way when you are weak. He thinks to a professional soldier, fighting is a business proposition while to a amateur, it is a mere amazement or a romantic adventure, ‘Bluntschli is a professional sodier and he says. ficht when I have to, and am very glad to get out of it when I haven’t to. Shaw unniasks the wrong notions of war. It is believed that soldiers are not afraid of war but it is not so. Every soldier is afraid of war and may run away from the battle field. Ordinary people like Raina and Catherine do not take the rational side of the war. They are concerned with the artificial side and so worship the deeds of victory. It is a foolish notion. Shaw has exposed it also. Thus Shaw has show the hollow futility of war and its negative on society.