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Evaluate Shaw Arms and the Man as a farcical comedy.

Farcical comedy is now emerging form ab drama. It evolves round a hole play. Is also described as a drama with deals with life lightly. The characters belong to the refined class but they prove to be frivolous and foolish. They do not take life seriously. The writer creates laughter to show the stupidity prevalent in the society. For this, dull characters, incidents, situations and dialogues are used in the drama frequently. The characters act in foolish manner so as to create laughter.

In opening scene of the drama we find that Raina has been betrothed to Sergius whose photo is placed in her bedroom. She thinks that Sergius will cut a poor figure in the war but soon she gets news that Sergius has won the battle and has proved himself the hero of the battle.She then considers herself an unsuitable girl for Sergius. She calls him ‘My hero’, My king.Later,see that this higher love has no ideal and seriousness. When they try to embrace. Louka comes between them and Raina merely waves a kiss to Sergius, Sergius is vexed that Louka is present everywhere who disturbs him to display his love for Raina So he begins to flirt with her. Thus higher love changes into flirtation. According to Louka Raina also loved another man in his absence. It is also again ludicrous when Raina asks Sergius if he was making love with Louka.

Shaw describes servant Nicola’s personality in a humorous way. His head is bald to the crown. He is obedient to everyone to get money. Louka. ridicules him Nicola has a plan to open a shop in Sophia where he will pass a respectful life after getting married with Louka. He had taught Louka how to manage her tresses, to paint her nails redden her lips and decorate her eyebrows. He made Louka a lady out of rustic girl. It is farcical whether Nicola is a lover or a beatician. Louka behaves him like a servant and thinks that Nicola has the soul of a servant and so she does not make him her husband. She loves Sergius and marries with him.

Bluntschli’s name is farcical. He intrudes into Raina’s bedroom at mid night as a fugitive from Serbian army and threatens her with his pistol while there is no cartridge in it. He keeps chocolates with him in war in place of cartridges. He picks up Raina’s gown to save himself. He crams up Raina’s chocolates. Raina’s inscription for Bluntschli as a ‘Chocolate crem soldier’, photo episode, ice pudding episode, Nicola’s bringing his bag inside and dropping it on Petkoff’s to ends etc, are ludicrous. counting the enumeratious of his father’s hotels houses, blankets, quilts, horses, knives, forks etc, are farcical. Raina and Catherine’s embarrassment while conversing with him is also ludicrous.

Shaw has intentionally filled this drama with laughter. In the beginning he has been narrating about library but in the third act he says, “It is not much of library. Here are some newspapers and gifted books on which the cups of coffee are placed, some torn covers and torn books. There is a divan in the library. Here members dive and Sergius is mocked,” Raina says to her mother. “She (Catherine) should marry Sergius in stead of Raina. Sergius and Petkoff are also farcical.

No doubt, every character performs foolish acts but the play starts in melodramatic actions but Shaw has a definitive purpose behind the setting of the play. According to people. “Everything is fair in love and war” but Shaw suggests that the war is disgusting, not romantic, Eatable things like chocolates are more important in life than the death caused by the cartrid Accoding to Shaw, live is not property of flatterers, wealthy and handsome persons. Good morals, ideals and respectful attitude are necessary to get it, Shaw potraits a character of Sergius who has a romantic attitude towards life. Shaw shatters romanticism of war and love. In the end, Louka marries Sergius.