Arms and the man by George Bernard Shaw

Recently, I read a play by  George Bernard Shaw as part of my syllabus. Before this play, I have read only his Saint Joan. That was about a heroic figure of Joan, based on historical figure of Joan of Arc. It was a serious play based on heresy charged upon Joan and how she was burned in cold blood. It was depressing to see the hero figure found guilty unfairly by a corrupt jury. Long arguments ensue throughout the play.

This tendency to use argument is also used by Shaw in Arms and the man but it doesn't hold serious topics. Contrary to its title, it is not a serious play but a humourous one that ends with a happy note, resolving all tangles and secrets.

The play is about Raina, a young Bulgarian maiden waiting for her lover who has gone to fight for Russian forces against Serbians. The theme is about the war but it describes not the seriousness, bloodshed but another side of soldiers, their human side. Raina, as she is young girl, never witnessed a war didn't not know the subtle realities of the war. Her knowledge of war is certianly formed by its caricatures in novels. Her incidental meeting with Bluntschli partially opens her eyes. He reveals to her that war is fought by most of idiots. He is too pragmatic to be heard by idealistic people like Raina.

Raina's saving his life after his taking refuge in her room after being chased down by Bulgarian forces tangles the life of Raina but it also helped her in getting rid of Serguis, her deceitful lover who is secretly in love affair with Raina's ambitious and unbowing servant, Louka. Interestingly, Louka's character dreams of raising her fortunes, she rebels against the rigid conventions of class. She  wants to improve her condition and doesn't bow to the advice of Nicola, her obedient fiancee, a perfect breed of servant, contrary to herself. He always intend to show her harsh reality and clip her wings. He is content in using the position of a servant to gain advantage from his masters, keeping their secret with himself.

Another character, Serguis, Raina's fiancee, is the most hypocrite and mischievous character who gets along with Raina with romance but he passionately flirts with Louka. It is revealed that he is in love with her but her class prevents this union. This makes him repel her with he adores her if not openly. Later, Raina tells that she saw him holding Louka and that's how their relationship ended but it can be said that their love was no true. Although, Raina did have feelings for Bluntschli but he was not aware of it. Nonetheless, her hunch that he might be married prevents her from proposing her love to him. To Bluntschli, Raina is a immature and young teen girl, so he didn't have such feelings for her. But at the end, he comes to know that she is twenty-five years old, only then he steps forward to take her hand.

This act followed by a dilemma of his not being at par with Raina's aristocratic and rich class. It is revealed that Bluntschli's father passed recently and he has passed his enormous fortune, second highest only in Switzerland. He received in his inheritance an ownership of a chain of hotels including other  assets. A matched is made with both couples — Raina and Bluntschli, and Serguis and Louka. The play ends on a happy note.