Arms and the Man

By:George Bernard Shaw

    The play began in Raina Petkoff's bedroom in a Bulgarian city in 1885 during the Serbian-Bulgarian War. At the beginning of the play, Catherine Petkov and her daughter Raina had just learned that the Bulgarians had won a colossal victory in a cavalry attack led by Major Sergius Saranov, Raina's fiancé, in the same regiment as Raina's father. Major Paul Petkov. Raina is so in love with her fiancé's noble deeds that she fears she may never do her own justice.

 At this very moment, the maid Luca rushes over and tells that Serbs are being chased through the streets and that the house and all windows must be closed. Raina promises to do so later, and Louka leaves. But while Raina is reading in bed, gunshots can be heard, a noise can be heard from the balcony window, and an unkempt enemy soldier appears with a weapon and threatens to kill her if she makes a noise. After the soldier and Rayna had exchanged a few words, she called Luke from outside; She says many soldiers want to ransack the house and investigate a report that an enemy Serb soldier was seen on her balcony. When Raina hears the news, she turns to the soldier. He says he is ready to die, but he definitely plans to kill some Bulgarian soldiers in his room before he dies. So Raina persistently decided to hide it. The soldiers investigate, find no one, and then leave. Then Raina calls the man out of his hiding place; She sits nervously and stubbornly on her rifle, but she knows that it is unloaded; The soldier has no cartridges.

 He explains that instead of bullets, he always carries chocolate into battle. Besides, he's not an enemy. He is Swiss, a professional soldier hired by Serbia. Raina gives him his last chocolate cream, which he devours, claiming that it actually saved his life. Now that the Bulgarian soldiers are gone, Raina wants the "chocolate cream soldier" (as she calls him) to go back to the drain, but he refuses; He can go up, but he doesn't have the strength to go down. When Raina is looking for her mother to help her, the "Chocolate Cream Soldier" crawls into Raina's bed and falls asleep immediately. In fact, when they come home, he sleeps so quietly that they cannot wake him.

    The second act begins four months later in Major Petkov's home garden. Nicola, a middle-aged servant, teaches Luca the importance of respecting the upper class, but Luca is too independent a spirit to be a "good" servant. She has more ambitious plans for herself than marrying someone like Nicola, who she believes has "the spirit of a servant". Major Petkov returns from the war and is greeted by his wife Catherine with two teachers: she suggests that Bulgaria should have included Serbia, and she tells him that she has installed an electric bell in the library. 

Major Sergius Saranov, Raina's fiancé and leader of the successful cavalry attack, arrives and at the end of the war briefing with Major Petkov tells the now famous story of how a Swiss soldier escaped by climbing out onto the balcony and entering a member's family bedroom. Bulgarian nobleman. Women are shocked because they are told such a crude story. When the Petkov family enters the house, Raina and Sergius discuss their love for each other, and Raina romantically declares that they have found a "higher love".

    When Raina wants to take her hat off so they can take a walk, Louka comes and asks Sergius if she knows how stressful it is to engage in "higher love". Then he immediately tries to hug the pretty maid. Since he is so clearly familiar, Luca explains that Miss Raina is no better than her; She says Raina was having an affair while Sergius was away, but refuses to tell Sergius who Raina's lover is, even though Sergius accidentally hit Louka on the arm trying to get her to confess. When he apologizes, Luca insists that he kiss her arm, but Sergius refuses and at that moment Raina enters again. Then Sergius is summoned and Catherine intervenes. 

The two women explain how angry they are that Sergius has told the story of the fugitive soldier. Raina doesn't care if Sergius finds out; I am tired of hard fitness. At this moment, Luca announces that a Swiss officer has a suitcase and summons the hostess. His name is Captain Blunchley. They both know right away that he's the "chocolate cream soldier" who brings back the old coat he disguised himself as a major. As they desperately consider sacking him, Major Petkov warmly salutes Blunchley as the one who assisted them in the final negotiations of the war; The former major insists that Bluntschli remain his guesthouse until he has to return to Switzerland.

    The third trimester begins shortly after lunch and takes place in the library. Captain Blonchley is very good at dealing with a lot of confusing documents, while Sergius and Major Petkov were just watching. Major Petkov complains about the loss of his favorite old overcoat, but at this point, Catherine rings the new library bell, sends Nikola to retrieve the overcoat, and surprises the Major with her lost overcoat.

 When Raina and Bluntschli are left alone, she compliments him for looking great now that he's been washed and mopped. Then she takes a high and noble tone and berates him for some of the stories he has told that she should have been lying for him. Blonchley laughs at his "noble demeanor" and says he's satisfied with his behavior. Raina amused. She says Blonchley was the first person to see her complaints, but she wonders why he didn't put his hand in the pockets of the old overcoat she lent him; She had put on it a picture of herself reading "Chocolate Cream Soldier". 

At this point, a telegram was brought to Blonchley stating that his father had passed away and that he should return home immediately to put the six hotels he had inherited back in order. When Raina and Bluntschli leave the room, Louka slips her sleeve so silly that you can see her bruises. Sergius comes over and asks if he can now treat him with a kiss. Luke questions his true courage; She wonders if he would have the courage to marry a woman who is socially inferior to him, even if he loves her.

 Sergius claims he will, but now he's engaged to a girl so noble that all these conversations are ridiculous. Luca then tells him that Bluntelli is his opponent and that Rayna is going to marry the Swiss soldier. Serge is angry. He sees Blonchley and immediately challenges him to a duel; He then withdraws when Raina enters and accuses him of loving Louka only to spy on her and Bluntschli. During the argument, Blunchley asks about Luca, who is overheard at the door. She is brought in, Sergius apologizes to her, and kisses her hand, they are engaged. Bluntschli asks permission to court Raina's hand, and when he lists all the possessions he owns (200 horses, 9,600 pairs of papers, ten thousand knives and forks, etc.), permission is given to marry and Bluntschli says he'll be back in two weeks to marry Raina. Raina happily gives in and gives her "Chocolate Cream Soldier" a loving smile.