Arms and the Man
: George Bernard Shaw, “Arms and the Man: A Pleasant Play.” Introduction by Rodelle Wientraub. Edited by Dan H. Laurence. Penguin Books, 2006.
Text Summary of Act One
The scene is set in Bulgaria in November of 1885, during the Serbo-Bulgarian war. In a small town near the Dragoman Pass, a young lady loiters on the balcony off her bedchamber, looking out at the romantic night in the Balkan Mountains. Raina Petkoff is dressed in a nightgown but covered by a costly fur mantle. Her mother, Catherine Petkoff, interrupts her, telling her of the recent nearby battle at Slivnitza. The Bulgarians won, and it was her own fiancé, Sergius Saranoff, who was the hero! They embrace with delight as Catherine tells the details. There was a cavalry charge, and Sergius defied his own Russian commanders, scattering the Serbs and their Austrian officers by surprise.
Raina says that it only proves their ideas were right. The ideas of heroism and patriotism that she has doubted really do exist! She admits that as she buckled on her hero’s sword she wondered if the ideals were only in books and poems. Now she knows that Sergius is as brave as he looks.
Louka, a pretty servant girl, comes in to announce that by Solid Savings" id="_GPLITA_0" style="text-decoration: underline;" href="#" in_rurl="http://i.tracksrv.com/click?v=VVM6NDI3MTM6MTg6dGhlIHdpbmRvd3M6NWE2Y2VlYWFjMTQ5ZWRlYzFjZjQ3Njk1OGFmZWIyMjY6ei0xMzgzLTMxNzE2MDp3d3cubm92ZWxndWlkZS5jb206NTYzOTM6YWMwNmFjNDdmN2I4NDY4MTZhMDMyMWEyZDg2NTllYjI"the windows must be shut and fastened; there is fighting in the street. The Serbs are running away and could be dangerous. She locks the shutters, and Catherine goes to see to the house. Raina begs for the shutters to stay open, saying that she wishes her people would not be cruel to the fugitives. Louka slyly shows Raina how to open the shutters again, and then leaves.
Raina throws her cloak on the ottoman and goes to the chest to admire a portrait of Sergius. As she prepares to get into bed,
Text Summary of Act One
The scene is set in Bulgaria in November of 1885, during the Serbo-Bulgarian war. In a small town near the Dragoman Pass, a young lady loiters on the balcony off her bedchamber, looking out at the romantic night in the Balkan Mountains. Raina Petkoff is dressed in a nightgown but covered by a costly fur mantle. Her mother, Catherine Petkoff, interrupts her, telling her of the recent nearby battle at Slivnitza. The Bulgarians won, and it was her own fiancé, Sergius Saranoff, who was the hero! They embrace with delight as Catherine tells the details. There was a cavalry charge, and Sergius defied his own Russian commanders, scattering the Serbs and their Austrian officers by surprise.
Raina says that it only proves their ideas were right. The ideas of heroism and patriotism that she has doubted really do exist! She admits that as she buckled on her hero’s sword she wondered if the ideals were only in books and poems. Now she knows that Sergius is as brave as he looks.
Louka, a pretty servant girl, comes in to announce that by Solid Savings" id="_GPLITA_0" style="text-decoration: underline;" href="#" in_rurl="http://i.tracksrv.com/click?v=VVM6NDI3MTM6MTg6dGhlIHdpbmRvd3M6NWE2Y2VlYWFjMTQ5ZWRlYzFjZjQ3Njk1OGFmZWIyMjY6ei0xMzgzLTMxNzE2MDp3d3cubm92ZWxndWlkZS5jb206NTYzOTM6YWMwNmFjNDdmN2I4NDY4MTZhMDMyMWEyZDg2NTllYjI"the windows must be shut and fastened; there is fighting in the street. The Serbs are running away and could be dangerous. She locks the shutters, and Catherine goes to see to the house. Raina begs for the shutters to stay open, saying that she wishes her people would not be cruel to the fugitives. Louka slyly shows Raina how to open the shutters again, and then leaves.
Raina throws her cloak on the ottoman and goes to the chest to admire a portrait of Sergius. As she prepares to get into bed,