Romantic Idealism Versus Realism in Shaw's "Arms and th
Romantic Idealism Versus Realism in Shaw's "Arms and the Man"
Love and war are two concerns which are often regarded as societal ideals. George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man is a pleasant and humorous attack on both. Shaw uses humor as “a vehicle of thought” thus tending to “obscure his subtle satire on war and the genteel classes and his exploration of the romantic-realist spectrum in human disposition” (Davis 274). These romantic ideals make up the essence of the play’s satirical instances and develop the theme of realism. Shaw satirizes romanticism within Arms and the Man by contrasting romantic idealism and realism.
Throughout the play an underlying conflict is seen between romanticism and realism within the characters. The two men that come into Raina’s life are representations of this conflict. Sergius depicts the passionate, impulsive, romantic war hero, while Bluntschli characterizes the practical, strong-minded professional soldier. Shaw’s portrayal of his characters is a very important aspect of his writing. “He is not interested in man’s eternal nature but in his changeability. His characters are full of contradiction imposed on them by the environment” (Davis 459). Change is seen in Arms and the Man with practically every character. The only static character is Bluntschli as he represents what the rest of the characters will attain by the end of the play: realism.
Several instances in the play establish the character’s ideals. One example exists in the first act as Raina confesses to her mother. “It came into my head just as he [Sergius] was holding me in his arms and looking into my eyes, that perhaps we only had our heroic ideas because we are so fond of reading Byron and Pushkin, and because we were so delighted with the opera that season at Bucharest” (Shaw 7). This “ironic speech ... prepares the audience for her later self-discoveries in the play” (Gibbs 76-77). Likewise, at the end of the play as Sergius and Raina’s love is faltering we see Sergius’ lack of comprehending a life without romanticism in his confession to Raina (Gibbs 76), “Raina: our romance is shattered. Life’s a farce” (Shaw 67).
Sergius represents the romantic ideal that the society of the time agreed with. He is an officer in the Bulgarian army and on the victorious side of the...