AATM WORKBOOK PGS 127-128

Reference to Context : Act 2 , No.7
(i) : The reason which Major Petkoff gives for Catherine's sore throat is that she washes her neck daily. He insinuates hat the water affects her throat badly.
(ii): The "modern customs" major Petkoff is speaking of is of Catherine washing her neck (he probably means the taking of a wash) daily. Later he will be introduced to the electric bell Catherine has had installed in their library to call Nicola, so that they don't have to do the unmannerly thing of shouting for her servants.
(iii) ; Major Petkoff regards regular washing of oneself as being not natural and not good for health. He notes how an English man in Philippopolis used to have a cold water bath every morning.
(iv) :   Major Petkoff brags that his father never had a bath in all his life and that yet he was the healthiest man in all Bulgaria and that he lived to the age of ninety-eight !
           The English man was different from Petkoff's father as the Englishman bathed every morning in old water, after he got up from bed.
(v) : According to Major Petkoff the English had a bath daily as the English climate was such that the people became very dirty.
(vi); Shaw has contrasted the hygiene practiced by the Bulgarians and English. He notes that the Bulgarians do not need to wash more than once a week. He feels that the English was daily as their climate makes them dirty.

Reference to Context : Act 2 , No.8
(i) ; Catherine and Major Petkoff have just been sparring over hygiene. Paul believes that Catherine washes too often and thus suffers (with sore throats). Paul had said that he only has a good wash once a week to keep up his position. He has stated that he believes that bathing / washing daily is ridiculous and an extreme action. Catherine, on the other believes in washing daily and thus calls Major Petkoff a barbarian - meaning an uncivilized person who continues to ignore modern learning for personal and social well-being.
(ii) : Major Petkoff tried to impress the Russian officers by making sure that they knew that the Petkoff's have a library at their home. It tells us that major Petkoff is very concerned about his social standing and wants others to be impressed by his civility.
(iii): The reason which Catherine gives for installing an electric bell in the house was that civilised people did not shout for their servants. Thus, if they were in their library and wanted Nicola, all they had to do was to ring the bell and Nicola, who would be in the kitchen, would know they needed him and he would come up.
(iv) : Major Petkoff tells Catherine that civilised people do not hang out their washing to dry where visitors could see it - as Catherine had - having spread all the washed clothes on the bushes in the garden for drying.
(vi) : I think that all people are gradually becoming more civilised. Major Petkoff and Catherine. likewise are on the way to being more civilised. They have sufficient money and social standing and they are sufficiently exposed to the wider world to know that the higher classes in society lead the way in social norms. Thus they are becoming more aware of what correct behaviour is. Washing oneself regularly, not shouting for people and not leaving washing in public places are all behaviours which would hold the Petkoffs in good stead and cause others to respect them more. However, in the play we have seen that the Petkoffs are hospitable to a fault - for example even giving refuge to a fugitive enemy soldier, showing that they respect human life. They frequent the Opera at Sofia and appreciate reading which show that they are cultured.

AATM workbook pgs 131 to 135

Work Book Pg 131 / 132 Act 2 No.9
(i) : Major Petkoff wants Catherine to keep talking with Sergius Saranoff. Marjor Petkoff wants Catherine to talk with Sergius as Sergius "bores" Major Petkoff's life out. Sergius has been pestering Major Petkoff about "our not promoting him". This may refer either to the Bulgarians not promoting him in rank in the army or it could mean that Sergius wanted major Petkoff and Catherine to speak well of him to their acquaintances and introduce him to their circle of influence.

(ii) : Sergius wants promotion as he led the Bulgarians to victory over the Serbs in the battle of Sliviitza. He has not been promoted because he was foolhardy in risking his cavalry against a battle of cannon. He had won the battle but he had taken action without the sanction of his superiors or considering the safety of those under his charge. Sergius also wanted to be "promoted" in the other sense, as he was engaged to be married to their daughter Raina and he wanted to be introduced to the Petkoff circle of society. He had not been "promoted" thus far as he had been off fighting the Serbs.

(iii) : Catherine thinks that Sergius should be promoted as Sergius was to marry their daughter Raina shortly and she also felt that the Bulgarians should have at least one Bulgarian General in their army rather than having only foreign Russian officers. This shows Catherine's family and nationalistic feelings.
         Major Petkoff is against giving Sergius a promotion as Major Petkoff thinks like a soldier and geels that if Sergius were to be promoted in the army he could not be trusted not to put a larger number of soldiers at risk "throw away whole brigades instead of regiments".

(iv) : By saying that "he could throw away whole brigades instead of regiments" Major Petkoff means that Sergius whole cavalry could have been destroyed in their attack on the enemy cannon at Slivinitza and if Sergius was promoted he would have charge far larger section of the army and would put a larger number of soldiers at risk - possibly leading them to their deaths !

(v); Sergius does not get the promotion. He is extremely disappointed that he has not been promoted and remains a simple major. However the two Cossack Colonels who had had their regiments routed when they followed the most correct principles of warfare have been made major-generals to replace the two major-generals who got killed following strict military etiquette.
       Sergius has decided, in fact he has already resigned from the army.

(vi) : Idealism and Realism can sometimes be in conflict. Sergius encapsulated the idealism and zeal of a young and patriotic soldier who risked his own life and that of the soldiers under his charge in challenging a seemingly unassailable position in which the enemy army was in (they had cannon - and he commanded only a cavalry regiment). yet Sergius took the risk and the risk paid off. However, while he won the battle for the Bulgarians, he could not be promoted in the Bulgarian army as doing so would undermine the discipline and rationale of army command and techniques (realism).

Work Book Pg 133 / 134 Act 2 No.10
(i) : Catherine tells Sergius that "everyone is mad abotu him" as she means to say that everyone considers him a Bulgarian hero for having led his country to victory ver the Srbs in the battle of Slivinitza. She means to say that all Bulgarians are proud of him and that he is their hero.

(ii): In Act 1 we get descriptions of the cavalry charge made by Sergius by Catherine who had received word of the Bulgarian victory and from 'The Man" - the fugitive from the Serbian army who had sought refuge in Raina's bedroom. According to their accounts Sergius, who was the leader of a cavalry regiment, had, without consulting his Russian superiors had led a cavalry charge on his own against Serbian cannon. Sergius had led his regiment into battle and was the first to sweep through Serbian defenses. In the Man's version, those who followed Sergius were not as enthusiastic as Sergus was. Sergius daring charge had succeeded as the enemy could not fire their guns as they had the wrong ammunition !

(iii) : What Sergius means by saying that "it was the cradle and the grave of his military reputation" is that his action at Slivinitza held the potential (as a baby in a cradle) because of his having led his country to victory over their enemies, in raising him to the heights of his country's army. However, because of the manner in which he conducted his assault on the enemy, which was in the words of another soldier "simply suicide" his action was considered "sheer madness" and he would always be considered someone who did not have correct military judgement and one who would lead the troops under him to unreasonable risk. He would thus never be given any promotion and thus his career in the army was at a dead end (the grave).

(iv) : Sergius says that he won the battle the wrong way because he seemingly took an unreasonable and daring risk of throwing a cavalry regiment against enemy artillery. However, his seemingly suicidal act paid off and he won the battle for the Bulgarians.

(v) : We do not have Sergius' views on war previous to this as this is the first time that Sergius comes onto the stage. However, in his action (the battle of Slivinitza) he seemed an enthusiastic and daring soldier. In addition, he seemed to take pride in his being a soldier and Raina swooned when she saw him dressed in all his military regalia. However, here he seems disillusioned by war and the army. He seems to feel that promotion and accolades are due to him for his action. However, his hopes have been dashed, he has been overlooked for promotion and his fellow soldiers don't seem to respect him as a soldier.

(vi) : This extract highlights the theme of idealization of war. Catherine and Raina and Sergius are those romantics who glorify war as the necessary duty in safeguarding and promoting their country's interests. They overlook the fact that it is a serious undertaking involving soldiers lives. They ignore the fact that an army can only remain disciplined if the chain of command is followed. Though it may be expected that soldiers will die in war, every effort is expected of the various leaders in the army that they put the soldiers lives at the least risk. War is a question of calculated tactics paying off and not as the victory of heroics.

for class xi 2015 : DAY 4 : ARMS AND THE MAN : ACT 3

Now we come to the Falling action and the Resolution of the crisis into which the action fell - of course, the crisis continues and the resolution is only worked out till the very end of the play - that is so that we the audience don't leave the theater before hand !

Act III

Summary

This act shifts to the Petkoffs' library, a setting which Shaw uses to let us know that this is a very poor excuse for a library; it consists of only a single room with a single shelf of old worn-out paper-covered novels; the rest of the room is more like a sitting room with another ottoman in it, just like the one in Raina's room in the first act. The room is also fitted with an old kitchen table which serves as a writing table. At the opening of the act, Bluntschli is busy at work preparing orders, with a businesslike regularity, for the disposition of the Bulgarian army. Petkoff is more of a hindrance than a help, for he constantly interrupts to see if he can be of any help. Finally, his wife tells him to stop interrupting. Petkoff, in turn, complains that all that he needs to be comfortable is his favorite old coat, which he can't find. Catherine rings for Nicola and tells the servant to go to the blue closet and fetch his master's old coat. Petkoff is so certain that it is not there that he is willing to make a bet of an expensive piece of jewelry with her. Sergius is about to enter a bet also, but Nicola suddenly returns with the coat. Petkoff is completely astonished and perplexed when Nicola announces that it was indeed hanging in the blue closet.

At this moment, Bluntschli finishes the last order, gives it to Sergius to take to his soldiers, and then asks Petkoff to follow to make sure that Sergius doesn't make a mistake. Petkoff asks his wife to come along because she is good at giving commands. Left alone with Raina, Bluntschli expresses his astonishment at an army where "officers send for their wives to keep discipline."

Raina then tells Captain Bluntschli how much better he looks now that he is clean, and she inquires about his experiences after he left her bedroom. She lets him know that the entire story has been told so many times that both her father and her fiancé are aware of the story, but not the identities of the people involved. In fact, Raina believes that "if Sergius knew, he would challenge you and kill you in a duel." Bluntschli says that he hopes that Raina won't tell, but Raina tells him of her desire to be perfectly open and honest with Sergius. Because of Bluntschli, Raina says, she has now told two lies — one to the soldiers looking for him in her room and another one just now about the chocolate pudding — and she feels terrible about lying; Bluntschli cannot take her seriously. In fact, he tells her that when "you strike that noble attitude and speak in that thrilling voice, I admire you; but I find it impossible to believe a single word you say." At first, Raina is indignant, but then she is highly amused that Bluntschli has seen through the disguise that she has used since she was a child: "You know, I've always gone on like that," she tells him.

When Raina asks him what he thought of her for giving him a portrait of herself, Bluntschli tells her that he never received it because he never reached into the pocket of the coat where Raina had put it. He is not concerned until he learns that Raina inscribed upon it "To my Chocolate Cream Soldier." In the meantime, Bluntschli confesses, he pawned the coat, thinking that was the safest place for it. Raina is furious, and she accuses him of having a "shopkeeping mind." At this point, they are interrupted by Louka, who brings Bluntschli some letters and telegrams, which inform him that his father has died and that Bluntschli has inherited several hotels which he will have to manage. He must leave immediately. Alarmed, Raina follows him out.

Nicola enters and sees Louka with her sleeve rolled up so as to expose her bruised arm, and he reprimands her. Then they argue over the duties and obligations of being a servant. Louka says that she absolutely refuses to act like a servant, and Nicola answers that he is quite willing to release her from their engagement if she can better herself. Then, he would have another customer for his shop, one who would bring him good business. When Sergius enters, Nicola leaves immediately, and Sergius, noticing the bruise on Louka's arm, asks if he can cure it now by kissing it. Louka reminds him of his place and of hers. She wonders aloud if Sergius is a brave man and if poor people are any less brave than wealthy people. Sergius answers that in war any man can have courage: "the courage to rage and [to] kill is cheap." Louka then asks if Sergius has true courage; that is, would he dare to marry someone whom he loved if that person was socially beneath him? She asserts that she thinks that Sergius would "be afraid of what other people would say," and thus he would never have the courage to marry beneath him. Sergius contradicts her until Louka tells him that Raina will never marry him, that Raina is going to marry the Swiss soldier. As she turns to go, Sergius grabs her and holds her firmly; as he threatens her and questions the truth of her accusation, she wonders if anyone would believe the fact that she is now in his arms. He releases her with the assertion that if he ever touches her again, it will be as her fiancé.

As Louka leaves, Bluntschli enters and is immediately told by Sergius where he is to be on the following morning; they will duel on horseback and with sabres. Bluntschli maintains that as the challenged party, it is his privilege to choose the weapons, and he plans to have a machine gun. But when Bluntschli sees that Sergius is serious, he agrees to meet him with a sabre, but he refuses to fight on horseback because it is too dangerous. Raina enters then, in time to hear their last arrangements. Bluntschli explains that he is an expert with the sword and that he will see to it that neither of them are hurt; afterward, he will leave immediately for Switzerland and no one will ever hear of the incident. Sergius then accuses Bluntschli of receiving favors from Raina which he (Sergius) has never enjoyed — that is, she received Bluntschli in her bedroom. Bluntschli points out that she did so "with a pistol at her head. . . . I'd have blown out her brains if she'd uttered a cry." Sergius cannot accept the story that there is nothing between the two because if it were true, then Captain Bluntschli would not have come back to the Petkoff house. He could have sent the coat; he came only to see Raina.

When Sergius makes further accusations, Raina reminds him that she saw him and Louka in each other's arms, and she now understands about their relationship. Sergius realizes that his and Raina's engagement is over, and he therefore cancels the duel with Bluntschli, who is pleased to get out of it since he didn't want to fight in the first place. Raina, however, is furious, and she tells Bluntschli that Sergius had Louka spy on them and that Sergius rewarded Louka by making love to her. As they continue to argue, Bluntschli tries to get Sergius to stop because he is losing the argument. Suddenly, Bluntschli asks where Louka is. Raina maintains that she is listening at the door, and as Sergius stoutly denies such a thing, Raina goes to the door and drags Louka inside; she was, in fact, eavesdropping. Louka is not ashamed; she says that her love is at stake and that her feelings for Sergius are stronger than Raina's feelings for the "chocolate cream soldier."

At this point, Major Petkoff enters in short sleeves; his old coat is being mended. When Nicola enters with it, Raina helps him on with the coat and deftly removes the inscribed portrait from the coat pocket. Thus, when her father reaches for the photograph to ask Raina the meaning of a photograph of her with the inscription: "Raina, to her Chocolate Cream Soldier: A Souvenir," the photo is missing! Major Petkoff is confused and asks Sergius if he is the "chocolate cream soldier." The Major responds indignantly that he is not. Then Bluntschli explains that he is the "chocolate cream soldier" and that Raina saved his life. Petkoff is further confused when Raina points out that Louka is the true object of Sergius' affections, despite the fact that Louka is engaged to Nicola, who denies this and says that he is hoping for Louka's good recommendation when he opens his shop.

Suddenly Louka feels as though she is being bartered, and she demands an apology; when Sergius kisses her hand in apology, she reminds him that his touch now makes her his "affianced wife," and even though Sergius had forgotten his earlier statement, he still holds true to his word and claims Louka for his own. At this moment, Catherine enters and is shocked to find Louka and Sergius together. Louka explains that Raina is fond only of Bluntschli, and before Raina can answer, Bluntschli explains that such a young and beautiful girl as Raina could not be in love with a thirty-four-year-old soldier who is an incurable romantic; the only reason he came back, he says, was not to return the coat but to get just one more glance at Raina, but he fears that she is no more than seventeen years old. Raina then tells Bluntschli that he is indeed foolishly romantic if he thinks that she, a twenty-three-year-old woman, is a seventeen-year-old girl. At this point, Bluntschli asks permission to be a suitor for Raina's hand. When he is reminded that Sergius comes from an old family which kept at least twenty horses, Bluntschli begins to enumerate all of the possessions (including two hundred horses) which he owns; he fails, however, to mention that his possessions are connected with the hotel business that he has just inherited. His list of possessions is so impressive that it is agreed that he shall indeed marry Raina, who is delighted with her "chocolate cream soldier." As Bluntschli leaves, with the promise of being back in two weeks, Sergius looks in wonder and comments, "What a man! Is he a man!"

I look forward to seeing you in the next class !

FOR CLASS XI : DAY 3 : ARMS AND THE MAN ACT 2 SUMMARY

The Act 2 summary is longer than the Act 1 summary - this is so because the play now rises to a CRISIS ! Do remember that a story only occurs when there has been some upset to one plans !

Please read this summary well and write the same in your Literature note book. Think about what you're writing !

Act II

Summary

Some four months have passed since the first act, and a peace treaty has just been signed. The setting for this act is in Major Petkoff's garden. Louka is standing onstage in a disrespectful attitude, smoking a cigarette and talking to Nicola, a middle-aged servant who has "the complacency of the servant who values himself on his rank in servitude." The opening dialogue informs us that Nicola is engaged to Louka, but that he has reservations about her deportment. He refuses to marry a person who is "disrespectful" to her superiors; he plans to open a shop in Sofia, and he thinks that the success of the shop will depend on the goodwill of his employees, and he knows that if they spread bad reports about him, his shop will never be successful. When Louka maintains that she knows secret things about the mistress and the master, Nicola reminds her that all servants know secrets about their employers, but the secret of being a good servant is to keep these things secret and to always be discreet; if servants begin telling secrets, then no one will ever employ them again. Louka is furious and says that Nicola has "the soul of a servant"; Nicola agrees — "That is," he says, "the secret of success in service."

Their discussion is interrupted by the entrance of Major Petkoff, an "insignificant, unpolished man" who has just returned from the war. He sends Louka into the house to get his wife and to also bring him some coffee. Catherine comes out and welcomes her husband, and he tells her that the war is over, the peace treaty is signed, and all is now peaceful. When he inquires about his wife's health, she tells him that she has a sore throat. The Major maintains that the soreness comes "from washing [her] neck every day." He himself does not believe in these silly modern notions of washing. "It can't be good for the health; it's not natural. There was an Englishman at Philippopolis who used to wet himself all over with cold water every morning when he got up." He maintains that the English climate is so dirty that the English have to wash, but others don't; his father, for example, lived to be ninety-eight years old and never had a bath in his entire life.

As Catherine is explaining to her husband about the installation of an electric bell in the library, the Major is confused over its use because — in his opinion — if he wants someone, he will shout for them. At this time, Major Sergius Saranoff arrives; he is "a tall romantically handsome man" and is the original of the portrait in Raina's room in the first act. He is roundly congratulated for his famous charge against the Serbs. Sergius, however, does not appreciate the compliment, because even though he was successful, he participated in a maneuver where the Russian consultants failed; thus, he did not accomplish his great success by the rule book. "Two Cossack colonels had their regiments routed on the most correct principles of scientific warfare. [Furthermore,] Two major-generals got killed strictly according to military etiquette," and now the two colonels who failed are promoted to generals and he (Sergius) who succeeded is still a major; therefore, he has resigned.

As Catherine is protesting that Sergius should not resign — the women, she says, are for him — Sergius suddenly asks, "Where is Raina?" At that very moment, Raina enters sweepingly, announcing, "Raina is here." Sergius drops chivalrously on one knee to kiss her hand. While Raina's father is impressed with the fact that Raina "always appears at the right moment," her mother is annoyed because she knows that Raina always listens at doorways in order to make her entrance at exactly the right moment. Catherine pronounces it to be "an abominable habit." 

Raina then welcomes her father home, and again they discuss Sergius' military career. Sergius now views war in a very cynical manner; according to him, there is nothing heroic nor romantic about it. "Soldiering is the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong, and keeping out of harm's way when you are weak. . . . Never fight [your enemy] on equal terms." Furthermore, he now views soldiering as having too much of the taint of being a trade business, and he despises trade; this is, of course, an allusion to Captain Blutschli, who, of course, is in trade, and it is also a reference to Louka's fiancé, Nicola, who wants to go into trade. To prove his point, Sergius asks them all to consider the case of the Swiss officer (Bluntschli) who was able to deal very shrewdly and to make clever bargains concerning prisoners. As a result, soldiering has been "reduced to a matter of trading and bartering." He adds that the man was merely "a commercial traveler in uniform."

Since the subject has come up, Major Petkoff encourages Sergius to tell the story about the Swiss officer who climbed into a Bulgarian lady's bedroom in order to escape capture. Raina, recognizing herself as the woman of the story, pretends to be offended. Major Petkoff therefore tries to get Sergius to help him with some army details, and Catherine instructs Sergius to remain with Raina while Catherine discusses some business with her husband. By this ruse, she is able to leave the two young people alone.

Alone together, Raina looks upon Sergius with admiration and worship: "My hero! My king!" — to which he responds, "My queen!" Raina sees Sergius only in terms of the knight of olden times who goes forth to fight heroically, guided only by his lady's love. She believes that the two of them have truly found what she calls the perfect "higher love." When Louka is heard entering the house, Raina leaves to get her hat so that they can go for a walk and be alone. In Louka's presence, Sergius swaggers a bit and then asks Louka if she knows what "higher love" is. Whatever it is, he says, he finds it "fatiguing" to keep it up: "one feels the need of some relief after it." He then embraces Louka, who warns him to be careful, or, at least, if he won't let her go, he should step back where they cannot be seen. After she makes a sly comment about the possibility of Raina's spying on them, Sergius defends Raina and their "higher love," and Louka maintains that she will never understand "gentlefolk" because while Sergius is professing love for Raina, he is flirting with her behind Raina's back, and, furthermore, Raina is doing the same thing. Sergius tries to reprimand Louka for gossiping so about her mistress, but he is visibly upset and dramatically strikes his forehead. He insists that Louka tell him who his rival is, but she will not do so, especially since he has just reprimanded her for talking about her mistress. She tells him that she never actually saw the man; she only heard his voice outside Miss Raina's bedroom. But she knows that if the man ever comes here again, Raina will marry him. Sergius is furious, and he grips her so tightly that he bruises her arm; he reminds her that because of her gossiping, she has the "soul of a servant," the same accusation which she made earlier about Nicola. Louka retaliates by pointing out that Sergius himself is a liar, and, furthermore, she maintains that she is worth "six of her [Raina]." As Louka begins to leave, Sergius wants to apologize for hurting a woman, no matter what the status of that woman is, but Louka will not accept an apology; she wants more. When Sergius wants to pay her for the injury, Louka says that she wants him to kiss her bruised arm. Surprised, Sergius refuses, and Louka majestically picks up the serving pieces and leaves, just as Raina enters, dressed in the latest fashion of Vienna — of the previous year. Immediately, Catherine calls down that her husband needs Sergius for a few minutes to discuss a business matter.

When Sergius is gone, Catherine enters, and she and Raina express their irritation that "that Swiss" told the entire story of his night in Raina's bedroom. Raina maintains that if she had him here now she would "cram him with chocolate creams." Catherine is frightened that if Sergius finds out the truth about what happened, the engagement will be broken off. Suddenly, however, Raina reveals that she would not care, and that, furthermore, she has always wanted to say something dreadful so as to shock Sergius' propriety, "to scandalize the five senses out of him." She half-hopes that he will find out about her "chocolate cream soldier." She then leaves her mother in a state of shock.

Louka enters and announces the presence of a Serbian soldier at the door, a soldier who is asking for the lady of the house; he has sent his card bearing his name, "Captain Bluntschli," thus giving us for the first time the name of the "chocolate cream soldier." When Catherine reads the name and hears that the caller is Swiss, she realizes that he is the "chocolate cream soldier" and that he is returning the old coat of Major Petkoff's which they gave him when he left. Catherine gives Louka strict instructions to make sure that the library door is shut; then, Louka is to send in the captain and have Nicola bring the visitor's bag to her. When Louka returns with the captain, Catherine frantically explains that her husband and future son-in-law are here and that he must leave immediately. Captain Bluntschli agrees reluctantly and explains that he only wants to take the coat out of his bag, but Catherine urges him to leave it; she will have his bag sent to him later. As Bluntschli is writing out his address, Major Petkoff comes in and greets the captain warmly and enthusiastically. Immediately, Major Petkoff tells the captain that they are in desperate need of help in working out the details of sending troops and horses to Philippopolis. Captain Bluntschli immediately pinpoints the problem, and as they are about to go into the library to explain the details, Raina enters and bumps into the captain and surprisedly exclaims loudly: "Oh! the chocolate cream soldier." She immediately regains her composure and explains that she was cooking a kind of dessert and had made a chocolate cream soldier for its decoration and that Nicola sat a pile of plates on it. At that moment, Nicola brings in the captain's bag, saying that Catherine told him to do so; when Catherine denies it, Major Petkoff thinks that Nicola must be losing his mind. He reprimands Nicola (for doing what Nicola has been commanded to do), and at this point Nicola is so confused that he drops the bag, almost hitting the Major's foot. As the women try to placate the Major, he, in turn, urges Captain Bluntschli to remain as their house guest until he has to return to Switzerland. Even though Catherine has been subtly suggesting that Captain Bluntschli leave, Bluntschli agrees to remain.

CLASS XI 2015 DAY 2 : DETAILED SUMMARY OF ACT 1

Having got the whole story, it is now time to study each Act (An Act is a section of a play - like the chapter of a book. Our play is divided into 3 Acts).

It is important that you know what happens in each Act ans don't confuse the events of one act with that of the other.

Act I

Summary

The play opens at night in a lady's bedchamber in a small Bulgarian town in 1885, the year of the Serbo-Bulgarian war. The room is decorated in the worst possible taste, a taste reflected in the mistress' (Catherine Petkoff's) desire to seem as cultured and as Viennese as possible. But the room is furnished with only cheap bits of Viennese things; the other pieces of furniture come from the Turkish Ottoman Empire, reflecting the long occupation by the Turks of the Balkan peninsula. On the balcony, standing and staring at the romantic beauty of the night, "intensely conscious that her own youth and beauty are a part of it," is young Raina Petkoff. Just inside, conspicuously visible, is a box of chocolate creams, which will play an important part later in this act and which will ultimately become a symbol of the type of war which Shaw will satirize.

Raina's mother, Catherine Petkoff, is a woman who could easily pass for a splendid specimen of the wife of a mountain fanner, but is determined to be a Viennese lady. As the play begins, Catherine is excited over the news that the Bulgarian forces have just won a splendid battle at Slivnitza against the Serbians, and the "hero of the hour, the idol of the regiment" who led them to victory is Raina's fiancé, Sergius Saranoff. She describes how Sergius boldly led a cavalry charge into the midst of the Serbs, scattering them in all directions. Raina wonders if such a popular hero will care any longer for her little affections, but she is nonetheless delighted about the news. She wonders if heroes such as Sergius esteem such heroic ideas because they have read too much Byron and Pushkin. Real life, as she knows, is quite different.

They are interrupted by the entry of Louka, a handsome and proud peasant girl, who announces that the Serbs have been routed and have scattered throughout the town and that some of the fugitives have been chased into the neighborhood. Thus, the doors must be secured since there might be fighting and shooting in the street below. Raina is annoyed that the fugitives must be killed, but she is immediately corrected — in war, everyone can be killed. Catherine goes below to fasten up the doors, and Louka shows Raina how to fasten the shutters if there is any shooting and then leaves to help bolt the rest of the house.

Left alone, Raina picks up her fiancé's picture, raises it above her head like a priestess worshipping it, and calls the portrait her "soul's hero." As she prepares for bed, shots are suddenly heard in the distance and then some more shots are heard; these are much nearer. She scrambles out of bed, rapidly blows out the candles, and immediately darts back into bed. She hears more shots, and then she hears someone tampering with the shutters from outside; there is a glimmer of light, and then someone strikes a match and warns her not to try to run away. Raina is told to light a candle, and after she does so, she is able to see a man in a Serbian's officer's uniform; he is completely bespattered with mud and blood, and he warns her that if it becomes necessary, he will shoot her because if he is caught, he will be killed — and he has no intention of dying. When they hear a disturbance outside the house, the Serbian officer quickly snatches Raina's cloak that she is about to use to cover herself; ungentlemanlike, he keeps it, knowing that she won't want a group of army officers searching her room when she is clad in only a sheer nightgown. There is more noise downstairs, and Louka is heard at the door; she says that there is a search party downstairs, and if Raina doesn't let them in, they will break down the door. Suddenly the Serbian officer loses his courage; he tells Raina that he is done for. He will shoot the first man who breaks in and "it will not be nice." Raina impulsively changes her mind and decides to hide him behind the curtains. Catherine, Louka, and a Russian officer dressed in a Bulgarian uniform enter, and after inspecting the balcony and hearing Raina testify that no one came in, they leave. (Louka, however, notices something behind the curtain and sees the revolver lying on the ottoman; she says nothing, however.) Raina slams and locks the door after them.

When the Serbian officer emerges and offers his thanks, he explains that he is not really a Serbian officer; he is a professional soldier, a Swiss citizen, in fact, and he now wishes that he had joined with the Bulgarians rather than with the Serbs. He asks to stay a minute to collect his thoughts, and Raina agrees, deciding to sit down also, but as she sits on the ottoman, she sits on the man's pistol, and she lets out a scream. Raina now realizes what it was that Louka was staring at, and she is surprised that the others didn't notice it. She is frightened of the gun, but the soldier tells her there is no need to be — it is not loaded: he keeps chocolates rather than bullets in his cartridge holder. In fact, he wishes he had some chocolates now. In mock scorn, Raina goes to the chest of drawers and returns with a half-eaten box of chocolates, the remainder of which he immediately devours. Raina is shocked to hear him say that only foolish young soldiers or else stupid ones like those in charge of the recent attack on the Serbs at Slivnitza carry bullets; wise and experienced soldiers carry chocolates. Then he offends her further (and still innocently, of course) by explaining how unprofessional the cavalry charge against the Serbians was, and if there had not been a stupid mistake on the part of the Serbs, the Bulgarians would have been massacred. Then the soldier says that the Bulgarian "hero," the leader of the troops, acted "like an operatic tenor . . . shouting his war-cry and charging like Don Quixote at the windmills." He says that the fellow was the laughingstock of everyone present: "Of all the fools let loose on a field of battle, that man must be the very maddest." Only a stupid mistake carried the day for him. Raina then takes the portrait of Sergius and shows it to the officer, who agrees that this was indeed the person who was "charging the windmills and imagining he was doing the finest thing."

Angry at the derogatory remarks about her "heroic" betrothed, Raina orders the stranger to leave. But he balks; he says that whereas he could climb up the balcony, he simply can't face the descent. He is so exhausted that he tells her to simply give out the alarm — he's beaten. Raina tries to spark some courage in him, but realizes that he is more prudent than daring. Raina is at a loss; she simply doesn't know what to do with him: he can't be caught in the Petkoff house, the richest house in Bulgaria and the only one to have a library and an inside staircase. She then remembers an opera by Verdi, Ernani, in which a fugitive throws himself on the mercy of some aristocratic people; she thinks that perhaps this might be the solution because, according to the opera, the hospitality of a nobleman is sacred and inviolable. In response, the soldier tells her that his father is a hospitable man himself; in fact, he owns six hotels in Switzerland. Then falling asleep, he kisses her hand. Raina panics. She insists that he stay awake until she can fetch her mother, but before she can get out of the room, he has crawled into her bed and is asleep in such a trance that when Raina returns with her mother, they cannot shake him awake. His fatigue is so great that Raina tells her mother: "The poor darling is worn out. Let him sleep." This comment arouses Catherine's stern reproach, and the curtain falls on the first act.

For class XI 2015 DAY 1 : ARMS & THE MAN : PLOT SUMMARY

Dear students,

Welcome to your study of "Arms and The man" a drama by George Bernard Shaw. It's a very entertaining play - and you can check with the class 12s if they find it so ! I hope you do !!!

Please have a separate note book for "Arms and The man" than you have for the Poems and Sort Stories.

It is important that you know the the plot - the way the story unfolds in the play - i.e. the sequence of events.

You need to know this accurately.

Learn the spellings of the names of the characters.

Please write the following Play Summary in your note books - writing is a means to learning - please think about what you are writing as you write !

I hope you like the story and the play !

Character List

Captain Bluntschli A professional soldier from Switzerland who is serving in the Serbian army. He is thirty-four years old, and he is totally realistic about the stupidity of war.

Raina Petkoff The romantic idealist of twenty-three who views war in terms of noble and heroic deeds.

Sergius Saranoff The extremely handsome young Bulgarian officer who leads an attack against the Serbs which was an overwhelming success.

Major Petkoff The inept, fifty-year-old father of Raina; he is wealthy by Bulgarian standards, but he is also unread, uncouth, and incompetent.

Catherine Petkoff Raina's mother; she looks like and acts like a peasant, but she wears fashionable dressing gowns and tea gowns all the time in an effort to appear to be a Viennese lady.

Louka The Petkoffs' female servant; she is young and physically attractive, and she uses her appearance for ambitious preferment.

Nicola A realistic, middle-aged servant who is very practical.

Play Summary

The play begins in the bedroom of Raina Petkoff in a Bulgarian town in 1885, during the Serbo-Bulgarian War. As the play opens, Catherine Petkoff and her daughter, Raina, have just heard that the Bulgarians have scored a tremendous victory in a cavalry charge led by Raina's fiancé, Major Sergius Saranoff, who is in the same regiment as Raina's father, Major Paul Petkoff. Raina is so impressed with the noble deeds of her fiancé that she fears that she might never be able to live up to his nobility. At this very moment, the maid, Louka, rushes in with the news that the Serbs are being chased through the streets and that it is necessary to lock up the house and all of the windows. Raina promises to do so later, and Louka leaves. But as Raina is reading in bed, shots are heard, there is a noise at the balcony window, and a bedraggled enemy soldier with a gun appears and threatens to kill her if she makes a sound. After the soldier and Raina exchange some words, Louka calls from outside the door; she says that several soldiers want to search the house and investigate a report that an enemy Serbian soldier was seen climbing her balcony. When Raina hears the news, she turns to the soldier. He says that he is prepared to die, but he certainly plans to kill a few Bulgarian soldiers in her bedroom before he dies. Thus, Raina impetuously decides to hide him. The soldiers investigate, find no one, and leave. Raina then calls the man out from hiding; she nervously and absentmindedly sits on his gun, but she learns that it is not loaded; the soldier carries no cartridges. He explains that instead of carrying bullets, he always carries chocolates into battle. Furthermore, he is not an enemy; he is a Swiss, a professional soldier hired by Serbia. Raina gives him the last of her chocolate creams, which he devours, maintaining that she has indeed saved his life. Now that the Bulgarian soldiers are gone, Raina wants the "chocolate cream soldier" (as she calls him) to climb back down the drainpipe, but he refuses to; whereas he could climb up, he hasn't the strength to climb down. When Raina goes after her mother to help, the "chocolate cream soldier" crawls into Raina's bed and falls instantly asleep. In fact, when they re-enter, he is sleeping so soundly that they cannot awaken him.

Act II begins four months later in the garden of Major Petkoff's house. The middle-aged servant Nicola is lecturing Louka on the importance of having proper respect for the upper class, but Louka has too independent a soul to ever be a "proper" servant. She has higher plans for herself than to marry someone like Nicola, who, she insists, has the "soul of a servant." Major Petkoff arrives home from the war, and his wife Catherine greets him with two bits of information: she suggests that Bulgaria should have annexed Serbia, and she tells him that she has had an electric bell installed in the library. Major Sergius Saranoff, Raina's fiancé and leader of the successful cavalry charge, arrives, and in the course of discussing the end of the war, he and Major Petkoff recount the now-famous story of how a Swiss soldier escaped by climbing up a balcony and into the bedroom of a noble Bulgarian woman. The women are shocked that such a crude story would be told in front of them. When the Petkoffs go into the house, Raina and Sergius discuss their love for one another, and Raina romantically declares that the two of them have found a "higher love."

When Raina goes to get her hat so that they can go for a walk, Louka comes in, and Sergius asks if she knows how tiring it is to be involved with a "higher love." Then he immediately tries to embrace the attractive maid. Since he is being so blatantly familiar, Louka declares that Miss Raina is no better than she; Raina, she says, has been having an affair while Sergius was away, but she refuses to tell Sergius who Raina's lover is, even though Sergius accidently bruises Louka's arm while trying to wrest a confession from her. When he apologizes, Louka insists that he kiss her arm, but Sergius refuses and, at that moment, Raina re-enters. Sergius is then called away, and Catherine enters. The two ladies discuss how incensed they both are that Sergius related the tale about the escaping soldier. Raina, however, doesn't care if Sergius hears about it; she is tired of his stiff propriety. At that moment, Louka announces the presence of a Swiss officer with a carpetbag, calling for the lady of the house. His name is Captain Bluntschli. Instantly, they both know he is the "chocolate cream soldier" who is returning the Major's old coat that they disguised him in. As they make rapid, desperate plans to send him away, Major Petkoff hails Bluntschli and greets him warmly as the person who aided them in the final negotiations of the war; the old Major insists that Bluntschli must their houseguest until he has to return to Switzerland.

Act III begins shortly after lunch and takes place in the library. Captain Bluntschli is attending to a large amount of confusing paperwork in a very efficient manner, while Sergius and Major Petkoff merely observe. Major Petkoff complains about a favourite old coat being lost, but at that moment Catherine rings the new library bell, sends Nicola after the coat, and astounds the Major by thus retrieving his lost coat. When Raina and Bluntschli are left alone, she compliments him on his looking so handsome now that he is washed and brushed. Then she assumes a high and noble tone and chides him concerning certain stories which he has told and the fact that she has had to lie for him. Bluntschli laughs at her "noble attitude" and says that he is pleased with her demeanor. Raina is amused; she says that Bluntschli is the first person to ever see through her pretensions, but she is perplexed that he didn't feel into the pockets of the old coat which she lent him; she had placed a photo of herself there with the inscription "To my Chocolate Cream Soldier." At this moment, a telegram is brought to Bluntschli relating the death of his father and the necessity of his coming home immediately to make arrangements for the six hotels that he has inherited. As Raina and Bluntschli leave the room, Louka comes in wearing her sleeve in a ridiculous fashion so that her bruise will be obvious. Sergius enters and asks if he can cure it now with a kiss. Louka questions his true bravery; she wonders if he has the courage to marry a woman who is socially beneath him, even if he loved the woman. Sergius asserts that he would, but he is now engaged to a girl so noble that all such talk is absurd. Louka then lets him know that Bluntschli is his rival and that Raina will marry the Swiss soldier. Sergius is incensed. He sees Bluntschli and immediately challenges him to a duel; then he retracts when Raina comes in and accuses him of making love to Louka merely to spy on her and Bluntschli. As they are arguing, Bluntschli asks for Louka, who has been eavesdropping at the door. She is brought in, Sergius apologizes to her, kisses her hand, and thus they become engaged. Bluntschli asks permission to become a suitor for Raina's hand, and when he lists all of the possessions which he has (200 horses, 9600 pairs of sheets, ten thousand knives and forks, etc.), permission for the marriage is granted, and Bluntschli says that he will return in two weeks to marry Raina. Succumbing with pleasure, Raina gives a loving smile to her "chocolate cream soldier."

CLASS 12 ARMS & THE MAN 1ST CARD TEST

1.   1    (a) : The things that Nicola knew about Raina that would break off her match with Sergius were that she had given refuge to a fugitive soldier of the Serbian army. Raina had even seemed to have been quite taken up by ‘The Man’ – having interacted for quite some time in her room. Raina had thus been unpatriotic as well as disloyal to Sergius. If the ‘secret’ were to be revealed he presumes that Sergius would break off the match with Raina.

(b) : “turning on him” would be reacting immediately to what he had to say and also immediately turning to face him. It also shows her surprise at that Nicola should have noticed and known such things.

(c) : Nicola advised Louka to be respectful and to make sure that Cathrine felt that no matter she (Louka) knew about Raina / Catherine and the family she could keep family secrets to herself and not betray the family by revealing them.

(d) : According to Nicola, hiss advice was practicable because in so behaving she would endear herself to them, as they expect such service from their servants (“That’s what they like”). In so doing they would benefit from the favour of the family (“that’s how you’ll make the most out of them”) – he is referring to, especially, the favour he seeks from them in being important customers to his proposed shop in Sofia and for bringing most customers to them.

(e) : Louka did not agree with Nicola because she looks down on such behavior – she feels that Nicola believes in such behavior because he has “the soul of a servant” – however, Louka feels that she is an equal of the Petkoffs – she has been described as a “proud girl” who is “defiant” in nature – her defiance bordering on “insolence” ! She thus feels that she should speak her mind and act without subservience to any other person.

2.2       (a) : Catherine and Petkoff were discussing the treaty which had been made between the Bulgarians and the Serbs after the defeat of the Serbs at the battle of Slivinitza. Petkoff had informed Catherine that the treaty had been signed three days previously. Catherine had accused Paul of having been forced by the Austrians to make peace.

(b) : Catherine said that that rather than making peace with the Serbians and their Austrian masters, she would have annexed Serbia to Bulgaria and made Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, the Emperor of the Balkans.

(c) : The other reason that Paul gave for not having taken the course of action that Catherine had suggested was that in very lengthy process of subduing the whole Austrian empire hee would have been kept too long from Catherine, whom he had already missed greatly !

(d) : Catherine’s antagonistic attitude to her husband over the peace made with the enemy Serbs and Austrians was forgotten and set aside for the moment as she felt the affection of her husband for her – she reached over to squeeze her husbands had affectionately and thus shared this moment of tendeness.

(e) : The short interaction tells me that Paul Petkoff is a sg\hrewd man and knows his wife well – he has learnt from his years of marriage how to deflect his wife’s ire and how to change an uncomfortable conversation in a manner which would succeed with her.

3.3       Contrast the characters of Louka and Nicola.

Louka was introduced to us in the first Act. The dramatist described her as a “handsome proud girl”, “so defiant” that she “is almost insolent”. However, while describing Nicola, George Bernard Shaw mentions certain characteristics which immediately reveal that these two characters are very different persons. While Louka has been described as a “girl”, Nicola has been described as “a middle-aged gentleman”.  The two do not match in age and we are eager to see if there are any other characteristics which will reveal that they are more compatible since we also hear from Nicola that they are to be married ! However, the more we hear of them the less alike they seem to be.

Compared to Louka who true her character turns back to Nicola who is lecturing her, as to a child, in “angry disdain”, Nicola has been described as having a “cool temperament”. Unlike, Luka whom we can expect to venther feelings- we are told that even with Catherine, her mistress, “she goes as far as she dares”. Nicola, with his “clear and keen intelligence” and the “imperturbability of the accurate calculator” is not one to wear his heart on his sleeve. He has planned his future taking all factors into account and calmly waits for the outcomes to fall in place.

Louka on the other hand has a keen sense that where and what she is not where and whom she would like to be in the future. Indeed, she can hardly bear her circumstances. In the first act Luka swaggers as she leaves Raina’s room, having made a grimace showing her disgust at the sham of Raina reproving her for showing her how to open the window and thus disobey her mother ! Also, in Act 1, Louka has noticed the revolver lying on the ottoman and has watched Raina’s pretence as she tries to feign indignation that someone should be in her room. She openly shows her disdain for Raina as she “purses her lips secretively and laughs insolently” annoying Raina so much that Raina slams the door after her. But where Nicola looks clearly nto the future, Louka looks at the present world around her very attentively and doesn’t miss much.

It is, thus, that Louka accuses Nicola of having the “soul of a servant” and protesting that he will never put the soul of a servant into her. Nicola, on the other hand has no issue with such behavior claiming that “that’s the secret of success in service”.

4.  4     Catherine and Paul Petkoff are the parents of Raina. We had seen Catherine in Act 1, but while, we had heard that Paul Petkoff was “at Slivinitza fighting for his country” and Raina has boasted that she was proud of her father who held the highest command of any Bulgarian in the army – he was a major, it is only in in Act 2 that we see him in person.

The first difference we notice in the personalities of Catherine and Paul is in their attitude to war. Catherine is a vociferous patriot. She takes immense pride that her future son-in-law has been the hero of the battle at Slivinitza. She remonstrates with her husband about the treaty of peace which has recently been signed with the Serbs and their Austrian masters and would rather that Serbia be annexed to Bulgaria and that Prince Alexandra of Bulgaria be declared the Emperor of the Balkans ! Paul, on the other hand, while being “greatly pleased with the military rank which the war has thrust on him” is “obviously glad to be home again”. He is not as enthused with Sergius tactics in gaining victory for the Bulgarians in the recent battle while Catherine the moment she heard of the victory hadn’t sufficient praise for Sergius.

Both of them are very keen to emphasize their status in Bulgarian society – we are tolf by the dramatist that he is “naturally unambitious except as to his income and his importance in local society”. However, Catherine seems more keep to project their family to others. It is Catherine who doubtfully remarks “I hope you behaved yourself before all those Russian officers” to which Paul replies “I did my best. I took care to let them know we have a library.”

However, Catherine and Paul differ in their perceptions of what really makes and impression on others. Catherine, is extremely proud of the bell she has had installed in their library to call Nicola. Paul cannot understand the need for it and feels it is far simpler to shout for him – he admonished by Catherine who remarks – “Civilised people never shout for their servants.”. However, when Paul when Paul retorts that “Civilised people don’t hang out their washing to dry where visitors can see it” Catherine doesn’t sgree.

Finally, they disagree most importantly in their opinion of Sergius – Paul can hardly tolerate him remarking – “he bores my life” ! The dramatist tells us “Catherine iss hardly less enthusiastic about him than her daughter and must less reserved in shewing her enthusiasm……Petkofff is distinctively less disposed to make a fuss about him.”

5.   5    Portray the character of Sergius…….

We first see Sergius’ portrait which stands on the chest of drawers in Raina’s room. From the portrait we see that he is “an extremely handsome officer” who has a lofty bearing” and “magnetic glance”. We know that the picture is true as his enemy (The Man) notes that he is “A regular handsome fellow”. When he does appear in Act 2 – the description of him shows that portrait accurately pictured him. He is definitely a ladies man and Catherine and Raina express the response of women to him. As Shaw tells us : “Catherine is hardly less enthusiastic about him than her daughter, and much less reserved in showing her enthusiasm.”

The news that he has led the Bulgarian army to victory over the Serbs in the battle at Slivinitza by taking matters into his own hands seemed to lift Raina’s opinion of him. She had had misgivings about him wondering if he would really be able to prove himself in war – but he has and he is now her “Hero !” . However, ‘The Man’s’ remarks regarding his adventurous assault on the Serbian cannon, begin to cast a doubt on his practicality and wisdom. The man had remarked “Of all the fools ever let loose on a field of battle, that man must be the very maddest “. The Man had gone on to explain “He and his regiment simply committed suicide”. So, we begin to doubt Sergius’ judgment in war. Thus when Shaw says that Sergius has “the physical hardihood, the high spirit and the susceptible imagination of a mountaineer chief” we tend to believe that Sergius acts on the spur of the moment and in a rush of passion, as he did at Slivinitza. We can admire his courage and passion, but must side with more reasonable perceptions like that of ‘The Man’ and Paul Petkoff that such an attitude is not desirable of one who is seeking command over certain personnel in the army. We can understand why fellow soldiers think he is foolish and suicidal and why he has not been granted a promotion in the Bulgarian army.

Shaw has given us further information regarding Sergius’ character – his romantic nature. He compares Sergius to the English romantic poet Byron. His similarities to Byron are as follows :

·         “his brooding on the perpetual failure, not only of others, but of himself, to live up to his ideas” – we have noticed that ‘The Man’ and Paul Petkoff fail to acknowledge his daring which led to the victory in battle – they have exclusively focused on the lack of military judgement – we have at this stage not heard him speak for himself, but we will surely do so later. It is only persons like Catherine who believe in his spirited response to life.

·         “his cynical scorn of humanity”, the “unworthiness of the world in disregarding” his concepts. At this stage, once again, we can only see whether his future nehaviour will reveal this aspect of his character.

·         “his jejune credulity as to the absolute validity of his concepts” – we have noted that Serguis embarked on his plan to defeat the Serbs and took matters into his own hands when he was convinced of his decision defying his senior officer’s caution.

·         His “moodiness” – his “wincings” – yet again, since we are yet to witness his behavior we cannot vouch for the truth of this description, but we shall observe his behavior for the signs of these characteristics.