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.
(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.
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