17 (i) : Just before this extract Sergius had told Louka that he found the enactment of "higher love" a "very fatiguing thing to keep up for any length of time". He also mentioned that he felt the need "of some relief after it". By saying that Sergius was suggesting a a spell of flirtation with Louka. Louka does not seem averse to going on with Sergius' flirtatious advances.
(ii) : Sergius says that he is surprised at himself because he perceives that he is a combination of different personalities, behaving differently in different circumstances and he seems confused at his own behaviour.
(iii) : Sergius says that the "hero of Slivnitza" would be surprised at Sergius' flirtatious behaviour. He had acted very selflessly by putting his life on the line at Slivnitza and now he is acting in a dishonourable way be flirting with Louka behind the back of Raina, to whom he has professed love.
(iv) : Sergius calls himself the "apostle of higher love" because he considers himself the expert in its practice. His lady-love Raina, seems to worship him her "hero", :king" and "lord" for acting out this "higher love" - so he probably believes that he is an expert in its perfection, such an expert to be an advocate of the same, someone who should be imitated for the same and someone who should be associated with the perfection of the enactment of the same as would an 'apostle' in religious matters.
(v) : That Sergius has realised that within there are various levels of motives, reveals, firstly, that he is a fairly self-aware person. It also reveals that he is an introspective person as he seems to be in touch with the less complementary aspects of himself. On the other hand we can accuse Sergius of being a person who plays false - changing his behaviour whenever the situation changes - and thus not a man of character. However, I feel that the latter judgement would be too severe.
(vi) : While Bluntschli ('The Man') has shown himself, thus far, to be a very matter-of-fact and straightforward person with no intention of romanticizing life - rather he speaks of life as it is , for e.g. he speaks of older soldiers carrying chocolate to war rather tha ammunition; of being unwilling to risk their lives in battle for their country. In addition, he makes no pretenses about himself. He expresses his fear of climbing down a pipe and his sensitive nature if scolded. Sergius, on the other hand, tries to live up to the romantic ideals of this world. He has tried to do so in battle and he does so in love. However, we know that he is rudely disillusioned with the reeaction to his heroism in war and later in the play we will find that he loses his lady love Raina to Bluntschli - so much for his acting out of "higher love".
(ii) : Sergius says that he is surprised at himself because he perceives that he is a combination of different personalities, behaving differently in different circumstances and he seems confused at his own behaviour.
(iii) : Sergius says that the "hero of Slivnitza" would be surprised at Sergius' flirtatious behaviour. He had acted very selflessly by putting his life on the line at Slivnitza and now he is acting in a dishonourable way be flirting with Louka behind the back of Raina, to whom he has professed love.
(iv) : Sergius calls himself the "apostle of higher love" because he considers himself the expert in its practice. His lady-love Raina, seems to worship him her "hero", :king" and "lord" for acting out this "higher love" - so he probably believes that he is an expert in its perfection, such an expert to be an advocate of the same, someone who should be imitated for the same and someone who should be associated with the perfection of the enactment of the same as would an 'apostle' in religious matters.
(v) : That Sergius has realised that within there are various levels of motives, reveals, firstly, that he is a fairly self-aware person. It also reveals that he is an introspective person as he seems to be in touch with the less complementary aspects of himself. On the other hand we can accuse Sergius of being a person who plays false - changing his behaviour whenever the situation changes - and thus not a man of character. However, I feel that the latter judgement would be too severe.
(vi) : While Bluntschli ('The Man') has shown himself, thus far, to be a very matter-of-fact and straightforward person with no intention of romanticizing life - rather he speaks of life as it is , for e.g. he speaks of older soldiers carrying chocolate to war rather tha ammunition; of being unwilling to risk their lives in battle for their country. In addition, he makes no pretenses about himself. He expresses his fear of climbing down a pipe and his sensitive nature if scolded. Sergius, on the other hand, tries to live up to the romantic ideals of this world. He has tried to do so in battle and he does so in love. However, we know that he is rudely disillusioned with the reeaction to his heroism in war and later in the play we will find that he loses his lady love Raina to Bluntschli - so much for his acting out of "higher love".
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