George Bernard Shaw, Arms and the Man

Ken Newton (University of Dundee)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.08: English Writing and Culture of the early Twentieth Century , 1900-1945.
Vol. editors: Chris Baldick (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Peter Childs (Birmingham Newman University), Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Dates

First circulation or publication Apr 1894 - 1898

Places

England (Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Play

Resources

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Recommended Reading

Arms and the Man

was first produced in London in 1894 and published in Shaw's collection,

Plays Pleasant

, in1898. The play takes place in Bulgaria in1885 during a war between Bulgarians and Serbs. The main female character, Raina Petkoff, is in her bedroom and is elated that the Bulgarians have defeated the Serbs through a heroic cavalry charge led by her fiancé, Sergius. A Swiss professional soldier, Captain Bluntschli, who has been fighting on the Serb side and is fleeing from the victorious Bulgarians, enters her bedroom. After his pursuers have gone he and Raina discuss the recent battle. To Raina's consternation he calls Sergius an idiot who would undoubtedly have led the Bulgarians to disaster if the Serbs had not been given the wrong ammunition. He is quite unperturbed at being…

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1863 words

Citation: Newton, Ken. "Arms and the Man". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 November 2002 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6504, accessed 27 April 2024.]

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