Question : Essay-type
“Sergius and Bluntschli represent comic versions of two external opposites–the dreamer and the man of action.” Do you agree?
Introduction
“No conflict, no drama” the dramatist seeks to convey his message by carefully presented contrast. In ‘Arms and the Man’ there is the general conflict between romantic and anti-romantic, and between realism and imagination quality and fanciful notion and the actual reality. This conflict is particularly enforced through the characters. For example, Sergius stands for the un-realist and romantic notions while Bluntschli is very antithesis and represents the idealistic attitude towards love and war. Dr. S.C. Sengupta thinks that “Sergius is too much of a fool even to serve as a contrast to the brilliant Bluntschli.”
Sergius And His Attitude Towards War
Sergius is introduced to us as tall and handsome, every inch of a soldier, with his heart full of the spirit of noble adventure. He goes to war finding an opportunity for the display of heroism. His attitude towards war is romantic. It is such a high flown notion that he leads the cavalry charge against the machine guns unit, anxious to do or die, never pausing to question why.
Bluntschli And His Attitude Towards War
Bluntschli’s attitude towards war is entirely different. As a soldier, he is nothing like the romantic Sergius. He is of a middle stature and undistinguished appearance. His face is not handsome and impressive like Sergius’s. It is a common prosaic face, but there is in his eyes a twinkle that speaks of intelligence and liveliness. He has no romantic illusions about soldiering. He is always guided by common sense. The romantic glow about war and love holds no appeal to him. So, he does not consider war as an opportunity for the display of heroism. He is not a conventional soldier to whom fighting is an amusement. Reckless heroism has no appeal for him. He fights when he has to and is very glad to get out of it which he has not to. He says to Sergius, “I’m a professional soldier. I fight when I have to, and am very glad to get out of it when I haven’t to.” He has to me to agree with Napoleon Maxim that an army marches on its stomach. He fills in his pocket cream chocolates in place of bullets. He believes with Falstaff that discretion is the better part of valour. In these ideas he is realistic and presents a contrast to the romantic and conventional Sergius.
This contrast is further enforced by Bluntschli’s account of Sergius’ grand adventure. Sergius went into it in answer to his ideals of heroism. He found in it the charge an opportunity to show courage and win fame. But Bluntschli know that it was extremely foolish thing to do. In his eyes it was as stupid as ‘Don Quixote’ headlong charge on Windmills. He says in despair, “It’s no use, dear lady: I can’t make you see it from the professional point of view.” It should have ended in the message of the whole group. Only a lucky circumstance saved them, and turned folly into triumph.
Contrast In The Temperament Of The Two Men
There is a clear contrast in the temperament of two men. Sergius, at the beginning, is not only a romantic soldier but also an apostle of higher love. His ideas about love as fanciful as romantic as his ideas of war. He is in love with Raina and considers himself her worshipper. He has ‘gone through the war like a knight in a tournament.’ He calls her, “My lady, and my saint!” But all the time he is assailed by the doubt whether all these is not just oppose. He realizes that it is difficult to keep the attitude for any length of time. Hence he seeks relief by making love with Louka. He feels a slight suspension even in the middle of it.
On the contrary, Bluntschli has no romantic notions about love. He sees through Raina’s pose and turns her towards the face of reality. He points out to her that she has so long built up and carefully reared an imaginary self in place of her real self. He brings her back to sanity by exposing her theatrically.
As has already been noted there is a clear contrast in the temperament of the two men. Bluntschli is a practical man to the finger-tips. He is the real man of action who knows what to do and when. On the other hand, Sergius is given to a great deal of introspection. He is constantly worried by his own and the world’s failure to live upon the ideals cherished by him. Hence the dashing soldier in reality is something of a dreamer.
Conclusion
It must be said to the credit of Sergius in the play, and he realizes the superiority of Bluntschli’s attitude. This contrast is then reinforced when Sergius is unable to help Major Petkoff in sending three Bulgarian regiment to a distant down, Bluntschli is able to solve this problem easily. Both Raina and Sergius find their empty pretensions are gone. Bluntschli cure them of their deceptions. Even Sergius feels that the hotel-keeper’s son is better equipped for the soldier profession than the mountain chieftain. We had much amusement when Bluntschli, accepting Sergius’s challenge for a duel, jokingly says, “If I go, I shall take a machine gun. And there shall be no mistake about the cartridges this time.”
It is said that Shaw himself placed to be a greater value in the character of Sergius than on Bluntschli. He called him a ‘Comic Hamlet’. But it is beyond doubt that Bluntschli is the hero of the play. Indeed, he runs away with it. At every turn he gets the better of Sergius and runs away with the heroine.
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