There are Two Themes in "Arms and the Man"- "War and Love"- How does Shaw Treat Theme of War in the Play?

In "Arms and the Man", Shaw's purpose is to demolish romantic idealism about war and love. The play attacks the romance of war as well as the romance of love.

Give Your Impression of the Character of Sergius in “Arms and the Man”.

Sergius is romantic and sentimental in his attitude to life. By his pose and romantic attitude he produces an impression wherever he goes. Like the romantic poet Byron, the Byronic hero Sergius is selfconscious, full of absurdly romantic ideas, self-critical and moody.

Give an Estimate of the Character of Nicola in “Arms and the Man”.

Nicola is a servant of the Major Petkoffs. Through him Shaw satirizes the bad system of master and servant. Nicola serves as a contrast to Louka, the maid-servant of the Petkoffs house. Nicola has the soul of a servant. But Louka has a natural dignity and a lofty sense of equality with her employers. Shaw has described Nicola as "a middle aged man of cool temperament and low but clear and keen intelligence". Nicola is loyal, obedient and faithful. He has not the revolutionary zeal of Louka. He is a man of practical wisdom. He is never, like Louka, defiant to his master and mistress. He is always humble in his dealings with them. As a servant he is very capable and successful. Bluntschli rightly remarks: "Nicola is the ablest man I've met in Bulgaria."

Write a Note on the Character of Major Petkoff in ''Arms and the Man''.

Major Petkoff is the father of Raina. The war with the Serbs has made him an important figure in his place. He is a hero satirized by Shaw as an aristocrat who has won a high military glory without having any extraordinary qualities as a fighter.

Sketch the Character of Raina in ''Arms and the Man''.

Raina in the heroine of the play "Arms and the man". She is a beautiful young lady of romantic temperament. She is polite and gentle in her manners. She is witty, lively and cheerful in her conversation. Shaw illustrates in her his main theme of the play - the conflict between Romance and Reality and the ultimate victory of Reality over Romance.

Give your Impression of the Character of Louka in ''Arms and the Man''.

Louka is the daughter of a poor Bulgarian farmer. She is beautiful. She is proud and defiant. She is uneducated. She has no culture. She has no romantic illusion like Raina. She is a servant-girl of the Petkoffs family. She is engaged to Nicola, but she makes a distinction between herself and Nicola, the man-servant. Nicola has the soul of a servant, while she has not. Louka is proud and defiant. She is ambitious. Her aim is to marry above her rank and make a lady of herself. She has no regard for his mistress or for Raina. She tells Nicola very boldly: "I do defy her (Raina). I will defy her. What do I care for her?" She is a spirited girl who hates the slavish mentality of Nicola.

Sketch the Character of Catherine in ''Arms and the Man''.

Character of Catherine in ''Arms and the Man''

Shaw's description of Catherine is very appropriate Catherine Petkoff is a woman of over forty. She is highly energetic. She is the wife of a mountain farmer. But she is determined to be a Viennese lady and so she wears a fashionable tea-gown on all occasions. Catherine is a motherly type of woman. She is a good mistress and a good housewife who manages her household affairs with great skill. She always looks after the comforts of her husband and daughter. She is very practical. She has a strict control over her domestic servants. She is dignified in her manners and bearing. Catherine is a snobbish fashionable lady. She is fond of imitating western fashions. She boasts stupidly of her library, electric bell and civilized culture. She is very proud of the fact that her husband is a 'Major in the army. She has money and position and she is proud of her social prestige. Her foolish pride in the aristocracy of her family is exposed in her words: 'Our position is almost historical: we can go back for twenty years'.

Epical Qualities in "Paradise Lost, Book-II".

    We must first try to understand what an epic is. The epic is the most ancient art. In short, it is the treatment of a sublime subject in the grand manner. To define elaborately, “an epic is a long narrative poem written in an elevated or grand style which usually ends in grief or unhappiness, organic in structure, dealing with great actions and great characters, in a style commensurate with the lordliness of its theme which tends to idealize and embellish its subject by means of episode and amplification."

 

Give a Description of Hell as Milton Presents it in "Book-II of Paradise Lost".

Paradise Lost by Milton is an excellent piece of writing. It is an epic. In Book-I of this epic, Milton presents a vivid picture of Hell. Hell was created by God after the revolt of the angels. It is a place of torment. It is the gathering place of bad wildness. It is a situation of waste and wild. It is the hellish world of horrors. It is just like furnace where Satan and followers have fallen. It was a place where" torture without end afflicted its victims."

 

Note on Milton's Poetic Style.

Among the greatest artists the world Literature has produced Milton is one of them. In sublimity of thought and majesty of expression, both sustains at almost super-human pitch, he has no competent superior and no rival equaled in English Literature.

Bring out the Leadership Qualities in Satan as Revealed in "Paradise Lost, Book-II".

Satan is presented by John Milton, a versatile ambitious literary monarch, in Book -II of Paradise Lost, possesses the inherent qualities of leadership with his heroic fortitude, kingdom and undaunted courage. His heroic qualities as displayed in Book-I and Book-II have been admired by a number of critics

Satan's Journey Through the Realm of Chaos and Comment on its Significance in "Paradise Lost Book-II".

Milton's description of chaos and Satan's journey through it is one of the grandest and the most original portions of the epic. Milton portrayed the place chaos as a grotesque devastating and horrible one. Chaos is described as utter, disorder, uncertainty and darkness. Satan arrives here after having made a long journey from the gates of Hell, which had been opened by Sin.

How Milton Individualized the Fallen Angels through their Speeches in Pandemonium In "Paradise Lost Book- II".

In Paradise Lost Book II, Milton characterizes the various fallen Angels. The leaders of the fallen angels assemble in the Pandemonium to decide upon the course of action. They put forward the arguments that are revelatory of their character. Every fallen angel has his own point of view-by which he is differentiated from the others. Milton individualizes them not only through the speeches but also by giving us a brief introductory sketch of each.

Critical Note on the Significance of Sin and Death in “Paradise Lost Book II”.

Milton found inspiration for the figures of Sin and Death in a Biblical passage. He gives us a horrible description of both Sin and Death. The allegorical figures of Sin and Death occur when Satan reaches the gates of Hell which he finds guarded by these two monstrous figure. Milton develops his elaborate allegory personifying Sin and Death with a wealth of detail.

Note on the Epic Similes of “Book II of Paradise Lost”.

The epic similes exhibit an essential pictorial quality without which the epic shall fail to charm and appeal. They make a striking contrast to the purely personal and objective similes of lyric poetry. Epic similes most accord well with the grandeur and dignity, beyond the limits of comparison, a sense of vastness and of limitless space. They should be ornamental and illustrative. This is most manifest in Milton's epic Paradise Lost Book II.