Summarize Raina and Bluntschli's conversation in Act 1 of Arms and the Man.
In Act 1 of Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw , Raina and Bluntschli have an extended conversation. The conversation begins when Bluntschli, a Swiss mercenary who has been fighting for the Serbs, climbs up Raina's drainpipe onto her balcony to escape the Bulgarian soldiers looking for Serbian stragglers after...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
a battle.
Initially, Bluntschli appears to be in a position of power and Raina a frightened young girl threatened by a professional soldier armed with a pistol, but as the conversation continues, their positions are reversed, and we discover Bluntschli to be practical, tired, hungry, and rather unthreatening. Over the course of the conversation, Raina's doubts about the traditional romantic and literary view of war are confirmed by the sensible views of a professional soldier who is distinctly anti-heroic in character. Bluntschli educates Raina while she protects him.
In this conversation we see that despite their initial apparent differences, the two characters are attracted to each other and compatible, something that sets up their marriage at the end of the play.
What is the significance of Raina and Bluntschli's meeting in "Arms and the Man"?
Raina and Bluntschli's meeting is important because it sets the plot of the play in motion. Even more importantly, it creates a conflict for Raina and causes her to have to rethink her ideas about what constitutes a hero.
Sergius is Raina's romantic ideal of the brave soldier. Bluntschli, a mercenary and a deserter who escapes to her bedroom, is everything she knows she should despise. Nevertheless, Bluntschli, with his frank talk and honest action, is the man who most deeply attracts her. Once Bluntschli crosses her path, she is forced to reevaluate her relationship with Sergius.
Bluntschli tells Raina that Sergius is not a hero and only won his battle because the other side was even more incompetent than he was. Bluntschli challenges Raina's notions that war is glorious.
Once Raina starts to get to know Bluntschli, she can't help but become aware that her romance with Sergius is based on an illusion. Bluntschli's arrival is providential, because it saves her from a marriage with a man who prefers her maid and throws her into the "arms" of the man she truly loves.
What is the significance of Raina and Bluntschli's meeting in "Arms and the Man"?
The meeting between Raina and Bluntschli is of great significance, in fact, it is correct to say it is the most significant element in Shaw's play because, without the meeting, the plot wouldn't develop and the lives the other characters wouldn't change. Because they meet, Raina gives up her false ideals of love, then loves truly; Sergius can suddenly be true to himself and his love for Louka; and Blunschli can blend pragmatism with romanticism and declare his love for Raina and return to help his father with his business.