An Essay on the Both Romantic and Realistic Characters in Arms and the Man

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Throughout the years, a prominent difference between and separation of Romanticism and Realism has always existed. The gap between the two with characters and with genres is often clear, and who is Romantic and what is Realistic is plainly defined. In his play, Shaw melds Romanticism and Realism into a given character with the result of touching upon deceiving appearances and a well-written comedy. In Arms and the Man, Shaws characters give the reader first impressions that contradict aspects of their personality later revealed throughout the course of the play, specifically contrasting between Romantic and Realistic viewpoints; such characters that later contrast their first impressions are Raina, Louka, and Officer Bluntschli.


The first character introduced to us in the play is Raina, a rather idealistic young woman. She initially appears to have Romantic ideals, as her seemingly upper class upbringing has allowed only that narrow mind-set. At the inflated news of a victorious cavalry charge for the army her family supports which is later very de-glamorized by Officer Bluntshli, Raina says (paraphrased), “Oh I am so happy! So proud! It proves our patriotism and our heroic ideals are real!” Raina’s interjection displays her Romantic ideals influenced by Romantic literature, such as that written by Byron and Pushkin as mentioned by Raina in the play. But as the acts of the play progress, and as she comes in contact with The Man (a.k.a. Officer Bluntschli) who reveals to her more grounded views of the world contrary to her ideas of brave soldiers eager to give their lives to serve their country, Raina adopts a more sullen, realistic mentality. She reacts bitterly to the insensitive regard for death that soldiers have when Louka mentions that Officer Bluntschli has no word of grief for his father’s death. She replies, “[bitterly] Grief! A man who has been doing nothing but killing people for years! What does he care? What does any soldier care?” in a situation where in the beginning of the book, she would have been impressed by a soldier’s casualty tally and based her opinion of him taking that information into account.


One of the servants of Raina’s family, Louka, though somewhat naïve, is introduced as a sassy, disrespectful, slightly insubordinate girl. She scoffs at Raina’s Romantic ideals of being married to a war hero and living happily ever after, but as the play progresses and conditions change, Louka adopts the same values she once dismissed as lofty and ridiculous. Initially, Louka makes snide remarks or actions when Raina says something displaying her Romantic upbringing, such as “doing as we are told.” Raina asks her mother to allow her to leave the shutters open at night until she hears a gunshot and then to close them, but her mother insists they are to be closed immediately to ensure her safety. After Raina’s mother leaves, Louka shows Raina a way to open the shutters up again, but Raina points out the need to obey the rules, and Louka grimaces in response to Raina’s dedicated obedience to her mother. However, after more developments in the play, such as Sergius pursuing Louka as his romantic interest behind Raina’s back while Officer Bluntschli and Raina become more attracted to one another, and after all the secrets they’ve concealed are revealed, Louka has become more fiery and passionate and less cynical and mocking of love and the traditional Romantic happy ending. When she is asked why she was listening at the door, she said her love was at stake, and when Raina rejected her love and renamed it curiosity, Louka replies fervently, “My love, stronger than anything you can feel, even for your chocolate cream soldier.” Though Louka still scorns Raina and her feelings, Louka no longer thinks herself too worthy for a man, and has been wooed by Sergius’s charm, or lack thereof.


Yet another character who reveals a seemingly contradicting disposition is Officer Bluntschli, mentioned earlier. Bluntschli originally impressed upon the readers the most Realistic outlook of all the characters in the play, but by the end he had truly proven himself as a Romantic. At the play’s beginning, Bluntschli tells it as it is, particularly when Raina praises the courage of the leader of the cavalry charge. Bluntschli explained the truth of the cavalry charge � that “courage” was a misnomer and that cowardice and lack of grace would be better substitutes, since the leader, Raina’s dear Sergius, was not trying to lead them to battle, but simply was on a disobedient horse. Raina looks down upon Bluntschli because he, being a nervous wreck, is easily startled, carries sweets instead of ammunition, and he is an seasoned soldier � his experience has dulled the enthusiasm young men have for going to battle, and his weariness for the battlefield disgusts Raina. Yet in the final scene, when all the secrets are being revealed and the story pieced together, Bluntschli reveals himself to be one of the most Romantic of the bunch. He offhandedly remarks he spoiled his chances at life because of his “incurably romantic disposition” which startles Sergius, who asks Bluntschli to repeat himself and confirm that he truly did just refer to himself as Romantic. Bluntschli further elaborates his Romanticism, adding examples of running away from home as a boy, going into the army instead of his father’s business, climbing a balcony when in danger instead of diving into a cellar like any rational man would do, and coming back to the house to see Raina instead of just sending the coat he borrowed back to the father. Bluntschli is the most surprising and clear-cut example of contradicting traits.


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In Shaw’s play, the reader perceives the characters differently than they truly are, which reinforces the theme of appearances versus reality, expressly realistic thoughts contrasted to Romantic thoughts. Raina, the idealistic young daughter ready to marry a noble war hero, proves to have an element of bitter common sense awakened by exposure to Bluntschli and his frank opinions on the world. Louka, her serving girl, is egotistical and unpracticed in her life as a servant, but still disparages Raina’s Romantic beliefs until she herself is courted by Sergius, and then she dons a rather Romantic outlook on life, since she expects to live happily ever after. Another example of going from appearing Realistic to Romantic is Bluntschli, who discourages and disproves Raina’s grand ideas of the world, and who reveals himself to be the most Romantic of all. Shaw touches on one of the great universal themes of appearances versus reality and incorporates Romanticism versus Realism into it, creating an entertaining and thought-provoking piece of comedic literature.





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