Question

Arms and the man line by line explanation

Answer 1

The play begins November of 1885 in a lady’s bedchamber in small-town Bulgaria at the end of the Serbo-Bulgarian War. The room is a confusing mixture of Bulgarian and Viennese decorations and furniture; the native pieces are rich and beautiful, but the occidental pieces are cheap and paltry. Between the door and the bed sits a chest of drawers covered with a pile of paperback novels, a box of chocolate creams and a photo of a handsome officer. A beautiful young lady, RainaPetkoff stands on the balcony admiring the “romantic beauty of the night” and knowing that “her own youth and beauty are part of it” (2).

Raina’s mother Catherine Petkoff enters looking for her daughter. Though beautiful in an earthy way, Catherine’s class pretensions - always wearing a fashionable tea gown - make her a somewhat ridiculous figure. She informs Raina that her fiancé Sergius headed a daring cavalry charge, winning a major battle. Raina and her mother become ecstatic, rapturously contemplating the Bulgarian maneuver. Yet Raina admits that as Sergius was leaving for war she had doubts as to whether all their ideas about heroism and love would be borne out in reality. She explains that she suspected their ideas were only the product of plays and operas, but she happily asserts that hearing news of Sergius’ exploits confirms that their ideas were real and correct.

Louka, the Petkoffs' beautiful and insolent female servant, enters the room and explains that the windows should be closed and locked, as retreating Serbians are being hunted down in the streets. Raina is appalled by the violence and cruelty of war but Catherine is only concerned with securing the house, demanding that Raina lock her windows. After Catherine departs, Louka suggests leaving the window unlocked and is immediately scolded by Raina who is insistent that one must do as one is told. Before climbing in bed to read a romance novel, Raina holds Sergius’ portrait above her, as if in prayer, murmuring “My hero! My hero” (5).

Outside a distant shot and then two nearer ones ring out. Raina turns off all her lights and jumps in bed. The window is forced from outside and a shadowy man clambers into the room. Raina cries out in the darkness and is answered by a threatening and commanding voice that warns her that screaming will be answered with shots. At the voice’s command, Raina lights a candle and sees a blood- and mud-splattered, haggard-looking Serbian soldier.

The man explains that if he is found he will be killed and he does not yet intend to die. He notices that Raina is dressed in a skimpy nightgown and cunningly snatches her cloak, explaining that if she is to allow Bulgarian soldiers into her room she must do so in her undressed state. Raina is disgusted both that the Serbian soldier is unwilling to die nobly and that he would resort to using such an ungentlemanly tactic to save his life.

Louka begins knocking furiously on Raina’s door, explaining that the Bulgarian army is demanding to search her room. The intruder realizes his defeat and hands Raina her cloak. Overwhelmed with compassion, Raina pulls him into a hiding place behind her curtains before opening the door. A polite Russian officer in the Bulgarian army enters asking to search the room. Raina throws open the shutters, revealing an empty balcony while standing in front of the soldier's hiding place, blocking it from sight. A bullet shatters one of her windows from outside but she holds her position. The Russian officer, satisfied that the room is empty, yells at the men in the street to cease fire and bids the family farewell. As she is leaving, Louka glances at a gun lying on the ottoman and then towards the hiding place, smirking.

The Serbian soldier reveals he is actually a Swiss mercenary fighting for the Serbian side and requests to stay in the room a few more moments, until the danger outside has passed. Raina expresses regret that he will have to face danger again. She then cries out when she sees the man’s gun on her ottoman, scaring him. She teases him about his reaction, saying he may use the gun to protect himself from her. The Swiss mercenary replies that he has no cartridges, only chocolates, triggering more disdain from Raina. Mockingly, she brings him a half-finished box of chocolate creams and he devours them hungrily.

The soldier explains that he has been in battle

Answer 2

Answer:

relationship between raina and sergius