Discuss the significance of the title of the play ‘Arms and the Man’

Significance of the Title of the Play ‘Arms and the Man’

The title of the play, ‘Arms and the Man’, was taken from the first line of Dryden’s translation of Virgil, which is “Arms and the Man I sing...” The words thus supply an appropriate title for a play whose main theme is war, though it is interwoven with another theme, namely love.

George Bernard Shaw, the writer of the play, in the play, exposes the hollow sentimentalism and romance that has gathered around war in the contemporary society of Shaw’s time. Shaw’s theme in ‘Arms and the Man’ is that, man is more than arms and war is a silly business. But it is only the imagination of sentimental homestayers who has cast such a halo around the war, making the soldier a hero to be worshipped.

Shaw suggests that, the reality of war is dangerous. Soldiers are like other human beings and they are very much afraid of death. They are also subject to hunger. All these ideas are presented through the professional soldier, Bluntschli: “Raina: Some soldiers, I know, are afraid to die. The Man: All of them, dear lady, all of them, believe me. It is our duty to live as long as we can.” The play also reveals the disillusion of romantic ideas regarding war by the character of Sergius who becomes a fool trying to show heroism – “It (the cavalry charge) was the cradle and the grave of my military reputation.” So, it is a realistic and unconventional view of soldiering that the dramatist takes in the play. Thus, the title has a bearing on the central theme of the play.

 However, the title has been objected in the point that it does not touch upon the other theme of the play – love. Like romantic notion of war, sentimental love that is “higher love” of Sergius and Raina is satirized by Shaw. It reveals when Sergius fatiguing of “higher love” seeks relief and flirts with Louka, the maid servant, at the back of Raina, his soul’s queen. Raina also loves Bluntschli who with his realistic attitude wins her at last. But love is only a secondary aspect of the play, occupying the later part of the drama.

 War is the staple subject and discussion of war looms large throughout the whole play. Again, the treatment of love is the same as war that is anti-romantic and it is also exposed through the character of Bluntschli, the man of arms. Hence, the possible objection to the title may be easily waived aside. Above all, ‘Arms and the Man’ centres round the background of war and deals with the man-of-arms who loves and fights holding different ideologies of them. It reveals the ridiculous romantic notions of war and love.

Therefore, the title is suggested of both the problems raised in the play and its form.

                                            

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 Written By                                                                                                         

S. MALLICK

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY – Text Book (FBC), A Study Guide (FBC) & Handnote Series (Lecture)