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Thursday, January 28, 2010

BOOK REVIEW: ARMS AND THE MAN by GEORGE BERNARD SHAW


This is my first book review, I read this book three years ago and found it very interesting. It matches with my thought process and attitude.


This was written by G B Shaw and it was published in the year 1898. The play takes place in Bulgaria in 1885 during a war between Bulgaria and the Serbs. G B Shaw wrote plays dealing with prevailing social problems and this play also deal with the problem of war. This play is a satire on foolishness of glorifying something as terrible as war, as well as basing your affections on idealistic notions of love. This is an anti romantic comedy , Shaw in Arms and the Man reflects the human nature in a psychological frame.


Shaw reveals the reality of the society and human nature beautifully through the characters of the play. Bluntschli a young soldier of the Serbian army is the main character of the play, the play revolves around him and Bluntschli no doubt is the Shaw himself, through Bluntschli Shaw has portrayed himself and his philosophy based on humanism and socialism beautifully in a comic way. Play is so well written that fluency is maintained to the end of the play and there are so many twists and U-turn in the play which is very helpful for maintaining the interest in the play, reading this play is full utilization of time as it provides entertainment as well as information and motivation.


I suggest everyone to read this play as it leads to some thoughts- new and different .I would like write here some examples from the play for the readers and I hope that it will interest you-


The first example that I am giving here is from first act, in this act when Bluntschli enters in the room of heroine saving his life from Bulgarian soldiers, he hides himself in the room of heroine Raina Petkoff, and the interesting incident that took place here is that being a soldier instead of using the gun and his muscle power, he blackmails the heroine by telling her that he will not give her the outer portion of her night gown which was kept on the nearby table and heroine was in her bed .Second incident is that instead of bullets Bluntschli carried chocolates with him and he explained that food is the main problem in the war not the arms and ammunitions.


One very interesting comic incident that I remember from the play was the conversation between father and mother of heroine, Major Petkoff explains the working of the bell in a very funny way, by saying to his wife that you press here the button and something tinkles there and suddenly our servant Louka comes.


Play consists of so many such incidents and they are very interesting and giving the message at the same time, so this is one of the books that I like most because of the writing style and philosophy of the writer G B Shaw.

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