Arms and the Man
Arms and the Man by Bernard Shaw is a reissue published by Dover Publications on July 1, 1990. This 56-page play opens in a Balkan setting where young Raina is captivated by her suitor’s supposed heroic exploits in battle. As the narrative unfolds, Shaw cleverly dismantles romanticized notions of love and warfare, showcasing his talent as a keen social observer and witty commentator.
Readers will find a blend of drama and comedy as the play reveals the absurdities of war and the illusions surrounding it. Shaw’s sharp dialogue and insightful observations invite reflection on the nature of heroism and the realities of conflict. This edition includes the complete text of the play along with Shaw’s preface from Volume II of Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant, providing context and depth to this enduring work.
Official synopsis Publisher
In the opening scene of Arms and the Man, which establishes the play’s embattled Balkan setting, young Raina learns of her suitor’s heroic exploits in combat. She rhapsodizes that it is “a glorious world for women who can see its glory and men who can act its romance!” Soon, however, such romantic falsifications of love and warfare are brilliantly and at times hilariously unmasked in a comedy that reveals George Bernard Shaw at his best as an acute social observer and witty provocateur.
First produced on the London stage in 1894, Arms and the Man continues to be among the most performed of Shaw’s plays around the world. The play is reprinted in its entirety here from an authoritative British edition, and is complete with Shaw’s stimulating preface to Volume II of Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant.
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