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Realism In George Bernard Shaw's Arms And The Man

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This Paper aims to highlight the elements of realism in George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man (1894), Shaw was considered a towering figure of his time, depicted his society candidly for which he suffered criticism in early days. But later on, he established his image as an anti-romantic in his society. As we know that literature is mirror of society, Shaw reflects the same beautifully in his works. Through comedy, Shaw tries to present the real picture of his time and society. In this paper we concentrate on Shaw’s patriotism themes of love and war in “Arms and the Man”, this fantastic romantic comedy. Shaw has shown that it is the romance of war that leads to the romance of love. He satirizes idealized notions of love and war in the comedy. Shaw was an iconoclast who attacked the romantic notions of war and love. Toward the middle of the nineteenth century, there can be traced a significant development from romantic and historical themes to more realistic themes, and this movement toward realism .This play is a satire on the foolishness of glorifying war, as well …show more content…

He has shown that it is the romance of war that leads to the romance of love. He satirizes idealized notions of love and war in the comedy. The play opens with highly romantic views of love and war of Raina. She was standing on the balcony of her bedroom, admiring the beauty of the night dreams of her fiancée, Sergius. Soon she learns that ignoring the orders of his Russian commander, he made a heroic charge on the artillery of the Serbs and put them to flight. Raina, in ecstasy, raptures kisses on the photo of her lover and her knight. She feels that she has been a ‘prosaic little coward’ in her doubts about Sergius’ heroism and is unworthy of him. Sergius’ heroism in war feeds her romantic love of

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