Arms and the ManArms and the Man was George Bernard Shaw's first commercially successful play. It is a comedy about idealized love versus true love. A young Serbian woman idealizes her war-hero fiance and thinks the Swiss soldier who begs her to hide him a terrible coward. After the war she reverses her opinions, though the tangle of relationships must be resolved before her ex-soldier can conclude the last of everyone's problems with Swiss exactitude. The play premiered to an enthusiastic reception. Only one man booed Shaw at the end, to which Shaw replied: "My dear fellow, I quite agree with you, but what are we two against so many?" |
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balcony Balkans believe blue closet Bucharest Bulgarian Captain Bluntschli carpet bag catching Catherine comes cavalry chest of drawers chocolate cream soldier cloak coffee dare dear young lady divan Don Quixote door electric bell eyes father feel fight fire flashing folding his arms gentleman girl give gracious lady gracious young lady hand head hear hero higher love hookah horses impatiently indignantly interrupting keep kill kiss laugh levas LOUKA madam Maj or Saranoff Major Petkoff marry Miss Raina mistress mother Never mind Nicola goes noble officer ottoman Paul Phillipopolis pistol portrait RAINA coming RAINA looking Raina returns RAINA rising regiments Russian salver SERGIUS servant Servian shakes Shaw shew shutters sits sleep sleeve sorry stable yard stand steps stops stove sure Swiss Switzerland tell Thank There's thing throws told trifle turns window woman