Arms and the Man as Anti war play

Arms and the Man is set against a real war between the Serbs and the
Bulgarian in 1880s. Even the title is taken from the translation of Virgil's
Aeneid which celebrates the glory of arms and of heroic valour in an
exalted manner. But Shaw's intention is quite opposite. He bitterly
satirizes the disillusions regarding war and heroism prevailed in the
contemporary society. Though not an anti-war writer like Tolstoy and
other modern humanitarians and pacifists, Shaw certainly laughs at the
romantic view of war. One of Shaw's aims in this play is to debunk the
romantic heroics of war; he wanted to present a realistic account of
war and to remove all pretensions of nobility from war.
Shaw propagates his anti-war ideas through Bluntschli, a Swiss soldier.
Bluntschli takes refuge in Raina's bedchamber. He exposes to Raina the
hollowness of war and heroism. Though his manner is light and comic,
the intention is serious. Raina is surprised that Bluntschli, a soldier, is
afraid of death and stuffs his pocket with food instead of and all of
them actually are afraid of death. He also surprises her cartridge. In
reply Bluntschli says that soldiers are like common people disclosing
the fact that "nine soldiers out ten are born fools" and food is more
necessary in war than ammunition. Here Shaw's emphasis on food over
ammunition suggests his anti-war attitude.
Shaw's anti-war attitude is seen in Raina's and Bluntschli's
conversation. For example, Raina says to Bluntschli , "some soldiers, I
know are afraid of die. " Then, Bluntschli says, " All of them, dear lady
all of them, believe me. It is out duty to live as long we can. " From this
line, it is clear that It's an anti war message. No-one wants to die in the
war. Another anti war message is seen in Raina's speech. Raina says to
Chatherine, her mother, "what glory is there in killing wretched
fugitives? " Here, it is observed that there is nothing good in killing
people. G.B Shaw shows another anti war message in the play in
Raina's speech.
The crowning point of the disillusionment of war is exposed through
the Byronic hero Sergius himself. He returns from the war, which
promises him so much, empty handed. He is utterly disillusioned and
has decided to leave the army. He has come to realize that soldiering is
"the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong, and
keeping out of harm's way when you are weak." To Shaw war is devoid
of romance and heroism and it is fools who rush to war whereas the
victorious are those who stay at home and make a fortune out of it.
In Arms and the Man Shaw's anti-war treatment is further noticed
when he makes his men of arms favour the simplicity of domestic life
over war and heroism. Major Petkoff, an important person in the
Bulgarian Army, finds relief to return home when the war has been
over. He is more interested in domestic life, his wife,daughter, fresh
coffee etc. He and other men of arms are concerned of peace as soon
as the war ends.
Therefore, though Arms and the Man opens with an atmosphere of war
and heroism, the end strips it of all its romantic glamour. Shaw
lampoons war using a variety of methods, namely satire, irony and
sarcasm. Characters like Sergius and Bluntschli whose war experiences
have taught them that war is anything but heroic and noble. It is also
accomplished by the disillusionment of those who have not been to
war, like Raina, when they discover from those who have what the
actual experience is like. The domestication of Major Petkoff further
suggests how much war is unwelcomed. Shaw who himself fought in
battles knew about the realities of war. His experiences and ideas of
war are reflected in Arms and the Man.