Struggle of Classes for Uplifting Their Economic Situations in

Arms and The Man , By – George Bernard Shaw.

Abstract

This essay is about how ‘Class Struggle’ is reflected in George Bernard

Shaw’s Arms and the Man. The aim of this Essay is to describe the
indications of class struggle, to analyze the depiction of class struggle,
and to reveal the reason why Shaw illustrated class struggle in his play. In
analyzing this play, we used Socialist and Marxist perspective and the
indicators of class struggle. The analysis comes to the following
conclusions. Firstly, there are three indicators of economic class which
are occupational, property and authority structure. Secondly, the depiction
of class struggle is depicted through the plot and characters of the play.
Thirdly, the silent dissolution of class distinctions. Through this play he
wants to awaken the public opinion about the difference in economic
situations in their society and to erase any economic class distinctions.

Keywords: Arms and the Man, Socialist, Marxist, Economic class, Class
distinctions, Class Struggle.
Introduction:

The term class struggle refers to the political tension and economic
antagonism that exists among the social classes of society, because of
socioeconomic competition for resources and wealth among the social
classes to uplift and uphold their economic situations. In the political and
economic philosophies of Karl Marx, class struggle is a central tenet and a
practical means for effecting radical sociopolitical changes for the social
majority, the working class whom he called proletariats. Likewise was the
famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.

As a socialist, Shaw believed in the equality of all people and he

abhorred discrimination based on economic and social class. Despite
being a bourgeois he was ideologically enlightened to comprehend the
political and economic struggle of social classes. He not only loathed the
class distinctions but also wanted to erase them. These beliefs are evident
in the plot portrayed in Arms and the Man, where he actively makes a
mockery out of upper class. Arms and the Man a famous comedy of
manners of his, where he tried to dissolve the class distinctions and portray
an economic equality.

Class Portrayal:

With a general reading of Arms and the Man we can find a representation of
all three socio economic classes. Representing upper class are Paul
Petkoff, Sergius Saranoff, Raina and Catherine. Then representing middle
class is Bluntschli and working class is portrayed by Nicola and Louka.
With that we can further divide these characters with critical analysis by
the three indicators of economic classes. These three indicators are,

1. Occupation
2. Property &
3. Authority
So, in the beginning of the play we can see a class structure like this,

Classes Occupational Property wise Authoritative

Paul Petkoff, Paul Petkoff,
Upper Sergius Saranoff, Sergius Saranoff
Raina, Catherine
Corporate Paul Petkoff,
(Upper middle) Sergius Saranoff,
Bluntschli
Bluntschli
Middle
Nicola, Louka Nicola, Louka
Working

This is how Shaw put them in the first two acts then we can see major ups
and downs by the ending of the play in this structure.

Struggle to Uplift :

Nicola and Louka happens to exhibit their class struggle by not accepting
their social condition. Both of them does not want to continue working for
others. While at service of the Petkoff’s both of them are planning to grow
economically. Among them Nicola is the one who embodies the state and
sprit of proletariats. He is sincerely awaiting the day when he will be able to
open a shop in Sophia for which he was working. On the other hand Louka,
the revolutionary proletariat who is unable to accept her state and hates
the mindset to serve. While Nicola is trying to uplift himself by working in
which he is best at, Louka is looking for ways to land on a upper class man.
With her sly mindset and convenient plots she fools Sergius into marrying
her, making a way for climbing on to the upper classes.

We then see a struggle of upper class to uphold their status. A

glimpse of that struggle is the engagement between Raina and Sergius.
When they can always marry others then why choose each other? It is just
to uphold their family status. Both the families are first grade nobility and
are family of lordship which is why a marriage between them will make
themmore wealthy and powerful in the next generation. Hence is the
struggle ofthe upper class to retain their status.

Dissolution of Classes :

In the third act of Arms and the Man we witness a intermixing of classes
which was presumably Shaw’s attempt to bring a balance of socio
economic classes. Marx might want to bring more equality but Shaw tried
his best. An attempt of socialism in liking of Marx would not suit the stages
of victorian London, might have thought Shaw. But his socialist ideas
reflected enough in this act.

We find out that Bluntschli is sitting on a huge fortune which makes

him more wealthy despite being from middle class. Then we see Sergius
promised Louka that he will marry her. Raina and Bluntschli also gets
engaged when Petkoff’s finds out about his wealth. So the class structure
comes to such,

Classes Occupational Property wise Authoritative

Bluntschli Bluntschli, Paul Petkoff,
Upper (Business), Raina Sergius Saranoff,
Corporate Paul Petkoff, Sergius, Louka Bluntschli
(Upper Middle) Sergius Saranoff Paul, Catherine

Nicola Nicola
Middle

Working

As we found out that Nicola wanted to open a shop in Sophia, we brought

up him to the middle class hoping he was able to fulfill his plan.
Conclusion :

We can finally say that the playwright illustrated socioeconomic classes

that can be identified through three indicators, namely occupational,
property and authority. These indicators create the social classes and the
social inequality within society. Shaw depicted the struggle that can be
identified through the plot and the characters of the play. Shaw illustrated
some social issues in the play regarding the late victorian era. The result of
the struggle of classes can be felt in the economic standings of the
characters which are much different in the end from the beginning. This
entails the merging of classes to dissolute their differences. Shaw sets the
plot in such ways to show that the lower class has a right to make a
movement. He wants to awaken the public opinion against social problems
and inequality. He wants to create socialism in democratic way through the
reader of his play. He wants us readers to understand the class struggle
and to resonate with the movements of the working class as Marx himself
wanted.

Sources: Arms and the Man (1894) by George Bernard Shaw, The Communist Manifesto (1848)
by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels , The Capital (1867) by Karl Marx, SOCIAL MOBILITY IN
SHAW’S ARMS AND THE MAN (1894): A MARXIST ANALYSIS(2017), An Existential Reading of GB
Shaw’s Arms and the Man (2021), Investigating G.B. Shaw’s Arms and the Man from a Socialist
Standpoint (2021)