Sergius, young and naïve, accidentally leads a charge because his horse panics, and to the world (and consequently in his own mind) he appears brave, but does not realize the stupidly, the senselessness of war; he is praised by Catherine and Raina for his bravery, which, like Don Quixote's, is really only delusion.

What literary character does Bluntschli compare Sergius to?

Bluntschli represents the practical Fabian whereas Sergius embodies the sentimental romanticism of the bourgeois ' revolutionary ' Bluntschli all though preaching anti - romantic views romantically succumbs to the fascination of Raina.

What was rainas imagination of Sergius?

Raina then takes the portrait of Sergius and shows it to the officer, who agrees that this was indeed the person who was "charging the windmills and imagining he was doing the finest thing."

What literary character does Bluntschli compare the first man in the charge to?

Bluntschli is comparing Sergius to Don Quixote, ascribing to this Bulgarian war hero the same absurdity with which one views Cervantes' “hero.” Bluntschli, representing Shaw's perspective, is subsumed with the folly of war.

Why was Don Quixote considered as a madman?

Quixote is considered insane because he “see[s] in his imagination what he didn't see and what didn't exist.” He has a set of chivalry-themed hallucinations. But then, they are not quite hallucinations, which by definition occur without any external stimulus. They are distorted perceptions of real objects and events.

Why should you read "Don Quixote"? - Ilan Stavans

Is Don Quixote a madman or a dreamer?

Don Quixote is a madman, or rather, an "idealist," only in matters of knight-errantry. He discourses practically on matters of literature, as shown when he discusses poetry with Don Diego de Miranda.

Why is Don Quixote a good person?

Honest, dignified, proud, and idealistic, he wants to save the world. As intelligent as he is mad, Don Quixote starts out as an absurd and isolated figure and ends up as a pitiable and lovable old man whose strength and wisdom have failed him.

What makes Sergius charge successful?

In reality, Sergius acted recklessly -- committing himself to an unnecessary action that was virtually guaranteed to kill his men, and which made him look ridiculous to knowledgeable military witnesses. By sheer luck, the soldiers Sergius attacked were unable to return fire, so his charge was successful.

What was the imagination of Sergius charge?

Answer: Raina thinks Sergius must have charged ahead of the others because he was the bravest of them all. Bluntschli tells her only the young soldiers charge wildly without realizing they can be shot easily whereas the older soldiers go in groups realizing the futility of fighting.

What does chocolate cream soldier indicate?

The “chocolate cream soldier” is the driving force of the plot. Bluntschli is a rationalist, meaning a man who believes in reacting to situations based on the facts, not on what is good versus what is bad. This does not mean that Bluntschli is immaculate.

How does Sergius view of war differ from Bluntschli?

Answer: While Sergius regards himself as a hero of romance and bears a romantic attitude to love and war, Bluntschli is replete with practical intelligence and has contempt for romantic poses and idealistic views of things like war, heroism, love and marriage.

How does Sergius describe himself to Lauka?

Sergius describes himself as a heroic, valiant and romantic soldier to Louka. EXPLANATION: In George Bernard Shaw's satiric play 'Arms and the Man', Shaw satirises the concept of a soldier who is glorified falsely and is nothing but a romantic fool through the character of Sergius.

Why did Sergius resign from his Army commission?

Sergius announces, however, that he has resigned his commission in the Bulgarian army because he can no longer tolerate the cowardice of those in command. He repeats that although his cavalry charge was successful, the officers believed it was foolish and out of line with military etiquette.

Do Raina and Sergius love each other?

He is praised by her parents, and Raina still appears to be in love with him when they finally see each other. They share a deep embrace, and on the surface, they seem truly in love, but it all seems like a performance. ... This comes to a shock because of the illusion of love that Raina and Sergius had.

What is Bluntschli opinion about Sergius and his cavalry charge How does Raina react to it?

Raina thinks Sergius must have charged ahead of the others because he was the bravest of them all. Bluntschli tells her only the young soldiers charge wildly without realizing they can be shot easily whereas the older soldiers go in groups realizing the futility of fighting.

What does Bluntschli help Sergius and Petkoff with?

Bluntschli, too, has given Nicola money for “supporting the lies” told to protect Bluntschli's truth from Sergius and Petkoff. Nicola tells Louka that, if she were more willing to behave obediently for men like Sergius, she might one day marry a noble.

What is Sergius?

Sergius is Raina's foil. He too is revealed to be far different than he first appears. He is not quite the noble hero of the Battle of Slivnitza. As Bluntschli notes, his cavalry charge was at best ill-informed, and it played to Sergius's vanity.

What is Sergius idea about soldiering?

By this stage in the play—act 2—Sergius has become rather cynical about the profession of arms. Once he was quite hung-ho when it came to war, but now he believes that soldiering is "the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong and keeping out of the way when you are weak."

How does Bluntschli describe the cavalry charge that Sergius had led?

When Bluntschli first hears of Sergius' cavalry charge and refuses to view Sergius' actions in any way except as a foolhardy display of false heroics, he reveals his complete practicality and subjects himself to Raina's charge that he is "incapable of appreciating honor and courage." Yet, his questioning of Sergius' ...

What does Sergius do to Loka when they speak privately?

Sergius tries to reprimand Louka for gossiping so about her mistress, but he is visibly upset and dramatically strikes his forehead. He insists that Louka tell him who his rival is, but she will not do so, especially since he has just reprimanded her for talking about her mistress.

What issue does Sergius have with his Army commission?

Sergius says he has abandoned his commission in the army out of anger that he will never move up in the ranks. Sergius and Petkoff tell a story they heard about this Swiss soldier being hidden by two Bulgarian women during the soldier's retreat.

What supposedly heroic thing has Sergius done?

Who is Sergius? He is Raina's fiance. What supposedly heroic thing has Sergius done? Lead a cavalry charge.

What is wrong with Don Quixote?

Sleep Disorders. Don Quixote suffered from chronic insomnia due to ruminations and worries: 'Don Quixote did not sleep too much at all during the night, thinking about his lady Dulcinea' (part I, ch.

What is the main point of Don Quixote?

The plot revolves around the adventures of a noble (hidalgo) from La Mancha named Alonso Quixano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind and decides to become a knight-errant (caballero andante) to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha.

What is the moral of the story Don Quixote?

He had the moral courage in him to go beyond the ordinary in spite of those around him thinking of him as an outlier. He could imagine what others couldn't—the first step to greatness and leadership. After Quixote had imagined what was possible, he had it in him to commit to it and believe in the purity of his goals.