Is it correct to consider Sergius as a Romantic fool?

Give an assessment of the character of Sergius as a Romantic hero.

Ans.

Major Sergius Saranoff is a romantically handsome Byronic character painted by Shaw. He has been created by the playwright with the invention of throwing a critical search light on the emotional and sentimental side of man’s life. He also serves as a mouthpiece of his creator giving vent to his ideas about the stupidity of the romantic notions of love and war.

(1) His appearance: Sergius is introduced by Shaw as a “tall romantically handsome man with the physical hardihood, the high spirit and the susceptible imagination of an untamed mountaineer chieftain.” His physical features include curved eyebrows, jealously observant eyes, thin and keen nose. He is without any doubt a romantically good looking young man. He has an acute critical faculty which has become intensely active due to the impact of the Western Civilization. “He has acquired the half tragic half ironic air, the mysterious moodiness. Sergius definitely fascinates Raina and Catherine for a long time and Louka forever.

(2) Brave and Courageous: Major Sergius Saranoff displays an exceptional bravery and courage on the battlefield even though he is not clever and calculating. He himself says, “I am a brave man. My heart jumped like a woman’s at the first shot but in the charge I found that I was brave. Yes that at least in real about me.” As a soldier he presents himself as a man of independent views. He leads a cavalry charge without any command from his Russian commanders. He sweeps through the guns of the Serbians as the leader before everyone else. He wins the acclamation of a whole army of heroes and dispels all the doubts that Raina had about the reality of his heroism. Raina cries out, “Sergius is just as splendid and noble as he looks”.

(3) His Reckless Heroism: Sergius may be a dare devil, a bold, courageous and exciting hero but exhibits his recklessness by throwing a regiment of cavalry on a battery of machineguns even though it was almost absolutely certain that if the guns went off no one would be able to get off within fifty yards of the fire. Bluntschli gives a very vivid description of his foolish act-“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it. He did it like an operatic tenor. They would have committed suicide only the Serbs had no ammunition left and therefore could not retaliate. It is only due to favourable fortune that Sergius gets victory in the memorable battle of Slivnitza. The reality was that the cavalry charge was a great blunder. Bluntschli very aptly call him a Don Quixote charging at the wind-mill.

(4) His Disillusionment: Sergius is a person who gets disillusioned about both war and love. After his gallant cavalry charge he was expecting a promotion. When it is to him he becomes disenchanted-“I won the battle the wrong way when our worthy Russian generals were losing it the right way. In short, I upset their plans and wounded their self-esteem.” His notions about the profession of a soldier undergoes a real change and he regards it only as a trade now. “Soldiering, my dear madam, is coward’s art of attacking mercilessly when you are weak. That is, the whole secret of successful fighting.”

Sergius’s illusions about love also shatter in the like manner. He finds himself flirting with the servant maid, Louka, immediately after an adoring love scene with Raina. He indulges in this flirtation only to relieve himself of the strain caused by his higher love. He tells ashamed of himself but when he comes to know about Raina’s flirtatious affair with the Swiss soldier he feels really stunned. In despair he cries out-“Damnation! Oh. damnation Mockery! Mockery everywhere!” He says to Raina cynically “Our romance is shattered. Life’s a force.” When Petkoff feels surprised that Raina sends tokens of love to some person other than Sergius, he just comments enigmatically. “The world is not such an innocent place as we used to think, Petkoff.”

(5) Self-Analyzing: The good thing about Sergius, however, is that he himself is also not blind to his true nature. While flirting with Louka he analyzes himself frankly, “I am surprised at myself, Louka. What would Sergius. the apostle of the higher love, say if he saw me now ?” He tries his best to comprehend his ownself-“Which of the six is the real man? That’s the question that torments me. One of them is a hero, another buffon, another a humbug, another perhaps a bit of a blackguard….. And one, at least. is a coward jealous, like all cowards. This self analysis on the part of Sergius is done more by Shaw and himself who wants to point out to the benefit of everyone that each individual has a dual personality that of a brute and of God. There is always a struggle going on inside a sensitive human being between the desires of the human flesh and the hankerings of the human soul.

(6) His Relationship with Louka: Sergius’s relationship with Raina is one based on his concept of higher love while with Louka it displays a lower type of love. It is only for a refreshing change after the exhaustions of the higher love that he turns to Louka and stoops to flirt with her. He insults her, hurts her, compares her with Raina to her disadvantage but it is this relationship only which makes him have glimpse into his own self and makes him comprehend the reality. It also makes him understand the worthlessness and emptiness of the feeling called pure, true, higher love and so he decides to marry Louka who is far more tactful and practically wise than Raina and may therefore prove to be a better wife for a person like him.

(7) Gentlemanly Qualities: Sergius may be an unfaithful lover but he is definitely a man of high birth and gentle breeding when Louka speaks in a little insulting manner about Raina, he immediately chides her. “Take care, Louka. I may be worthless enough to betray the higher love; but do not you insult it.” When Louka insinuates and tries to create suspicion in his mind regarding Raina’s clandestine affair with her nocturnal intruder he once again scolds her in a freezing tone-“If our conversation is to continue. Louka, you will please remember that a gentleman does not discuss the conduct of the lady he is engaged to with her maid.” And then, “You have stained iny honour by making me a party to your eavesdropping. And you have betrayed your mistress. Later towards the close of the play when Raina suggests that Louka must be listening to their conversation secretly at the door probably, Sergius feels as if a bullet has struck him and becomes indignant. When he finds Louka standing there in the passage he becomes furious, flings Louka violently against the table and exclaims “Judge her, Bluntschli….. Judge, the eavesdropper.” On another occassion he feels guilty after causing injury to Louka and apologizes saying, “A gentleman has no right to hurt a woman under any circumstances.” Once, he firmly decided to marry Louka he stands by her. When Louka says that he can withdraw his step and break the engagement with her he soon says- “Withdraw! Never! You belong to me. “All these illustrations speak volumes about his being a real gentleman at heart.

(8) Foil to Bluntschli: The characters of Bluntschli and Sergius have been drawn by Shaw symmetrically one balanced against the other and each serving as a contrast to the other and thus setting him off. If Bluntschli stands for anti-romanticism Sergius does not for romantic attitude towards life Captain Bluntschli is essentially a heroic soldier and a lover only by accident while Sergius, is essentially a romantic fool. Sergius fights because he loves his country and because his desire to win glory eggs him onto do so. Bluntschli, on the other hand, is basically a mercenary. Bluntschli is a realist, calculating man of balanced mind unsentimental and unimaginative, Sergius is absolutely opposite to him. He is a man of passion, emotion and imagination who behaves differently on different occasions and at times gives the impression of being Bluntschli is a professional and experienced military officer, Sergius to the opposite of it regards fighting as an amusement and is only an amateur. The Bulgarian is the representative of the outworn conventions and the Swiss appeals to us as a symbol of present day conditions. Both, however, are painted by their creator with expertise and remarkable sensitivity.