What is the dramatic significance of Raina's photo with the

What is the dramatic significance of Raina’s photo with the inscription-Raina, to her Chocolate Cream Soldier a Souvenir.

Attempt an essay on the role of Raina’s photograph in the development of the plot of ‘Arms and the Man.’

Ans.

Raina, to her Chocolate Cream Soldier, a Souvenir, this is the inscription on the photograph which Raina stealthily slips into the pocket of her father’s old coat before giving it to Captain Bluntschli. One night a fugitive enters the bedroom of Miss Raina Petkoff to save his life. He is being chased by the Bulgarian cavalry and his life is in danger. Driven by inexplicable sense of pity Raina protects him and gives him shelter for the night. In the morning she gives him her father’s old coat and puts her photograph in its pocket as a token of love. After a few days that fugitive who is, in fact, a Swiss mercenary and has been fighting on the side of the Serbs, returns to give the coat back. A bit later when they are alone Raina asks him about her photograph “But what did you think of me for giving you my portrait ?” It is obvious that by now Raina has really started caring for the opinion of her nocturnal intruder. Bluntschli, however, denies having got any picture of hers and surmises that it should still be there in the pocket of the coat which is at present, worn by Major Petkoff. The conjecture ‘makes Raina spring up and she exclaims-“There still! for my father to find the first time he puts his hand in his pocket! Oh, how could you be so stupid?” At first the Swiss feels that there is nothing to worry about because after all it is only a photograph and Raina can always tell her father that he himself put it there. But soon the reality dawns upon him and he says, “Ah, I see. You wrote something on it. That was rash.” Raina is putrefied, confused and vexed, almost on the verge of tears-“Oh, to have done such a thing for you, who care no more-except to laugh at me-Oh!” The incident leads to the exposure of Bluntschli’s shop-keeping cleverness when he discloses the fact that for keeping it safe, he had pawned it and retrieved it only a day before. Raina gets furious and hurls insults right into his face- “You have a low shopkeeping mind. You think of things that would never come into a gentleman’s head.” Then for sometime the photo is forgotten as Bluntschli comes to know about his father’s death and the spectators see the prolonged description of the Sergius-Louka flirtation with Sergius declaring vehemently. If I choose to love you, I dare marry you. inspite of all Bulgaria. If these hands ever touch you again, they shall touch my affianced bride.” Sergius challenges Bluntschli for a duel and a war of tongues takes place between Sergius and Raina. But then enters Major Petkoff and expresses his suspicions that somebody with a differently shaped back has been wearing his coat. When Nicola comes with the coat, now mended by Catherine, Raina on the pretext of helping her father in wearing the coat, very cleverly takes the photo out of the pocket of the coat and throws it on the table before Bluntschli who covers it with a sheet of paper under the very nose of Sergius. Now the immature exposure, which was threatening in the very face, seems to have been avoided. But it is not so in reality because Major Petkoff has already seen the picture and when he does not find it in the pocket, he searches for it and feels suspicious about the whole matter. He has also read the inscription on the photo and so determines.” Now you know there’s something more in this than meets the eye: and I am going to find it out.” He shouts for Nicola and asks him whether the latter was really responsible for spoiling any pastry of Miss Raina’s in the morning. Nicola tries his best but is unable to pacify his master’s doubts. He, at first, believes that the photograph and the epithet Chocolate Cream Soldier were meant for Sergius but when sergius denies it strongly he wonders “Do you mean to tell me that Raina sends things like that to other men?” To this Sergius replies enigmatically. The world is not such an innocent place as we used to think. Petkoff. It is then that Bluntschli stands up, confesses that the photograph was meant for him, that he is the Chocolate Cream Soldier and the whole confusion gets resolved.

This photograph-episode has a great dramatic significance. It introduces complication and suspense into the plot and then leads directly to the resolution of the complication and the happy ending of the play. This photograph is the source of much fun and humour and throws a lot of light on the major characters of the play. It indicates towards Raina’s rashness and Bluntschli’s shrewdness. The lady falls in love with Bluntschli at first sight itself and this gets indicated by this token of love given by her to Bluntschli. The Swiss soldier is, however, very shrewd and devoid of sentimentalism. For the safekeeping of the coat he does not hesitate to pawn it. But despite all that, he is unable to realize that Raina could not have given this souvenir unless she had fallen in love. The photograph also highlights one of the two principal themes of the play i.e., the stupidity of the romantic notions about love. Raina, who is already engaged to Sergius and who professes to have found higher love with him, is the lady who gives this souvenir to Bluntschli. This brings out the hollowness of the whole concept of romantic affection. Raina’s portrait, just like Petkoff’s coat and also the funny name ‘the Chocolate Cream Soldier helps to move the action of the play, introduces complications and then disentangles them. It is, therefore, a highly significant episode of the play.