Arms and the Man - George Bernard Shaw

نمایشنامه‌ی کمیک باحالی بود که ایده‌آلیسم و قهرمان‌‌پروری و جنگ رو به زیبایی به تمسخر گرفته بود.

Louka - maid: You have the soul of a servant, Nicola.
Nicola: Yes. That's the secret of success in service.

Share this quote

---

Sergius: Louka, do you know what the higher love is?
Louka - maid: No, sir.
Sergius: Very fatiguing thing to keep up for any length of time, Louka. One feels the need of some relief after it.

Share this quote

---

Raina: [after Bluntschli has confessed to her that he had had to pawn her father's coat] You have a low, shopkeeping mind! You think of things that would never come into a gentleman's head!
Bluntschli: That's the Swiss national character, dear lady.

Share this quote

---

Sergius: Captain Bluntschli!
Bluntschli: Eh?
Sergius: You have deceived me. You are my rival. I brook no rivals. At six o'clock I shall be in the drilling-ground on the Klissoura road, alone, on horseback, with my sabre. Do you understand?
Bluntschli: Oh, thank you, that's a cavalry man's proposal. I'm in the artillery, and I have the choice of weapons. If I go, I shall take a machine gun. And there shall be no mistake about the cartridges this time.

Share this quote

---

Bluntschli: You never saw a cavalry charge, did you?
Raina: How could I?
Bluntschli: Ah, perhaps not - of course not. Well, it's a funny sight. It's like slinging a handful of peas against a window pane: first one comes, then two or three close behind him and then all the rest in a lump.
Raina: [in rapture] Yes, the first one! - the bravest of the brave!
Bluntschli: Hm! you should see the poor devil pulling at his horse.
Raina: Why should he pull at his horse?
Bluntschli: [impatient of such a silly question] It's running away with him, of course! Do you suppose the fellow wants to get there before the others and be killed?

Share this quote

---

Sergius: Bluntschli, I have allowed you to call me a blockhead. You may now call me a coward as well. I refuse to fight you. Do you know why?
Bluntschli: No, but it doesn't matter. I didn't ask the reason when you cried on and I don't ask the reason now that you cry off. I'm a professional soldier. I fight when I have to and am very glad to get out of it when I haven't to. You're only an amateur; you think fighting's an amusement.
Sergius: You shall hear the reason all the same, my professional. The reason is that it takes two men - real men - men of heart, blood and honor - to make a genuine combat. I could no more fight with you than I could make love to an ugly woman. You've no magnetism: you're not a man, you're a machine.
Bluntschli: [apologetically] Quite true, quite true. I always was that sort of chap. I'm very sorry.

Share this quote

---

Sergius: [to Raina] Tiger cat!
Raina: [to Bluntschli] You hear this man calling me names, Captain Bluntschli?
Bluntschli: What else can he do, dear lady? He must defend himself somehow.