Moreover, Raina risks her life and reputation by denying to the officer that there was “a fugitive hiding on the balcony”. She acts very cautiously and thinks very hard about her moves in order to show the most confidence to the officer. Furthermore, Raina distracts the officer from the curtains and from any suspicions by throwing “the shutters wide open” and standing “with her back to the curtain where the man is hidden, pointing to the moonlit balcony.” She even “stands her ground” when the window is broken by the shot, showing that Raina is capable of controlling her emotions, staying calm and she emphasizes her bravery to Bluntschli by saying that although she is “only a woman” she is “at heart as brave as him”.
Bluntschli on the other hand, shows bravery in love rather than in war itself. During the first act, Bernard Shaw presents Bluntschli almost as a coward because he doesn’t “intend to get killed” and all those days fighting have made him “as nervous as a mouse” and he even asks Raina is she “would like to see him cry” so that she can “scold” him just like a “little boy” and Raina his “nurse”. However, Shaw does not give a so coward impression of him because Bluntschli is able to fight “like a demon” and he even says that is caught will fight and promises “a fight--a devil of a fight!.” However the overall impression the audience has of him is mostly of a coward, as he doesn’t even try to climb down the waterpipe because even the thought of it makes him “giddy”. Therefore, although both characters are very brave, Raina is shown more courageous than Bluntschli during the first act.
On the other hand, during the second act, Bluntschli is presented as very brave because he “came sneaking back” just “to have another look at the young lady” when he could have “sent the coat back”. This shows that Bluntschli is willing to risk his life in order to see Raina one more time although this involves getting into trouble with the family and even the authorities.
In addition, both characters are very intelligent and have various skills. For example Raina is able to lie to her parents as well as Sergius by playing the role of the victim by having the “noble attitude” and the “thrilling voice” which allows her to obtain her aims which is what heroes do. They reach their aims either to help others or themselves. Raina’s skill is widely used throughout the play and she even makes a point that she has “always gone on like that”. Therefore, Raina have acquired certain skills, which show intelligence and ability to get what she wants. Another example is that “she always appears at the right moment”, therefore she has the skill to make a heroic and at the same time, dramatic entrance. This shows confidence and security as well as an emphasis that she is not a fool. Moreover, she is intelligent enough to understand what Sergius does to Louka and she doesn’t ignore the feelings she has, although she plays them well until the right moment when she has to make Sergius face that she saw him “making love to Louka”, therefore, she knows how to act cautiously in certain situations, making the most of it.
Bluntschli on the other hand, is intelligent in a different way. He knows how to get the best out of a situation with the use of humour. This can be appreciated when Sergius challenges him and Bluntschli calmly makes a fool out of Sergius due to the fact that Sergius is “a cavalry man” while he is “in the artillery” and has “a choice of weapons” therefore he’ll take “the machine gun”. Therefore, Bluntschli achieves his objective of making Sergius look as a fool because while he go with his “machine gun” Sergius will go with his “sabre”. Furthermore, Bluntschli reacts in a humorous but intelligent way when is challenged with the question on an “establishment” where he outnumbers Sergius in the number of possessions he has. This is a very intelligent move because he has realized that Raina’s parents are very interested in the possessions he has rather than anything else, therefore, by naming his “two hundred horses”, “seventy” carriages, “three hundred servants”, “six palatial establishments” and “a private house” conquers Major Petkoff and especially Catherine, who allow him to marry Raina.
In addition, Bluntschli is very determined because although Raina gave “no” as a first answer due that she didn’t want to be sold “to the highest bidder”, Bluntschli insists and he didn’t “take that answer” though he started talking sweetly to Raina until she finally said that she had gave “her hand to kiss”, her “bed to sleep in”, and her “ roof to shelter” to her “chocolate cream soldier” rather than the “Emperor of Switzerland”. Therefore, Bluntschli is very determined because he completed his aim of seeing Raina and then was very determined to marry her and he completed this too. Furthermore, Raina is also very determined. She is determined in the sense that she doesn’t allow Sergius to play her for a fool and she informs him that she saw him “making love to Louka”.
A hero is also a person who is real, who does not need to pretend to be somebody else, he just is who he is and this is the case of Bluntschli. Throughout the play, Bluntschli is simply himself, unlike other characters like Raina and Sergius, who pretend to feel the “higher love” and act very dramatically with each other. Bluntschli has a very pleasant personality because he has a good sense of humour and is a very straight forward person, unlike Raina who although sometimes has a good sense of humour is not as straight forward as Bluntschli due to her use of sublime language especially with her mother, however, this characteristic changes as the play develops. Bluntschli does not need this kind of language; he just says what he thinks the way he wants to say them. However, Raina develops throughout the play to become a mature person who doesn’t have to pretend and knows what she wants and how she wants it. This contrasts with Bluntschli because he doesn’t need to change.
In addition, Bluntschli is a very responsible character because he is the one responsible for writing regiments as well as working “with a couple of maps before him, writing orders” which shows that shows that he has experience and knows quite well how to manage these things. Moreover, he shows confidence in his work by having a “quick, sure, businesslike progress.” Therefore, Bluntschli here combines qualities of a hero such as intelligence, responsibility and skill.
In conclusion, in ‘Arms and the Man’, there is not just one hero but two heroes who are Raina and Bluntschli. Both characters have the “heroic characteristics” but show them in particular ways. Both characters are brave, determined, intelligent and with various skills. However the most important characteristic is that both are able to show their feelings to one another, Bluntschli by going back to the house to see Raina and Raina by accepting that she saved her “chocolate cream soldier.” These feelings are a very important characteristic of heroes because no other character shows real love to the other. Raina’s love with Sergius was not real because both exaggerated when they were not sure about their feelings. The same happened to Louka who wants Sergius but only for his good looks and his money and not for who he is. This contrasts the love between Bluntschli and Raina because their love is real and it is not based on the possessions each one has.
