Questions with model answers
1) What contrast was shown in the furnishing of Raina's room?
The room was decorated in the worst taste ذوق سئ . The furniture was not like the style of West Europe. It was half Bulgarian, half cheap Viennese which reflected يعكس the bad taste of Catherine and her desire to seem civilized and Viennese
2) What news did Catherine bring to her daughter, Raina?
Their army won the battle by the help of her fiancé. He defied تحدى the Russian officers' commands and made a cavalry charge هجوم بسلاح الفرسان on his own responsibility. The brave Bulgarian officers followed him. They killed lots of the Serbs. So he became "the hero of the hour".
3) How was Sergius courageous شجاع according to حسب Catherine's description?
She said he was so brave in fighting the enemy, led the army on his own responsibility and was the first to go ahead.
4) How did the people at war see Sergius after the victory?
They praised his bravery in defeating the enemy and loved him very much for this.
5) Why did Raina feel remorseful نادمة after hearing the news about the victory?
She felt sorry for doubting his heroic deeds أعماله البطولية before. She wasn't sure if he would do well in battles or not.
6) Why did Raina feel so happy and proud of Sergius?
Because all her ideas about him became true. In the past she doubted his being brave and imagined he would not be able to do anything if he went to a real battle, but now after hearing about his winning the battle, she was the happiest.
7) What did Catherine blame Raina for?
…..for making Sergius wait too long before she agreed to be engaged to him.
8) What did the mother advise her daughter to do when Sergius return back?
She asked her to repay him for not feeling his value and love him so much.
9) Why did Raina describe herself as "a prosaic ممله little coward"?
Because she doubted Sergius's bravery before. She felt that if he had to be in a real battle, he would appear weak and would not be admired by the other soldiers. Now after that was said about him, she felt she was silly to think so.
10)How did the fugitive look like?
He was a man of about 35. He was in a terrible state, covered with mud, blood and snow. His Serbian uniform was torn ممزق . He looked weary but seemed to have a sense of humor.
11)Why didn't Raina respect the fugitive at first?
She didn't like his feeling of fear and his cowardness. She thought he should have been braver as he was a soldier.
12)Why did the fugitive take Raina's cloak?
He used it instead of a weapon to save himself. She was undressed. So she ran to put it on in case anyone comes to look for him. He took it before her to prevent her from opening the door.
13)What were the weapons the fugitive used to guarantee يضمن Raina's silence?
·At first he threatened هدد her with the pistol مسدس ordering her not to shout.
·When he saw that she was undressed. He took her cloak to force her not to open the door for the soldiers if they came to look for him.
14)Who is Louka?
She is a handsome proud مغرورة maid خادمة serving the Petkoffs. Though she was a maid, she was bold جرئ while dealing with التعامل مع them.
15)Though he took Raina's cloak to force her not to open the door for anyone, the fugitive behaved manly. What did he do?
He threw the cloak to her to wrap تلف/تغطى herself up when Louka asked her to open for the officer who came to look for the fugitive.
16)Why did the Bulgarian soldiers call at يزور the Petkoff's?
They were chasing the escaping Serbs after being defeated. The neighbours thought that one of them was climbing to the balcony. So they came to search the house.
17)What favour جميل did Raine do with the fugitive?
She hid him behind the curtains in her room. While the soldiers were looking for him, she opened the shutters wide to let the officer search in the balcony only, then stood with her back to the curtains.
18)It was better for the Swiss soldier that Raina did not act in a professional way. Why?
Because if she did, she wouldn't have *taken him inتستضيف , *hidden him from the Bulgarians, *offered him food and shelter مأوى and *treated him so kindly.
If she had been professional, she would have handed him to the soldiers or shouted for help.
19)Raina contradicts herself تناقض نفسها throughout طوال her conversation with the Swiss soldier. How is that?
· At first Raina got angry when Bluntschli spoke badly about her fiancé and made fun at him.
· She was also angry to see him a coward when he took her cloak to protect himself.
· She did not like him when he hid behind the curtains and not fight his enemy.
However she was attracted انجذبت to him.
· She was secretly happy that Sergius turned out ظهر أنه to be imperfect as she thought before.
· She decided to save his life by allowing him to stay in her room.
20)How did Raina make sure the fugitive was safe while the
Russian officer was searching the room?
She opened the shutters wide to let him search in the balcony only, then stood with her back to the curtains where the man was hiding.
21)How was the fugitive grateful مقر بالجميل to Raina?
He thanked her for saving his life and expressed his wish to serve her. He wished he had fought with her native army instead of the Serbs.
22)What nationality did Raina think the fugitive was?
She thought him one of the Austrians النمساويين who fought with the Serbs – their enemies – against the Bulgarian army.
23)What was the fugitive?
He was a Swiss professional soldier for hire ready to fight for the one who pays him.
24)What important lesson did Bluntschlilearn from the war?
His years as a soldier taught him that food is more important than bulletsرصاص , so he used to carry chocolates instead of bullets.
25)According to Bluntschli , how can youdifferentiate يفرق between a young soldier and an old one at war?
· One can tell the difference between a young soldier and an old one by looking inside his holsters جراب المسدس and cartridge boxes. The young soldiers always carried pistols مسدسات , bullets and cartridges but old ones carried nothing but food.
·Young soldiers are always rash متهور , inexperienced بلا خبرة , ready to fight and die for their country. But old ones are much experienced and always stick together in large numbers. They try to avoid يتجنب fighting to stay alive.
26)What were Bluntschli's views about the Bulgarian victory?
In his opinion, they won because of luck. They were not clever in the art of the war. They were stupid as they made a cavalry charge against a battery of machine guns.
27)How did the Swiss soldier describe the battle at Slivnitza?
· He said that the head of the Bulgarian cavalry charge was foolish and unprofessional because he threw a regiment of cavalry on a battery of machine guns.
· He said that he and his men were committing suicide and should be blamed. Because if the guns went off, they would all die.
· He said that they won by mere luck because the Serbians were sent the wrong ammunition and couldn't fire for ten minutes.
· He said that Sergius did it like an operatic tenor, a handsome man with flashing eyes and a lovely moustache, shouting out his war cry and attacked like Don Quixote at the windmills, thinking he was the cleverest.
· He said that the Serbs laughed at this funny sight but their laughter turned into sad cries because of the wrong ammunition.
28)How did Bluntschli satirize Sergius?
He said that Sergius was a real fool. He knew nothing about war. He was not brave. He did not rush first as Raina thought. It was only his horse that pushed him forward.
29)What was unprofessional about Sergius' victory?
Bluntschli thought that he was so because he chose to attack a battery of machine guns with a regiment of cavalry on horse back. Bluntschli saw this was like committing suicide because if the guns went off, all his soldiers and their horses would die.
30)What should have been done to Sergius for being unprofessional at war, according to Bluntschli?
According to Bluntschli, Sergius was in experienced enough to endanger the lives of his men. So he should have been tried by the law for his mad act.
31)What was Raina's reaction رد فعلها when Bluntschli criticized her future husband?
She could not believe that Sergius was a coward. So she was so angry with Bluntschli that she ordered him to leave.
32)In what way did the fugitive offend Raina?
He offended her more than once.
·First, he called Sergius a fool because he exposed عرض his soldiers to danger when he made them fight a battery of machine guns and they were on horseback.
·Second, he called Sergius a poor coward جبان devil شيطان who was trying to pull at his horse in order not to run away with him and take him to fighting.
·Third, he described Sergius as an operatic tenor who foolishly used his sword like Don Quixote thinking the windmills his enemies.
33)What favour did Raina do with the fugitive?
When Bluntschli came to her room for hiding from the Bulgarians who were chasing them, she hid him behind the curtains, stood against it and saved his life.
34)The cream chocolate had a great significance أهمية in Act one.
·Although the Swiss is an old professional soldier who fought wars for fourteen years, he chooses to carry chocolate instead of bullets to war because it is more useful than bullets at war. This is what the writer of the play ,G.B. Shaw, wants to say (There is no glory in making war or killing fellow human beings). So he uses the cream chocolates as a satire سخرية on that matter.
·The Swiss is also called a "Chocolate cream soldier" by Raina when he refuses to climb down the water pipe because he didn't like to make effort.
35)How did Raina boast of her family's social status?
She seemed to be proud فخورة of her family 's status الوضع الاجتماعى . She talked many times about it in front of the Swiss soldier.
·She told him that the Petkoff is one of the most famous and richest families in Bulgaria.
·She said her father held يحتل the highest rank رتبة in the army "Major"
·She tried to impress تبهر him by saying that their house was the only one in Bulgaria which had two rows of windows and a flight of stairs سلالم داخلية .
·She said they have the only library in Bulgaria.
·She said every year her family went to Bucharest for Opera season.
36)Although Sergius did not appear in act one, four characters give different opinions about him. Discuss.
·The playwright describes his portrait as that of "extremely handsome officer"
·Catherine described him as being the idol معبود/محبوب of the regiment and the hero of the hour after winning the battle.
·Raina thinks of him as her hero who she worships تعبده and adores.
·The Swiss soldier described him as a fool, unprofessional
Quotations with model answers
1) "He sends me the news. Sergius is the hero of the hour, the idol معبود of the regimentكتيبة "
Catharine said these words to Raina as soon as she received news from her husband at war. Sergius became the hero of the hour after defeating هزيمة the Serbs. Her mother feels how lucky her daughter was for having such a fiancé.
2) "You can't guess how splendid it is. A cavalry charge! Think of that! He defied our Russian commanders – acted without orders – led a charge on his own responsibility – he led it himself – was the first man to sweep through their guns."
Catharine said these words to Raina when she was telling her the news of Sergius's victory over the Serbs. The mother seems to be proud of Sergius because…………… .
This shows how the mother had a naïveساذج, unprofessional view. Because she praised Sergius who could have caused the death of all of his soldiers if he hadn't been lucky.
3) "The Serbs have Austrian officers who are just as clever as the Russians; but we have beaten them in every battle for all that."
Catharine said these words to Raina when she told her about her doubts for Sergius's bravery. She blamed her for not trusting عدم ثقتها فى her fiancée. She praised امتدحت his courage in defeating the Serbs.
4) "If you have a drop of Bulgarian blood in your veins, you will worship him when he comes back."
Catharine said these words to Raina when she brought to her the news about Sergius' victory. Here she blames her daughter for her cold attitude to Sergius. She kept him waiting for a whole year before she accepted him. So the mother – here – is advising her daughter to show him more respect and care when he comes back.
5) "What will he care for my poor little worship after the acclamation of a whole army of heroes?"
Raina said these words to her mother when the latter blamed her for her previous cold attitude towards Sergius. The mother also advised her to show more love and respect to him when he returns back.
Then Raina felt that her love won't be important for Sergius who, now, is loved and worshipped by the whole army. These words show how Raina is sad and sorry for doubting her fiancé's courage.
6) "This is the happiest night of my life. If only there are no fugitives."
Raina said these words to her mother before they (Catherine and Louka) left. Catherine told her news about Sergius' victory over the Serbs. Raina was very happy and believed that that night was the happiest of her life.
However Louka's news that the Serbian fugitives were being chased and killed by the Bulgarians made Raina sad. She pitied أشفقت على the Serbs and wished that her people were more merciful رحيم . Louka's news disturbed her happiness and spoilt her perfect night.
There is also irony here because that night indeed حقا turned out اتضحت أنها to be the happiest for Raina because there were fugitives.
7) "I wish our people were not so cruel. What glory there is in killing wretched fugitives."
Raina said these words to her mother when Louka told them news that the Serbian fugitives were being chased and killed by the Bulgarians down the streets. Louka said that the windows and doors should be closed because there might be shooting down the street. Raina expressed her sadness and sorrow towards the Serbian fugitives. She saw cruelty in the act of killing men, even if they were enemies.
This shows how Raina was Romantic and noble-hearted.
8) "It's not the weapon of a gentleman!"
Raina said these words to the fugitive when he took her cloak to force her not to open the door. He said that it was better than a weapon because she would not be able to appear undressed. Bluntschli was afraid to die at the hands of the Serbs.
9) "It is good enough for a man with only you to stand between him and death."
Captain Bluntschli said these words to Raina when she criticized نقدته him for protecting himself with a woman's cloak although he was a fighter. To force Raina not to open the door for anyone, he took her cloak.
10)"A narrow shave but a miss is as good as a mile."
Captain Bluntschli said these words to Raina when the Bulgarian officer and the soldiers left Raina's room. He meant that although he made a narrow escape, his neck was saved in the end. This shows how the Swiss soldier was grateful معترف الجميل to Raina because she saved his life.
11)"I've no ammunition ذخيرة . What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead."
Captain Bluntschli said these words to Raina when she told him to load his empty revolver with the bullets he carried. He said he never carried ammunition in his cartridge box but he stuffed food in it instead. He thought that, during battle, food was more important than bullets.
This shows Bluntschli's and the playwright's opinions of war. For them war was bloody and terrible and there was no glory in it.
12)"Do you stuff your pockets with sweets - like a school boy – even in the field?
Raina said these words to the fugitive when he told her that he never carried any ammunitions. Instead he carried chocolate. In his opinion, food and chocolate were useful to a soldier than bullets. Raina scorned احتقرت him for this.
13) "I am only a woman, I think I am at heart as brave as you."
Raina said these words to the fugitive when he apologized اعتذر for frightening her when he first came to her room. Raina – proudly – said that she never felt afraid. She couldn't believe there were frightened soldiers like him.
14) "I don't believe the first is a coward. I believe he is a hero".
Raina said these words to Bluntschli when he was telling her about the realities of war. He told her that young soldiers were the ones who rush first to fight not the leaders as she thought.
15) "Of all the fools ever let loose on a field of battle, that man must be the very maddest."
Bluntschli said these words to Raina when she asked him to describe the leader of the cavalry charge. Bluntschli thought that Sergius was not a good leader because he threw his regiment of cavalry on horseback on a battery of machine guns. For him it seemed like madness and Sergius should be blamed for this.
This shows how the man despised يحتقر and mocked يسخر من Sergius 's foolishness حماقة .
16) "He and his regiment simply committed suicide; only the pistol missed fire; that's all."
Bluntschli said these words to Raina who thought that Sergius was a brave hero. Bluntschli saw that Sergius was not a good leader as he threw his regiment of cavalry on a battery of machine guns. For him it seemed like committing suicide. Their victory was through luck as their ammunitions ran out.
17) "You are my enemy; and you are at my mercy. What would I do if I were a professional soldier?"
Raina said these words to Bluntschli after describing her future husband as a coward who knew nothing about the art of war. She was so angry that she asked him to leave her room.
18) "Oh, you are a very poor soldier : a chocolate cream soldier! It takes less courage to climb down than to face capture ."
Raina said these words to Bluntschli when he asked her to raise the alarm and inform about his presence in her room. This happened after Raina – angrily – asked him to leave the room. He was too tired and frightened to climb down the pipes again.
19)"No : capture only means death; and death is sleep."
The fugitive said these words to Raina when she advised him to climb down from the balcony to the street instead of being arrested. Bluntschli - who was too tired to do it – preferred she tell others to come and catch him.
20)"I shall sleep as if the stones were a feather bed."
Bluntschli said these words to Raina when she warned him against climbing down. He was too tired and she thought he would fall. Bluntschliwas tired and unhappy so it didn't matter for him whether he would be caught or fall and meet his end.
21) "I tell you these things to show you that you are not in the house of ignorant country folk who would kill you the moment they saw your Serbian uniform, but among civilized people."
Raina said these words to Bluntschli boasting of her noble family. She told him her family is one of *the richest one in the country, her father is a *Major, her house is *different from any in town, and that they were the only family that had *a library. She said all this to convince him that they were *a hospitable family who would not hesitate to help him.
22)"My mother and I can understand that notion, as you call it. And if instead of threatening me with your pistol, as you did, you had simply thrown yourself as a fugitive on our hospitality, you would have been as safe as in your father's house."
Raina said these words to Bluntschli who took refuge in her room. She was angry at the man who resorted to threats and the use of force to make Raina obey to shelter him. She boasted about her family saying they were so hospitable that they could take him in يستضيفوه if he was in need.
23)"The poor dear is worn out. Let him sleep."
Raina said these words to her mother when she brought her to see the fugitive. Raina was affected by his visit. He showed her many of the realities of war. Seeing him tired, she pitied him and asked him to stay in her room for protection.