NON-AFRICAN DRAMA BERNARD SHAW: Arms and the Man How significant is Major Petkoff's coat in the development of the plot?

Significance of Major Petkoff’s Coat in Arms and the Man

Major Petkoff’s coat is a very important stage property in the development of the plot. Shaw uses this ordinary garment to connect Bluntschli’s escape in Act I with the revelation of Raina’s secret in the later action of the play.

First, the coat enables Bluntschli to escape from the Petkoff house. When Bluntschli, the Swiss mercenary in the Serbian army, enters Raina’s bedroom while fleeing from the Bulgarian soldiers, Raina and Catherine decide to protect him. Raina gives him Major Petkoff’s old coat so that he can leave the house without arousing suspicion. The coat therefore serves as a disguise and makes Bluntschli’s escape possible.

Secondly, the coat becomes the means by which Raina’s secret attachment to Bluntschli is preserved. Before he leaves, Raina puts her photograph in the pocket of the coat and inscribes it to her “Chocolate Cream Soldier.” The portrait is evidence that Raina is attracted to Bluntschli, although she is officially engaged to Sergius. Thus, the coat carries the proof of a relationship which Raina wishes to hide.

Furthermore, the return of the coat creates suspense and comic tension. Bluntschli later returns it to the Petkoff household with the portrait still in its pocket. Major Petkoff notices that the coat is not where Catherine says it is, and its appearance exposes the women’s nervous attempts to conceal what happened on the night Bluntschli escaped. When Petkoff discovers Raina’s photograph, he demands an explanation of how it got into his coat.

The coat also leads directly to the final disclosure. Raina manages to remove the photograph before Petkoff puts on the coat, and its sudden disappearance causes further confusion. Bluntschli eventually explains the circumstances in which he borrowed the coat and received the photograph. This revelation brings Raina’s secret into the open and destroys the artificial romantic pose on which her engagement to Sergius rests.

Finally, the disclosure caused by the coat helps to resolve the play. Raina is freed to acknowledge her love for Bluntschli, while Sergius is able to turn to Louka. The coat therefore moves the action from concealment to revelation and from false romantic ideals to honest relationships.

In conclusion, Major Petkoff’s coat is highly significant because it enables Bluntschli’s escape, carries Raina’s incriminating portrait, produces suspense and comic misunderstanding, and helps to bring about the final resolution of the play.