Problem play

A problem play is a play in which the dramatist puts some problems of human life to be solved by the reader or the spectator. The problem play deals with the problems of the individuals as well as the community. In a problem play the of the individuals apublic attention on the social problems and exposes the follies that lies beneath them. He presents both sides of the problem without emotion or prejudice, without fear or favour. He holds the scales even between the opposite sides of the issue impartially. But he is not a judge. The suggestion of a solution is outside of his scope. He merely exhibits both sides and leaves the solution to the imagination of the audience. He arranges his plot and character in such a way that the solution is easily glanced at. In Arms and the Man Shaw deals with the problem of romantic illusion about war and love. Raina and Sergius are the two apostles of romantic illusion. They have romantic idea about war and love. Shaw shatters their romance through his mouthpiece, Bluntschli. He exposes to Raina the foolishness of Sergius in his cavalry charge against a battery of machine guns. Sergius won the battle not because of his heroic qualities but because the Serbians had wrong ammunitions. He led the cavalry charge disobeying the military rules. So he was not promoted to a general in spite of his victory at the battle. Ultimately he is disillusioned and expresses his view that soldering is the coward's art of attacking the enemy when the enemy is weaker and keeping out of the danger when the enemy is stronger. He realises there is nothing romance in war. It is a fraud, a hollow sham. Shaw also deals with the problem of romantic love in the play through the love affair of Raina and Bluntschli. Both of them speak of 'higher love'. Sergius' higher love becomes fatiguing at once and is attracted by the realist girl, Louka. The same thing happens to Raina. Her higher love for Sergius is shattered and is drawn to the realist soldier, Bluntschli. Thus Shaw does not leave the problem unsolved. He advocates the cause of realism in the play. So Arms and the Man is not a problem play, but a propaganda play in which the dramatist advocates his own ideas.

Short Note: Problem play