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Delian league:

Delian League is a confederation of Greek city-states in which A & O S


banded together to protect themselves. DELIAN LEAGUE, or CONFEDERACY OF
DELOS- the name given to this confederation under the leadership of Athens,
with its headquarters at Delos, founded in 478 B.C. Delos was chosen to be
the official site of the Delian League because it was centrally located and
also considered to be neutral to the city-states. The Delian League was
founded after the time of the Battle of Marathon, in order to protect Greece
against the 'Persian Threat'. The purpose of the Delian League was to put
money into a shared treasury, to have on hand in case of war. It took money
to make weapons and ships and to train men. The Greeks wanted to be ready
to fund a war instantly. States contributed troops, and ships to the league.
All the members were given equal vote in a council established in the temple
of Apollo at Delos, a politically neutral island, where the league's treasury
was kept.What this meant was that many of the city-states in the Mainland
and the Islands, notably Thrace, Delos, and Athens,. Athens was the most
powerful, and thus most of the city-states provided money to build up the
Athenian Navy, instead of providing their own ships or troops Over a period
of ten years, the tensions between the naval power of the Delian League, and
the land power of the Pelo League eventually erupted into war, which
became the famous Peloponnesian Wars.
The assessments to be levied on the members were originally fixed by
Athens, and the fairness with which these were apportioned contributed
much toward maintaining the initial enthusiasm. After Persia suffered a
decisive defeat at Eurymedon (468 B.C.), many members supported
dissolution of the league. Athens, however, which had profited greatly from
the league, argued that the danger from Persia was not over.
. In response to the growing power of the Delian League, the Spartans
formed their own land power, known as the Peloponnesian League.

: the superabundant satisfaction of Christ for human sins and the excess of
merit of the saints which according to Roman Catholic theology is effective
for salvation of others and is available for dispensation through indulgences
Romanticism of War

Shaw satirizes the romantic notions about war that glorify a grisly business. If not for the
comic dialogue, the audience would more easily recognize that they are being presented
with a soldier who has escaped from a horrific battle after three days of being under fire.
He is exhausted, starving, and being pursued. Such is the experience of a real soldier.
Late in the play, Shaw throws in a gruesome report on the death of the man who told
Bluntschli's secret about staying in Raina's bedroom; there is nothing comic or heroic
about being shot in the hip and then burned to death. When Raina expresses horror at
such a death, Sergius adds, "And how ridiculous! Oh, war! War! The dream of patriots
and heroes! A fraud, Bluntschli, a hollow sham." This kind of description caused Shaw's
critics to accuse him of baseness, of trying to destroy the heroic concept. That a soldier
would prefer food to cartridges in his belt was considered ludicrous by critics, but in the
introduction to Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant, Shaw was reported to have said that all
he had to do was introduce any doubters to the first six real

soldiers they came across, and his stage soldier would prove authentic.

It is also noteworthy that Catherine is dissatisfied with a peace treaty because, in her
unrealistic vision of glorious war, there is supposed to be a crushing rout of the enemy
followed by celebrations of a heroic victory. Shaw's message here is that there can be
peaceful alternatives to perpetual fighting. He was dedicated throughout his life to
curbing violence, especially that of wars, and Arms and the Man was one of the vehicles
he used to plead his case.

Romanticism of Love

Shaw was a master flirt and he enjoyed the playful farce of romantic intrigues. But he
recognized that playing a game differed from serious love, and he tried to convey as
much in Arms and the Man, which is subtitled "An Anti-Romantic Comedy." In the play,
Raina and Sergius have paired themselves for all the wrong reasons: because their social
status requires a mate from the same social level; and because Sergius plays the role of
the type of hero that Raina has been taught to admire, and Raina plays the role that
Sergius expects from a woman of her station. The problem is that neither is portraying
his/her real self, so their love is based on outward appearances, not on the true person
beneath the facade. They are both acting out a romance according to their idealized
standards for courtship rather than according to their innermost feelings. Just as the
cheerleader is expected to fall for the star quarterback, Raina has fallen for her brave
army officer who looks handsome in his uniform. When Bluntschli and Louka force
Raina and Sergius to examine their true feelings, Raina and Sergius discover that they
have the courage and desire to follow their hearts instead of seeking to meet social
expectations.
Idealism versus Realism

Arms and the Man illustrates the conflict between idealism and realism. The romantic
ideal of war as a glorious opportunity for a man to display courage and honor is dispelled
when Sergius admits that his heroic cavalry charge that won the battle was the wrong
thing to do. His notable action does not get him his promotion and Sergius learns that
"Soldiering, my dear madam, is the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are
strong, and keeping out of harm's way when you are weak."

Sergius and Raina must face the fact that their ideals about love are false. Fortunately,
both of them are actually released by this knowledge to pursue their true loves. But first,
Sergius goes through a period of despair in which he questions whether life is futile if the
ideals by which he has set his standards of conduct fail to hold up when exposed to
reality. This question is an underlying current throughout the play. Shaw gives a happy
resolution, but it is a serious question that most people must face in life.

Much is made of Bluntschli's realismi.e., keeping chocolates instead of ammunition in


his cartridge belt, showing contempt for sentimentality, and reacting in a practical manner
to his father's death. However, Nicola is the consummate realist in the play. Nicola's
message is: adapt, exploit, survive. Bluntschli proves to have a romantic side, after all,
and thus is the most balanced character in the play in that he seems to know when to
temper his romanticism with realism and when to stick to his ideals.

Romance also plays a big role in Arms and the Man, but, again, Shaw turns the tables by
having the heroine and her fianc abandon their idealized relationship, which would have
been prized in a Ruritanian romance, for a more realistic and truer love.

Redefining Romance and Heroism

In Arms and the Man, Shaw points George Bernard out the flaws and inefficiency of
romantic ideology and glorifies practical and rational realistic approach to life. He
pits the typical romantic hero, the noble Sergius, against the ordinary but practical,
Bluntschli. Both perspectives of life, the romantic approach and the practical
approach, are symbolized by the main characters of the play.

Sergius and Raina portray the romantic and chivalric attitude to life. At the
beginning of the play, Sergius is the courageous, attractive and value chivalrous
hero who won the battle with his defiance and bravery. Only later, it is revealed that
his courageous charge in the battle was a fatal mistake that could have led the entire
cavalry to disaster, which was avoided by pure luck. He has no true knowledge of
the art of war, and looks upon war as the time to show bravado and prove the of the
noble knights who go to battle.. Raina claims to be a noble lady, who is incapable of
lying and deceit, but we find that she is quite capable of lying to save herself and
Bluntschli from disastrous discovery. both Raina and Sergius are disillusioned in
their romantic ideals of love. raina and Sergius both speak of sharing a higher
love that is so pure that not one could ever betray the other, but accually Sergius
flirts with Louka, and Raina secretly admires Bluntschli. Because of the inflated
romantic ideals of chivalry, nobility and aristocratism that Sergius and Raina
uphold, they fall into hypocrisy and end up lying to themselves and to each other.
Romantic ideals, although beautiful and admired by all, are extremely difficult to
follow. Humans are only humans, they are bound to make mistakes, and they will
eventually fail in trying to pursue these high ideals of life.

The practical, efficient way of looking at life is portrayed by Bluntschli. Although in


the beginning he looks like a cowardly and unattractive man, he later emerges as the
true hero of the play. He remains true to himself throughout the play because he
does not fool anyone by pretending to have high moral ideals or chivalry. He is
polite in a rational and practical way that is not exaggerated or false. He looks upon
war as a profession, and scoffs at the idea of throwing ones life away in exchange
for the title of bravery. He is much more knowledgeable in the art of war than
Sergius and Major Petkoff, who both couldnt find a way to move the regiments. He
sees no need of using duels to settle affairs, since it is both a waste of time and
endangerment to the person. This practical perspective of life is a better way of
dealing with matters, and is more efficient and useful than Romanticism. In the end,
Blunschli is true to himself, wins Raina as a wife and also wins everyones
admiration.

Shaw emphasizes the importance of having an honest, simple and practical way of
dealing with life. As for holding onto inflated notions of nobility and romance, they
will lead only to hypocrisy, disappointments and dire regret. It is better to adopt the
practical perspective of life than to try to adhere to the impossibly high ideas of the
aristocratic nobilityShaw does not simply dismiss Raina's idealism in favor of
Bluntschli's pragmatism. He replaces her shallow ideals with more worthy ones. By
the end of the play, Raina understands that a man like Bluntschli is more of a real
hero than Sergius. Bluntschli's practical nature is not without romance because he
has come back to see Raina rather than sending the coat back by courier. In fact, he
admits to Sergius that he "climbed the balcony of this house when a man of sense
would have dived into the nearest cellar." Together, Raina, Bluntschli, and Sergius
attain a new realism that sees love and heroism as they really should be, according
to Shaw. Thus Shaw does not reject romance and heroism, but rather brings his
characters to an understanding of a higher definition of in Arms and the Man, "there
was a savage sincerity," a "strong satire in the idea.
Raina Petkoff
Raina Petkoff

The central character in the play, Raina learns to discard her foolish ideals about love in
exchange for real love. Raina is central because Catherine and Paul Petkoff are her
parents, Sergius is her fianc, Louka and Nicola are her family's servants, and Bluntschli
is her dream soldier. The play starts in her bedroom, where we learn what a dreamy
romantic she is about love and war, before the enemy soldier comes through her window
and begins to shatter her fairy-tale illusions with his realism.
Shaw was known for creating lively, willful, and articulate female characters. He also
often included a youthful character in his plays, one who could express a childish
approach to life. Raina fits both these descriptions. She is unworldly and sometimes acts
like a spoiled child to get her way. Catherine points out that Raina always times her
entrances to get the most attention. Nonetheless, Raina is intelligent. She probably
wouldn't have fallen for Bluntschli if she had not been open to his arguments and if she
were not smart enough to see the differences in qualities between Bluntschli and
Saranoff. She is also honest enough with herself to realize that she is not truly in love
with Saranoff, but was just playing a role to meet social expectations. Raina has enough
bravery and compassion to aid an enemy soldier in need, and she is courageous and
adventurous enough to take a risk with Bluntschli and to start a new life.

Raina is also very strong and powerful. She shows she is more flexible and active than
Sergius and Bluntschli who both remain basically the same, whether their views were
practical or romantic. Raina is admired more for her ability to change and improve her
views of life, and is the only character that goes through a change in the play. She is
capable of generosity by saving the fugitive, a trait of the romantics, and at the same
time, she is also capable of making the rational choice, by agreeing to marry the practical
Bluntschli. Sergius and Bluntschli, on the other hand, hold somewhat steadfastly to their
own values no matter what the circumstances. She also shows she is not a passive girl by
refusing Sergius after discovering his relationship with Louka, and also refusing
Bluntschlis proposal at the beginning because she felt it is demeaning to be sold to the
highest price as if she was nothing but merchandise. All the events revolve around Raina,
and she is the one who sets things into action, by saving Bluntschli, confronting Sergius,
revealing Louka as she was eavesdropping at the door, and she ends the action of the play
as well, by agreeing to marry Bluntschli. Raina is the center of the play, and not a
helpless damsel in distress.
Raina is the central and main character of the play Arms and the Man. She is the
only daughter of Major Petkoff and Catherine, a young and beautiful girl. She plays
the part of the romantic heroine, clearly influenced by all the romantic novels she
reads and by her mothe

war that are anything but realistic. Raina manages to find a middle ground between
Romanticism and Practicality at the end of the play.
At the beginning of the play, it is shown that Raina didnt always believe in the
glories of patriotism and the romance of war, but after she learns of Sergiuss
victory she claims total submission to the Romantic and noble ideals of life. She
plays her part of being a romantic heroine and imitates the operas she saw and
stories she read in saving Bluntschlis life. She clearly lives in a fantasy world of her
own imagination spurred by all the novels she has read. She has courage and
generosity; she faces the enemy soldier with no fear, being empowered by the
courage of her very own fiance. She does bend the ideal of complete honesty when
she lies to the Russian officer to hide Bluntschli, but her intentions were noble. She
pretends to have unaltered admiration for Sergius even though she learns that his
bravado at the battle was a mistake, which is part of her haughty noble pride. At the
end of the first act, we notice that in spite the fact of her betrothal to a man who
seems to be every bit of a romantic hero that she could wish for, she seems to have
some admiration for Bluntschli, exclaiming: the poor darlings is worn out.

In the second act, Raina shows a side of foolishness, as if she was a little girl, she
eavesdrops at the door in order to enter with a theatrical flourish. She lies again,
pretending that she is indignant and above the coarse story Sergius tells, even
though it is about herself and Bluntschli. She has a dramatically exaggerated
dialogue with Sergius, which the audience knows is a lie, for she knows of his
mistake in the battle, yet she pretends to regard him as highly as before. This is a
practical side of Raina, because in spite of Sergiuss stubbornness and his mistakes,
she still needs to keep him as a husband since he is well-off and from a good family.
She passionately exclaims: Oh! The chocolate cream soldier! without thinking,
and covers it with a lie as well.

Raina shows her true self in the final act. She claims to have only told two lies in her
life, but she is exposed by Bluntschli. She is somewhat happy and relieved to be
found out, and enjoys that someone recognizes her romantic attitude and thrilling
tone of voice is all part of a long act she has played for all her life. She also reveals
her affection for Bluntschli through her signed portrait and her dismay at the duel
between Sergius and Bluntschli. She is very capable of defending herself, chastising
Sergius just as he is accusing her of cheating on him. She sarcastically makes fun of
his chivalry, saying: Really, Sergius, you cannot stand by and allow such a thing. It
would unworthy of your chivalry. Even though she favors Bluntschli over Sergius
at this point, she still wishes a little romance in her life, refusing the business-like
way she is proposed to, and her dignity is hurt that she would be offered to the
richer husband. In the end, she does admit her affections towards the ordinary,
practical Bluntschli.

Raina lives in her own fantasy world, and has the mindset of the romantics. She can
adjust to changes in her life; she is not stubborn to hold onto the beliefs that are
proven unnecessary and frivolous. She has a high sense of honor, and always tries to
do the right thing. She is compulsive at times, and adores romance, but in the end
her practical side wins over her and she agrees to marry the efficient Bluntschli
instead of the romantic Sergius. Shaw portrayed this heroines journey from being a
hopeless romantic young girl to a mature woman who manages to find the right
balance between having romance and realism in her life in a humorous light that
shows how important it is to have a rational way of dealing with what life throws at
us.

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Sergius Saranoff

Major Saranoff is Raina's fianc, and he is a shining example of Raina and her mother's
romanticized image of a hero. He is almost quixotic in his attempt to live up to this
image, especially in battle, for it is hopeless to try to embody a myth. Thus, Shaw uses
this character to show that these romanticized ideals were probably nonsense all along.
Sergius is often referred to as the Byronic hero or as the Hamlet of this play because he
has an underlying despair about life. He clings to his idealized image of himself because
he is afraid to find out who he really is. He knows that he is a different person with Raina
than he is with Louka, and Louka has pointed out his hypocritical behaviors to him.
Sergius realizes that there must be more to himself than the idealized soldier the young
ladies worship, but of the other selves that he has observed in himself he says: "One of
them is a hero, another a buffoon, another a humbug, another perhaps a bit of a
blackguard." He is disconcerted by the feeling that "everything I think is mocked by
everything I do." In losing Raina and declaring his love for Louka, Sergius is freed to be
himself and to discover his own values.
Sergius is portrayed as the perfect romantic hero in Arms and the
Man. He is courageous, good-looking, well-mannered, wealthy and
from a noble family. Shaw however, makes light of chivalry and
romanticism, and reveals to us later on that Sergius has elevated
ideals that are hard to adhere to, and since they are such inflated
ideals, he fails at fulfilling them and falls into deceit and hypocrisy.
He fails to change his attitude, and is stubborn in trying nonetheless
to stick to his noble manners to the very end.

Sergius is from an aristocratic family, he upholds the ideas that men


should be honorable, and have chivalrous manners, be brave and
generous. These aristocratic values of nobility are indeed good and
favored, but it is impossible to adhere to them without fail, since
people are only humans, and circumstances usually rule appropriate
actions in most cases, not solid rules that place people in
predicaments. Sergius is not aware of this; he shows his bravery in
battle by charging without orders, almost leading to disaster if it
wasnt for pure luck. He is angered that he is not promoted for this
mistake that led to victory, even though he knows he is mistaken. He
is stubborn and decides to resign from his position since he didnt
receive a promotion. He is clearly unskilled in the art of war, and he
cannot view it as careful planning and tactics. Together with Major
Petkoff, they both couldnt find a way to move the regiments
properly, even though they should since they both serve in the
military. He is not professional, and being from a high class, thinks of
war as the dream of patriots and heroes only to discover later that
it is all a hollow sham and the brutal reality of war is not romantic at
all.

Raina and Sergius speak of sharing a higher love and both declare
that they cannot live without the other. Since this love is not real and
is based on acting and saying flowery compliments that are
exaggerated to the highest degree, Sergius finds it tiring. He turns to
Louka to find a more base and physical love that he feels he really
needs. He admits to Louka that he is not really as noble as he acts,
and that he has many faces he puts on in front of different people.
This is because of the inflated romantic ideals he has of being an
aristocrat, since they are impossible to follow; he falls into lying to
himself, and cheating on Raina. When he is faced with Rainas
deception, he reacts violently; this is the opposite of what he
believes in. His stubbornness to hold onto his ideals is used by
Louka, in the end; he is tricked into proposing to her because of his
love of chivalry. This stubbornness is his main weakness which
Louka uses to her advantage, since she is the only one who
understands him perfectly.

Sergius is an example of how holding onto over proportioned ideals


is not really a rational way to live life. It is impractical and causes the
person to fall into self deception and hypocrisy. Sergius should have
chosen the rational method of dealing with matters instead of lying to
himself about his feelings and forcing himself to love Raina. His
romantic and noble attitude in life makes him an inefficient soldier.
He fails at adhering to his ideals, and loses the audiences faith in
him and in romanticism. Romanticism and noble manners are not
bad things, but it is wise to know when it is appropriate to be noble,
and when it is better to do the right thing that is most appropriate for
the situation.

Captain Bluntschli

Bluntschli is a realist who believes in adapting to a situation in order to survive. A


professional soldier, he knows that he is only a tool and he has no illusions about war and
the practical actions one must take to win battles and stay alive. His most famous feature
is that he keeps chocolates in his cartridge belt rather than bullets. His common sense
appeals to Sergius, who is in awe of Bluntschli's ability to figure out troop movements.
This influence helps Sergius make the decision to be honest about Louka and to change
his life.

When Bluntschli takes refuge in Raina's bedroom, he starts a chain of events that changes
his life and the lives of all those associated with the Petkoff family. Despite his
pragmatism, Bluntschli has a romantic side, illustrated by such actions as: he ran off to be
a soldier rather than go into his father's business; he climbs a balcony to escape rather
than drop into a cellar; and he himself returns the borrowed coat rather than shipping it,
because he wants to see Raina. He has always known that total pragmatism can be as
unrealistic as overblown idealism and he has tried to maintain a balance. However, over
the course of the play, this balance flip-flops as he changes from a soldier who looks
askance at love, to a man who is leaving the army to get married and to take care of his
father's business. Thus, the man who changed Raina's and Sergius's lives has also had his
own life transformed

Bluntschli is the man mentioned in the title of the play: Arms and the Man.
Although he first seems like a coward running dishonorably from death, a
normal, ordinary man with nothing amazing about him, and he seems weak
because of his love for sweets and his preference for food over cartridges, he
gradually emerges as the hero of the play. His realistic and rational way of
dealing with life is admirable, it is shown how efficient and useful it is to be of
this mindset.
Bluntschli is a soldier by profession, war is his job and he excels at negotiations
and planning. He is clearly skilled at what he does and is aware of the truth of
the world. He does not pretend to be brave in war; he admits his fear of death
and is truthful to himself. He recounts the death of his friend being burnt alive
without much emotion. Bluntschli understands war better than Sergius does,
since he is much more experienced in the battle field.

He is not unnecessarily chivalrous when he is in trouble. He points his gun at


Raina for fear of his own life, and then uses her gown to threaten her since his
gun wasnt loaded to begin with. It does not mean he is cruel to women. When
he realizes his end is near, he gives her gown back and tells her not to look
when they kill him, since it would be a disturbing sight. He agrees to go away
quickly for the sake of Rainas reputation at the request of Catherine. He admits
to lying at times when it necessary, and does not pretend that he is always
honest and noble.

He is very efficient in running his affairs, and gives little importance to family
names or rank unlike Raina Sergius. He surprises everyone with his quick
proposal.
Although Bluntschli is a practical Swiss soldier, he does have a romantic side
Instead of rationally sending back the coat by someone, he brings it himself just
so he can see Raina again.

Bluntschlis realistic approach to life is what Shaw is trying to instill into


society.. He gains Raina as a wife and the admiration of both the characters and
the audience. He is the final victor because he doesnt fuss over frivolous
matters, but does what is appropriate and useful.

Major Paul Petkoff

Major Petkoff plays a minor role in the play. He is a laid back man who fusses over
domestic comforts of the home. He doesnt care as much about prestige as his wife,
Catherine, does, but he does logically care about material worth, since he is the head of a
household.

Major Petkoff looks for his coat in order to feel comfortable, and is very picky in wearing
a specific coat. He gives his comfort more importance than appearances, and acts in a
relaxed matter-of-fact way. He walks in to the room in his shirt sleeves casually even
though he is receiving the company of Sergius and Bluntschli. He enjoys the comfort of
being at home after going to a tiring war.
Major Petkoff is a careful Man. He does not make rash decisions and is mostly practical.
He is able to deal with situations in an efficient way without losing his head. Although he
learns of Bluntschli being in Rainas room, he does not make a big deal out of it. On the
conrtrary, he looks at it on a lighter note than Catherine was afraid of at first. When
Bluntschli asks for Rainas Hand in marriage, he asks him what he is worth, since his
daughter is used to living richly. He is as efficient as any officer in the army.

Petkoff has a very realistic view of marriage, and also of war. He views it in a more
career-like light than Sergius does. He prefers the peace of a truce over the glories of
victory. He scoffs at Raina and Catherine when they pretend disgust at Sergiuss story. He
believes life should be led in an efficient way, rather than be drawn into a fantasy world.
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Louka

Louka is part of the rising middle class workers who try to reach the top through their
own efforts. She is a servant in the house of the Petkoffs. She is the most ambitious in the
play, and Shaw portrays her as a young and attractive young woman who is clever,
cunning and somewhat being unrealistic in her dreams. She knows her place is that of a
serving girl, but she has her own pride and dignity. She believes that her soul is equal to
that of any lady of rank. She is a good observer of character who understands both Raina
and Sergius more than they know themselves & discovers the feelings Raina has for
Bluntschli very early into the play . She chastises Nicola for his servitile attitude and
hates being treaded upon by higher class people .Louka is very aware of Sergiuss
stubborn attitude, therefore she knows how to ensure herself a place in society & who
knows how to use circumatances to her own advantage . she is able to use Sergiuss high
standards of chivalry and noble manners cleverly to her own benefit.She taunts him and
challenges his courage, knowing it would lead her to her goal of marrying into a higher
class family and therefore raising her own social status. She has a romantic and
unrealistic dream of raising her own social status. It is not impossible to follow her
dream, but if she had been in different circumstances, her dreams would have been
foolish. Louka may seem like a cunning vixen, but she is admired for her pride and her
persistence to reach her goals. In the end, we find she achieves her goal of raising her
social status and becoming a lady of rank, at least in title.

Nicola
Nicola is the perfect servant any household can wish for. He is a middle-aged
man who know very well his place in life. He has plans for the future and they
are quite practical and realistic. He does not aspire to do far-fetched things, and
he quite fond of Louka and tries to convince her to stick to her position in life
and be more practical and useful as a servant. He acts like a servant who has no
will of his own, but he is very clever in doing so. He wants to ensure his job
and receive favors by keeping the familys secrets and pleasing them. He does
take the fault sometimes for the familys own mistakes, like how he took the
blame for crushing a non existent dessert that Raina made, but he does so for
the sole reason of getting approval.
Nicola is also quite clever, he is able find out what Louka is thinking most of
the time, and he knows many of the secrets of the Petkoff but he doesnt reveal
anything because he wishes to do his duty as a servant. When it is apparent that
Sergius is attracted to Louka he backs down on his proposal because he knows
that he will have her as a customer if he ever opens his shop.Nicolas actions in
his life follow a more sensible and logical route than Louka. He is ambitious to
a degree, but is not unrealistic in his dreams.

A wily servant, Nicola covers for Raina and Catherine's intrigues. He believes that class
division is an indisputable system, and he advises Louka to accept her place. He found
Louka, taught her how to be a proper servant, and plans to marry her, but he comes to see
how Louka's marriage to Sergius would create an advantage for both Louka and for
himself. Thus, he changes his story about his engagement to Louka, and he promotes
Louka's ambitions. Ultimately, Nicola wants to run his own business, so he will do
whatever it takes to stay in favor with potential patrons, while taking advantage of
opportunities to earn extra capital for special services.

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