Character sketch of Catherine in Arms and the Man: Catherine Petkoff is the mother of Raina and the wife of Major Petkoff. She is a strong-willed and
Catherine Petkoff is the mother of Raina and the wife of Major Petkoff. She is a strong-willed and independent woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. She is also a very practical woman who is always looking out for the best interests of her family.
Appearance and Personality
Catherine is described as a woman of "magnificent black hair and eyes" who is "imperiously energetic." She is also said to be "determined to be a Viennese lady," and she often wears a fashionable tea gown.
Catherine is a very complex character. She is both strong and vulnerable, intelligent and naive. She is a loving mother, but she can also be manipulative and controlling. She is a fiercely independent woman, but she also longs for love and acceptance.
Relationships
Catherine's relationship with her daughter, Raina, is complex and often fraught with tension. Raina is a romantic idealist, while Catherine is a practical realist. They often clash over their different views on love, marriage, and life.
Catherine's relationship with her husband, Major Petkoff, is also complex. Petkoff is a blustering and self-important man, and Catherine often has to put up with his foolishness. However, she also loves him deeply and is fiercely loyal to him.
Role in the Play
Catherine plays a significant role in the play. She is the one who sets up the meeting between Raina and Sergius, and she is also the one who ultimately helps Raina to see that Bluntschli is the better man for her.
Importance to the Play
Catherine is an important character in the play because she represents the changing values of the time. She is a woman who is caught between the old ways and the new, and she is struggling to find her place in the world. Her journey is one that many people can relate to, and it is this journey that makes her such a compelling character.
COMMENTS