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Major Sergius Saranoff
Louka is an opinionated, beautiful young servant working for the Petkoffs . She is expected to settle down with and marry Nicola, the family’s head servant. However, she rejects the idea that her being born into a poorer family means she must live as servant to the rich her whole life. At first she rejects Sergius’s advances believing he is simply using her because he thinks she is beneath him. When she realizes Sergius disdains his own wealth and “nobility” she admits she has fallen for him.
Louka Quotes in Arms and the Man
The Arms and the Man quotes below are all either spoken by Louka or refer to Louka. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 2 Quotes
She is so grand that she never dreams that any servant could dare to be disrespectful to her; but if she once suspects that you are defying her, out you go.
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You have the soul of a servant, Nicola.
Yes: that’s the secret of success in service.
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Act 3 Quotes
How easy it is to talk! Men never seem to me to grow up: they all have schoolboy’s ideas. You don’t know what true courage is…I would marry the man I loved, which no other queen in Europe has the courage to do...You dare not: you would marry a rich man’s daughter because you would be afraid of what other people would say of you.
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The world is not such an innocent place as we used to think.
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Louka Character Timeline in Arms and the Man
The timeline below shows where the character Louka appears in Arms and the Man. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
Louka interrupts them, a young and pretty servant girl who is clearly defiant, and whose demeanor...
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...Raina keep her shutters locked. Raina expresses her desire to leave the shutters open, and Louka points out that a bolt is missing so that the windows actually can’t be locked...
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Louka enters to say that neighbors have seen a man crawling up the water pipe into...
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Act 2
It is March, 1886. Louka and Nicola, a middle-aged manservant, are in the garden of the Petkoff’s house. Nicola is...
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Louka agrees she is young, but says she knows secrets about the Petkoffs that could ruin...
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...announces that Major Paul Petkoff, Raina’s father, is back from the war. Nicola quickly tells Louka to fetch coffee, and Louka mutters to herself that Nicola will never put the soul...
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...made even thinking of “base deeds” impossible. They embrace, and pull apart when they hear Louka coming. Raina says she will go inside to get her hat and then they can...
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Louka comes outside, and Sergius’s demeanor changes instantly—he becomes mischievous and twirls his mustache. He asks...
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Sergius agrees. He tries to kiss Louka, and Louka tells him she doesn’t want his affection—he is making love behind Raina’s back...
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...She says she is sure that if the man ever returns, Raina will marry him. Louka claims she knows the “difference between the sort of manner you and she put on...
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Louka defiantly responds that she and Sergius are made of the same “clay” and that she...
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Louka comes into the garden to tell her a Servian officer has arrived and is asking...
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Act 3
Louka comes in, delivering written messages to Bluntschli. Bluntschli opens one and declares it is bad...
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Nicola comes in the room, and tries to be affectionate with Louka. She refuses him, and he offers her some of the money Sergius has just given...
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Sergius examines the bruise that remains on Louka’s arm and asks her if he can cure it. Louka says the opportunity has passed....
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...power to be with her. But, he says, he loves another woman, and adds that Louka is simply jealous of Raina. Louka laughs at this and says Raina will marry Bluntschli,...
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Sergius berates himself, calling himself a coward a liar and a fool. Louka goes to leave, and he tells her she belongs to him. She asks him if...
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Bluntschli enters as Louka leaves. Sergius confronts him, and challenges him to a duel. Bluntschli amusedly accepts, knowing his...
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...is dead. Sergius says war and love are both “hollow shams,” and tells Raina that Louka was his informant. Raina responds that what she saw in the garden, from a window...
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Sergius hears this and in a rage throws the door open and pulls Louka inside. Bluntschli comments that he has eavesdropped before too, but it was justified because his...
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The rest of the details emerge. Meanwhile, Nicola arrives and admits he and Louka are not engaged, for she does not want him. Bluntschli remarks he would hire Nicola...
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Catherine enters and sees Sergius and Louka. She asks to know the meaning of this. Sergius says he will marry Louka, and...
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