The narrative tone throughout Arms and the Man is satirical, albeit in a lighthearted way that remains true to the comedic genre. This tone features strongly in Shaw's character descriptions, which occur in the stage directions. These comments come across as both playful and sardonic, humorous and incisive.
Shaw begins Act 1 with a description of Raina, whom he paints a rather humorous picture of:
On the balcony, a young lady, intensely conscious of the romantic beauty of the night, and of the fact that her own youth and beauty is a part of it, is on the balcony, gazing at the snowy Balkans.
It is clear from this description that Raina is a romantic young woman, both literally and literarily. The narrator's statement that Raina is aware of "the fact that her own youth and beauty is a part [of the romantic beauty of the night]" is both humorous and satirical in tone—humorous, because it is quite funny to imagine someone admiring a beautiful evening and considering themselves a part of that beauty. The satire comes from the fact that Raina—and many women—are socialized to constantly monitor and tailor their appearances to suit the masculine gaze. This self-surveillance and romanticism can distract a person from living in the moment.
