Theme Of Journey's End

Journey’s End is set in 1918 in France when the German army was preparing a massive attack against the allies once again and is also set in the British Trenches in the days before the Battle of Saint-Quentin during the First World War – It is against this threatening backdrop that the play opens. The play is based on Sherriff’s real-world war experience – R.C. Sherriff was an officer in the East Surrey Regiment and was wounded in the battle of Passchendaele in 1917. Journey’s End only takes place for three days. This play is the play that made R.C. Sherriff famous. Although Sherriff wrote several other plays, some novels, and several film scripts, it is for Journey’s End that he is best remembered for.
Journey’s End exposes the dread of war …show more content…
Sherriff also echoes the fright of war on Hibbert by demonstrating cowardice and desertion. In the first act, Hibbert says, “It’s this beastly neuralgia… The beastly pain gets worse everyday.” (Page 24). Hibbert claims that he’s ill when talking to Stanhope in order to escape war; however, Stanhope wants Hibbert to stay in war and not escape like a coward by giving him a “cure” by saying, “Some hot soup and a good tough chop’ll put that right.” (Page 24), when Hibbert finally goes out to sleep Stanhope states Osborne that Hibbert is “Another little worm trying to wriggle home.” (Page 25), Stanhope here uses a metaphor to make Hibbert like he’s a “worm trying to wriggle home”, what he says is that Hibbert acts like he wants to escape home in order to not stay in war and return home safely. Later in the play in Act 2, Hibbert hears that raid day is on Thursday, the day after Act 2 (which will be Act 3), so Hibbert approaches Stanhope and says “This neuralgia of mine. I’m awfully sorry. I’m afraid I can’t stick it in any longer –“ (Page 54), Hibbert is claiming that his fake neuralgia is getting worse and wants to go home because of his fear of war, Stanhope tells Hibbert that he has “seen the doctor… He won't send you to the hospital, Hibbert; he’ll send you back home.”, so that Hibbert doesn't desert back home but instead Stanhope also lies back to Hibbert that the doctor comes to him, Stanhope here tries to keep Hibbert calm and patient by saying that the Doctor will …show more content…
When Stanhope first arrived, he saw Raleigh, an old-school partner he knew because their fathers were friends; but Stanhope’s attitude on Raleigh shocked him when Stanhope says, “(in a low voice) How did you – get here?” (Page 18), Stanhope asked Raleigh in a low voice why he came so that the others don’t hear their conversation, the dash between “How did you” and “get here?” shows his astonishment about Raleigh’s approach into the war, and mainly, Company “C”. And then in the second act when Hibbert wanted to escape by claiming that he has “neuralgia”, Stanhope wanted to shoot Hibbert using his revolver; this shows Stanhope’s evil side, him not wanting Raleigh in Company “C” is fine and he can deal with it, but deserting is something even more serious. Stanhope threatened to kill Hibbert but he stood brave, he also told him, “Because I feel the same – exactly the same! Every little noise up there makes me feel – just as you feel. Why didn’t you tell me instead of talking about neuralgia?” (Page 57), Stanhope tells Hibbert that he, too, is scared of dying unexpectedly and also the fact of being a soldier and adding that they might not like him because of his cowardice, feels the same. Stanhope also adds in, “We all feel like you do sometimes, if you only knew.” (Page 57), to comfort him even