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- Strict
- Dutiful
- Strained
- Experienced
- Hardened
- Heavy Drinker
- Commands Loyalty
- He believe that the well-being and morale of the whole company is more important than one man.
- Upset at seeing Raleigh and recognises the threat that his presence poses
- Caring
- Role-Commander of C Company
- Age-21
- His questioning of the colonel's suggestion of Raleigh for the raid and to apologise to Osborne when telling him about it shows us that Stanhope has human qualities too.
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- By introducing a love interest, Sherriff allows the audience to feel some tenderness for a man who could otherwise have been seen as harsh and uncaring.
- Inspiration for Journeys End-Came from the beginnings of a novel [No leading Lady]---In which the lives of 2 main characters were followed from their public schools throughout working life. In this autobiography, Sherriff wrote of Stanhope, 'Dennis had everything a boy desired: good looks and charm, supreme ability for games and gift for leadership'.
- Sherriff presents Stanhope not as a perfect being but as a man with weakness and this endears him to the audience, restoring him as a hero.
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- Reaction to Raleigh shows us that Stanhope views his presence as unnecessary complication in an already strained situation.
- Feels a responsibility towards Raleigh and recognises the need to protect him, yet he feels he cannot do so under the circumstances.
- Instances throughout the play where Stanhope's strained nerves are evident, making us less sympathetic to him: Stanhopes's inital threat of shooting Hibert as unreasonable, Mason fears punishment over pineapple chunks error, Stanhope forces Raleigh to hand over his letter and Accuses Raleigh of being a fool for eating with the men.
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- The first impression we gain of him is of a heavy drinker-'a freak show' but clearly commands loyalty -This is obvious from Osbrone's defence for him-'He's a long way the best company commander we've got' [page four]
- War has affected him-'Although tanned by months in the open air, there is a pallor under his skin and dark shadows under his eyes' [page 14] [stage directions]
- As predicted, when Stanhope enters the dugout he complains about the 'blasted mess those fellows left the trenches in' [page 14]. This is closely followed by a request for whisky.
- Experiences at the battle for Vimy Ridge have driven him to drink-to break 'the strain' [page 28]
- When Stanhope says to Raleigh 'You think there's no limit to what a man can bear?' [page 91] we recognise he is human after all.
- His bitter reaction at Osborne's death and his tenderness towards Raleigh as he dies make us feel that, even at the end of the play, Raleigh would most probably have said 'I'm awfully proud to think he's my friend' [page 48].
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