Journey's End

Journey's End Act 1

Introduced to characters :

Hardy, Osbourne, Raleigh, Mason, Stanhope, Trotter, Hibbert

• We are first introduced to trench life in act 1 with the references to rats, and conditions in the trenches. Hardy is a captian about to leave this particular trench and hand it over to Stanhope for six days, in the front line.
• The first opinion we get of Stanhope is that he is a 'drunk' yet a very good officer. Osbourne defends this when Hardy comments on his ability to 'put away the whisky he does'.
• We see the theme of prolonging war, when thier evening activites are earwig races. There is no sign of any warfare yet in the play.
• Mason an ironic character who brings humor into the play is also introduced
• Act 1 is where we first see Raleigh and new young officer to join the other 4 officers for the 6 days of front line duty. He is inexperienced and nervous, which we get a sense of from his mannerisms.

Journey's End Act 1 .2

• Osbourne is seen as a fatherly figure to Raleigh, he shows him the ropes and tells hims some personal things which none of the other men done.
• We find out that Raleigh and Stanhope used to go to school together and Osbourne warns him he may not be the same man, how war changes people .
• Stanhope enters, 'well cut and cared for' he is shocked to see Raleigh, why is this ?, Stanhope living up to his name begins drinking.
• Also introduced to Trotter, another officer for the 6 days, again we see more trench life in this scene
• We find out Stanhope is with Raleigh's sister and is worried he will write to her in a terrible manner about Stanhope, this is the first time we find out any personal information from him
• Stanhope is angry at the sight of Raleligh being in his company, is this because he has to care for him now ?

Journey's End Act 2

• First reference to light, seen throughout the book
• They talk about home, making the situation they are in alot worse in contrast
• Still nothing has happened on the front line, prolonging war theme returns
• Osbourne and Raleigh talk about past times, Osbourne telling him things which he did not mention to anyone else, relationships are starting to form here.
• Stanhope again seen drinking whisky, Raleigh writes a letter, Stanhope inists to censor it yet Raleigh is reluctant causing tention yet after a shouting from Stanhope leaves the letter
• Osbourne reads the letter to Stanhope, expecting to hear the worst of what he has written hope, yet to his suprise it is the opposite, it tells of how Stanhope is a fine officer and he would like to think of him as his friend. This makes Stanhope speechless and maybe guilty. Again showing a recurring theme of relationships between men.

Journey's End Act 2 .2

• Sergent major is introduced, tells Stanhope of an attack on the german front line
• Show his authority by picking the men to go, Osbourne and Raleigh to capture a german for information, this in non-negotiable
• Hibbert and Stanhope have a stand off when Hibbert decides to go to the doctors because of his shell-shock, Stanhope sees this as desertion and refuses his passage and explains how all the men are the same and he feels the same too but they all have to stay together. Again refering to relationships
• You begin to see a side to stanhope which he did not show when we first met him
• Stanhope tells Osbourne of the attack he is scared and knows how dangerous it will be
• Trotter talks to Osbourne of the raid, inappropriately and this is the first time we see Osbourne worried and scared.
• Raleigh is told of the raid, and he is 'frightfully' excited which shows his inexperience about the situtation and it is actually going to be a suicide mission

Journey's End Act 3

• The men are nervous for the attack on the german front line, the Colonel is introduced and does not show any signs of sympathy for the men, does not want any connection, self presivation ?
• Osbourne knows of the dangers and takes his ring and watch off and pulls a letter to give to Stanhope, Stanhope shows signs of emotion to Osborne before he leaves, which was not common in the war.
• Raleigh and Osbourne show a relationship again with Osbourne being a father figure explaining the orders to Raliegh
• The men talk about home to keep them grounded before they leave, have a warming dinner to look forward to when they come back, a theme of food runs throughout the play as a priority
• A long stage direction and then we find out that the raid has been successfull, they have a german boy, yet Osbourne has been killed along with 4 other men
• Stanhope is extremely angry witht the Colonel because all he cares about is the success of the attack

Journey's End Act 3 .2

• The Colonel is lost for words and congadulates Raliegh on his part in the attack who is clearly in a state of shock from it all, which can be seen in the stage directions
• In the second scene they have had the dinner they were promised and Stanhope tries to lighten the mood with some banter,but this is cut short at the mention on the war again
• Stanhope is annoyed at Raliegh who would rather be up with the men than in the trench and did not eat the dinner with the officers
• He explains how he does not know how Stanhope can laugh and drink after what just happend
• Stanhope explains its to forget that his best friend has died and this is how he copes, Raliegh is then apologetic
• As the morning appears there is a tention that the big german attack could occour at any moment
• All of the soldiers go up to the line expect Stanhope who will go up shortly, but then the attack begins

Journey's End Act 3 .3

• Alot of movement happens in this scene, people are coming up and down the stairs reporting to Stanhope of what is going on, when Corpral Ross is hit
• Then Sergent Major reports than Raliegh has also been injured, Stanhope is shocked and orders him to bring Raliegh down to the trench now
• Raliegh is still thinking of others even though he is badly injured, him and Stanhope show a relationship here by calling them by their first names
• Raliegh wants to get up and help yet he is very badly hurt, which is not put across until he dies
• Stanhope shows sympathy for Raliegh in the stage directions and despite this all happening so quickly Stanhope needs to go a help his men
• Yet in the very last stage directions it is explained of the horrors which unfold including sandbags falling and blocking the passage to open air