Journey's End

Journey's End is the seventh and most famous play by R. C. Sherriff. It is set in the trenches at Saint-Quentin, France, in 1918, and gives a brief glimpse into the experiences of the officers of a British Army infantry company in World War I. In this play, two of the outstanding and important characters namely Osborne and Raleigh meet their death in war at different times. Their death has great impact on the officers and soldiers alike in that company, “Company C”, and particularly on Stanhope, the commander of their infantry company. In the cause of this essay, I will be highlighting on the significance and symbolism of the death of the two officers Osborne and Raleigh in “Journey’s End”, and the effects it had on Stanhope.

  Firstly, in Act One, both main characters Osborne and Raleigh are introduced into the play. In the British trenches before St. Quentin lies conversation between Hardy, an officer of another regiment, and Lieutenant Osborne. Hardy talks about the commander Stanhope’s addiction for drinking whisky, whereas Osborne defends Stanhope by saying “His experience alone makes him worth a dozen people like me” and “You don’t know him as I do; I love that fellow. I’d go to hell with him.” From this, it can be seen that Osborne has a close relationship with Stanhope. Later, Raleigh enters the play and is introduced as a new officer in the company, and he is described as a young, enthusiastic, keen as well as naïve newcomer. He can be seen as inexperienced as he just joined the army from school and knows nothing about war in reality. In the conversation between Osborne and Raleigh, Raleigh talks his relationship with Stanhope and his anxiety to come into the same company as Stanhope. Raleigh and Stanhope were at school together, and Raleigh reveals “our fathers were friends, and Dennis used to come to stay with us in the holidays……we were terrific pals”. Later on, it also can be seen that Stanhope and Raleigh’s sister were attached. From this, it can...