Journeys End by R.C Sherriff. - 1739 Words

How does Journeys End show the effects of war on the men involved? Journeys End is a play about British soldiers in World War One, and the effects the war has on them, both physically and mentally. The play explores many aspects of war life, including friendship, alcoholism, class boundaries and the lifestyle of the men in the trenches. This essay explores how the play shows the effects of war on those involved, looking at use of dialogue, lighting, props and other key dramatic devices. The essay will mainly focus on Act 3, Scene 2 of the play, but relevant quotes from other scenes in Journeys End will also be used to help illustrate points. Stanhope, the Commander of the company, is a prime example of how the war effected many†¦show more content†¦Raleighs first reaction upon entering the trenches (Act 1) is that of surprise. He has been expecting more noise and excitement, and says to Osborne, How frightfully quiet it is! To begin with, Raleigh is very eager to go out and fight, but Osbornes death after the raid has a big effect on him. He cannot understand how the men can sit, eating fine food and drinking champagne ,when one of their closest companions has been killed. However, Raleigh does not realise that the reason why they are doing this is to try and help themselves to forget the tragedy that has occurred, and to boost morale amongst the men. Raleigh has misunderstood the situation, and only realises his error at the end of Act 3 Scene 2, when Stanhope shouts, You think theres no limit to what a man can bear? Raleigh tries to apologise, but Stanhope is too incensed with rage to listen. By the end of that particular scene, even though Raleigh has only been at war for a week, he is already a changed person. His short battle experience has erased whatever distorted expectations he has had before, and he now knows about the harsh realities of life in the trenches. We know this because of his obvious change in mood and personality- by Act 3 Scene 2 he says a lot less than he has beforehand, and stage directions tell us at one point, Raleigh speaks in a low, halting voice. R.C Sherriff has chosen to alter his speech and tone of voice to show the audience clearly how the raid has affectedShow MoreRelatedEssay about Discussion of Themes in Journeys End by R.C Sherriff729 Words   |  3 PagesDiscussion of Themes in Journeys End by R.C Sherriff Journeys End is a play about the full horror and futility of the trench welfare in the First World War. During the war, the playwright R.C Sherriff was an officer who was wounded in battle. He bases the play upon his real life experiences - mirroring the way he and his comrades fought and lived, re-living some of his past experiences. 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