Sheriff uses the way in which people speak to show their class, people with low class usually have a low status.
Stanhope’s entry to the play is delayed. The audience hear about him but don’t meet him. This is because the writer wants the audience to build up a picture of him in our minds. We picture him as a drunk, possibly an alcoholic, who wouldn’t be a very good officer. Sheriff plays on our ignorance and introduces Stanhope as a superb officer who cares for and values his troops very much.
“He is still quite the best officer we have”
This shows that, despite his drinking problems how well he can command his troops and how well he can handle his drink. He has been commanding his company for a year, longer than most commanders last, and despite being a drunk he still knows what is best for him and his troops.
Stanhope is a drunk. We are told this during the conversation between Osbourne and Hardy.
“He drinks like a fish”
The only reason he turned to drink was because, when he joined he was only 18, fresh from school. He may have thought it was going to be fun when he joined but he soon found out that it was the complete opposite. He drinks to try and escape what he, and his troops, are going through.
Stanhope was very young when he joined the army.
“He came out straight from school when he was 18 & he has commanded this company for a year”
This shows Stanhope is quite an amazing soldier because he has outlived many highly-skilled officers. Even though it might not seem long to us, when you are in freezing temperatures with little food and water and terrible hygiene, a year is seen as a very long time. Also as he came out from school he was very young and was completely unprepared for the effects of war.
Stanhope hates “skivers” This is made clear in the discussion between Hibbert and Stanhope.
Hibbert: “… I must go into hospital and have some kind of treatment”
Stanhope: “You’re going to stay right here”
Stanhope doesn’t even consider letting Hibbert go to hospital, he thinks that because he has neuralgia but continued fighting without going to hospital so can anyone. He uses different techniques to stop Hibbert leaving: He uses his own emotions, telling Hibbert that he (Stanhope) has neuralgia and if he can stick it out so can Hibbert, he threatens to shoot him for “deserting” (this is almost emotional blackmail because nobody would want to leave their friends) and told Hibbert he has told the doctor to send him back up if he did go down.
Stanhope does not want him, or his men to take part in the raid. This is made clear in his conversation with the Colonel.
“… the general wants us to make a raid to find out who’s come into the line opposite here.
When
Tonight
But that’s absurd!”
Stanhope knows how many men he possibly stands to lose and knows they will not get much information. Stanhope knows all this but because he is a good commander he does as he is told, although he does put up some resistance. He talks to the colonel about it again just after the raid, telling him how many men he has lost and how worthless the information they found out was.
Colonel: “are the raiding party all back safely?
Stanhope: did you expect them all back sir?”
This shows how terrible war must be – if they lost 6 men getting a name and a regiment from a soldier how many lives must be lost to get some important information?
Stanhope is very protective of his troops. We see this in act 2 and 3. As soon as he arrives he wants to arrange barbed wire to be strengthened all around them so they are better protected.
“I’ve arranged for two wiring parties to begin at eight o clock”
we see this protective side to him again when he and his troops are forced to attack the Germans on a reconnaissance mission. They don’t find out any new information and lose 6 men in the process. Stanhope argued against the Sergeant Major but he insisted.
Stanhope: “The boche (Germans) are sitting there with machine guns trained on that hole waiting for our fellows to arrive”
Colonel “Well I can’t disobey orders”
Despite knowing the stakes, and knowing how much he had to lose, Stanhope’s troops went through with the raid. They knew in the army you do as you are told – even if it means death.
Stanhope has strong feelings for Raleigh, despite what he says.
There are many quotes to support this statement.
“… well Jimmy…”
All through the play Stanhope has treated Raleigh like the others, despite knowing him previously. As the uses his first name in this quote shows Stanhope is finally showing his true feelings to him.
“…yes old boy…”
This shows Stanhope is treating Raleigh with the kind of respect he gave to Osbourne, somebody who Stanhope liked very much. Stanhope’s whole mood changes at the end of Act 3 as soon as he finds out Raleigh might not survive.
“…Stanhope lightly runs his hand through Raleigh’s hair… The shock stabs out the candle flame”
A candle represents life and when a shock puts the flame out it shows just how easy it is for someone to die.
Raleigh is a device, used by sheriff to emphasize the changes the character Stanhope goes through throughout the play.
Sheriff unfolds the character of Stanhope by using Raleigh; who is merely a device used to depict the many tragedies and hardships of war. Stanhope is nobody’s ideal hero, but in the play he is the biggest hero of all, despite being shown as a drunk. He is used to demonstrate the tragedy of war.
