The men coping with their fears through trivial matters are contrasted with Hibbert, whose fears are not so well concealed. It is at this point that Stanhope’s caring personality and good leadership skills are visible, when he gets water for Hibbert and sends Mason up to keep him company. The more we empathise with Stanhope, the greater the tragedy when he is killed.
We also see that the attack is steadily building as the noises of the shells and minenwerfers increase, and the demand for stretcher-bearers becomes more frequent as soldiers are being injured. This relentlessness of the battle portrays how merciless and horrific life on the front line was.
When Raleigh is hit, the first thing we learn is that it has broken his spine and so understand that his condition is most likely fatal. Stanhope then commands that he is brought down into the dugout, which was unusual for a soldier to be treated in this way.
A great sense of pathos is created in the conversation that takes place between Raleigh and Stanhope. The first way in which this is achieved is by the way in which the address each other, through use of their first names as opposed to Raleigh and Stanhope. This indicates a revert back to the memories of when they were best friends in school and shows Stanhope’s compassionate nature.
We also greatly admire Raleigh because he still feels compelled to fulfil his duty, despite being critically injured. As with Stanhope, this sympathy felt by the viewer helps to intensify the tragedy of his death.
There is a sense of irony in the fact that Stanhope lays Raleigh down on Osborne’s bed, as Stanhope was angry with Raleigh for sitting on it after Osborne was killed after the raid. This shows the respect that Stanhope has for Raleigh and the mutual friendship they share, despite the strains put on that friendship through war.
Stanhope also refers to Raleigh as a boy, which reminds the viewer that Raleigh is still very young and conveys the fact that war takes away youth. It is also a sign of affection and shows that Stanhope desperately cares for Raleigh; the ultimate tragedy of the play is that is Stanhope only shows this on Raleigh’s deathbed.
We learn that Raleigh is on the brink of death when he asks for a light, saying “its so frightfully dark and cold”.
When Raleigh has passed away, there is a tender moment in which Stanhope just looks at the boy’s body on the bed, with the distant sound of thudding shells.
A soldier urgently in need of Stanhope’s command shatters this moment, and Stanhope leaves the dugout.
The stage directions at the very end of the play subtly indicate the fate of the soldiers.
The solitary candle burning with a steady flame is a metaphor for Stanhope and his bravery. It then describes the shock of a shell falling ‘stabbing out the candle-flame’ portraying the death of Stanhope.
The collapse of the dugout portrays the death of the rest of the company