They start to disagree with everything when Stanhope cant take anymore and takes hold of his revolver. This scene supports how Hibbert is portrayed because it shows that he can make up different excuses about why he does not want to go out on the front line. It shows that he does not think the war should be going on, or that he thinks that he should not be fighting at war in this way. This is because he can not face going out on the front line and possibly killing people. The scene shows that Hibberts character is full of fear, and that he has a very shy personality.
The second scene is when they are having a party to celebrate the raid. Hibbert interupts the others and shows them pictures of
Hibbert claims to be suffering from an in diagnosable disease called Neuralgia. The play makes you think that Hibbert is making it up about him having contracted the disease, as he has spoken of his discontent of not being allowed sick leave. When Hibbert moans about his sickness to Stanhope, he dismisses it without thought and says it nothing. Hibbert thinks that he has a good chance of getting away from the war as one officer has been sent home with the same disease, but no matter how hard he pressed he was still told 'No.' The subject of Hibbert and his 'disease' is dropped and only returned to when the big attack is nearing it's date. Stanhope and Hibbert are left alone and Hibbert re-opens the subject and begins to get into hysterics, and also begins to lose his temper with Stanhope. But the tension has yet to reach it's peak and only does so when Stanhope shows him that he is willing to shoot him, but instead he gives him half a minute to decide whether to stay and fight, with his dignity in tact or desert and die and Hibbert becomes so angry ad frustrated that he lashes out at Stanhope and hits him across the face. Stanhope then threatens to have a Court Marshall put in place but does Hibbert a deal, he says "if you stay and fight I will not bring in a Court Marshall, your half a second is up. What will it be?" There is no need for the answer to be written in words for the play, the choice is made and Hibbert stays. The tension is only eased once Hibbert breaks down in Stanhope's arms.
Words like 'hysterically' and 'pleadingly' show the emotion Hibbert is experiencing. Before the incident where he tries to strike Stanhope, the stage direction shows that he walks slowly behind Stanhope. This proves that he is a very timid character who is very scared. Stanhope is a very different character to Hibbert, he is able to hide his emotions, whereas Hibbert always shows how he feels. Stanhope is also very clever, he knows when Hibbert is 'trying to pull the wool over his eyes.' When Hibbert tells Stanhope about his neuralgia, he realises what Hibbert is up to and cuts in sharply with,
'I know. It's rotten, isn't it? I've got it like hell-.' (Act two, page 54)
Hibbert is taken aback by this as he knows that Stanhope is on to him. Stanhope plays dumb by replying to Hibberts request,
'Go down- where?' (Act two, page54)
While Hibbert is pleading and begging Stanhope to let him go and see the doctor, Stanhope remains calm and just rejects all of Hibberts requests. Hibbert demands Stanhope to let him go because he is an officer to which Stanhope replies,
'No man's sent down unless he's very ill. There's nothing wrong with you, Hibbert.' (Act two, page 54)
Throughout the confrontation, Stanhope ignores all of Hibberts requests. When Hibbert gets restless and tries to strike Stanhope, it makes him angry. He smashes Hibberts stick across his knee and says,
'God! - You little swine. You know what that means don't you? Striking a superior officer!' (Act two, page 55)
By this time Stanhope has lost his temper with Hibbert, he is fed up with Hibberts vague attempts at being allowed to leave. You can tell from Stanhopes language that he is a very strong character. He doesn't show much emotion towards situations where other not so strong men would. Stanhopes stage directions do not help to show his character, but do show the tone of his language. For example, he says,
'You're going to stay here.' (Act two, page 54)
The stage directions state that he speaks this in a quiet voice. This is he politely telling Hibbert that he does not want an argument, and that he should back down. Hibbert does not back down, and replies,
'What the hell!' (Act two, page 54)
The stage direction is that he speaks this in a fierce voice, he has lost his temper with Hibbert, and bluntly refuses his request. Stanhope also shows a bit of consideration and understanding for Hibbert as shown in one of his stage directions. After the violent incident, Stanhope got Hibbert to sit and talk with him, he also offers him a glass of whisky to settle him down. Stanhope is in the same situation as Hibbert, and Hibbert soon realises this, when he backs down.
Hibbert on the other hand portrays himself as self-centred who would have avoided being tackled on the rugby field in his school days and does make the others in the dugout feel uneasy. He also tries to wriggle himself out of the war by telling Stanhope he has neuralgia, however the author never actually states whether Hibbert has neuralgia or not. This leads us to think that maybe he was just afraid, and that Hibbert is more courageous than if he did have neuralgia and was staying. The way Stanhope persuades Hibbert to stay is very clever. First, he takes away Hibbert's reason for going by saying that he also has neuralgia. Then he threatens to shoot Hibbert if he tries to leave the dugout, knowing that if Hibbert is actually afraid of dying, then he will break down, and confess that his only reason for wanting to go was because he didn't want to die.
"Go on, then, shoot! You won’t let me go to hospital. I swear I'll never go into those trenches again. Shoot! - and thank God -" This shows just how strained Hibbert really is, how fearful he is of dying in the trenches, and yet he stands there and faces up to death. Stanhope sees this and congratulates Hibbert. "Good man Hibbert. I liked the way you stuck that" It is after this that Stanhope reveals to Hibbert that he knows exactly how he is feeling, because he feels the same.