Faulks has used Jack’s thoughts as representative of all soldiers. The pressures cause tension, with the eventual result of Stephen shouting at Weir:
‘‘Fuck off, Weir, fuck off out of my way and leave me alone.’ He pushed him and sent him sliding face down in the mud.’
This is the climax of an argument between the two men, in which Stephen vents his frustration at Weir, and tries to stop him talking about the war and death. Weir tells Stephen ‘you’ve been a marvellous friend to me, Stephen,’ but Stephen wants to be distracted from the war and lashes out. This is the men’s last exchange before Weir’s death, which Stephen later regrets. This shows that Stephen cared greatly for Weir, and it was the increasing pressure of warfare described throughout the novel that led to his outburst. The opinion that war makes relationships is demonstrated here.
Comparisons can be made with Stephen and Weir’s relationship to the one between Stanhope and Raleigh in Journey’s End. As in Birdsong, the pressures and claustrophobia of war cause tension. Stanhope and Raleigh’s relationship is seemingly ruined for the majority of the play. The audience discovers that the two men were good friends at home:
‘Raleigh: ... In the holidays we were terrific pals.’
The relationship is strained under the conditions of war. This is contrasted with the way the war brings Stephen and Weir closer together. One of the reasons for the strain in Journey’s End is the clash of character between Stanhope and Raleigh. Raleigh is still a boyish youth who is naive, optimistic and eager to please. This is shown through his description:
‘A well built, healthy looking boy,’
It is also shown by the nature of his language and his actions.
‘Raleigh: I say – It’s most frightfully exciting!’
He is representative of the young soldiers who were sent to war believing it to be an exciting adventure – the naive youth. This character type clashes with Stanhope, who has already been serving for ‘nearly three years,’ without a rest. During the first scene of the play, Osborne and Hardy have a conversation which introduces many of the themes of the play, including the character of Stanhope. We learn that he is a hard drinker, which is a coping mechanism to deal with the pressures and stress of commanding a company at war. Osborne says that his nerves are ‘battered to bits.’ One of the first things Stanhope says upon his entrance is ‘damn the soup! Bring the whisky!’ showing how dependent he is upon alcohol. There is a link here to Birdsong; the first time we see Stephen and Weir together they are finishing a bottle of whisky:
‘Jack looked towards Weir and noticed the almost empty bottle of whisky that stood on the table.’
This shows the men’s similar coping mechanisms.
Despite his hardened exterior, we learn that Stanhope has a soft heart. This is particularly apparent in his conversations with Osborne, in which he calls him ‘uncle’. However his hardened mask is presented to Raleigh, which creates tension between these characters. Stanhope has become a different person to the one Raleigh knew before the war. Osborne warns Raleigh of this:
‘Osborne: You know, Raleigh, you mustn’t expect to find him – quite the same.’
The pause in his speech is heavily loaded with meaning. Osborne cannot tell Raleigh just how much Stanhope has been affected by the war. This also links to Raleigh’s naivety about the realities of warfare. He also still calls Stanhope ‘Dennis’ which shows he cannot accept Stanhope as this new, nerve-wrecked officer. Stanhope is horrified that Raleigh has been sent to his company, shown by his reaction at seeing him for the first time:
‘Raleigh stands smiling awkwardly...He stops short at the sight of Raleigh. There is silence.
Raleigh: Hullo, Stanhope!
Stanhope stares at Raleigh as though dazed.’
For Stanhope, Raleigh represents home, of which he does not wish to be reminded. The audience will remember that Hardy mentioned ‘he didn’t go home on his last leave.’ The relationship between the two men is being broken by the circumstances of war. An example of Stanhope’s anger at Raleigh is during a conversation with Osborne:
‘Stanhope: ...There are one thousand eight hundred companies in France, Uncle. Raleigh might have been sent to any one of those, and, my God! He comes to mine.’
Whereas they once were good friends at home because of their similar interests and upbringing, they now are two very different people – one who is a hardened soldier, and one a naive youth.
Despite the change in Stanhope, Raleigh still hero-worships him. Stanhope’s frustration at this is illustrated during a conversation between him and Osborne:
‘Stanhope: Yes, I’m his hero...
Osborne: Small boys at school generally have their heroes.
Stanhope: Yes. Small boys at school do.
Osborne: Often it goes on as long as –
Stanhope: – As long as the hero’s a hero.’
Stanhope knows that he has been changed by war and is ashamed that Raleigh has seen his weaknesses. He is terrified that Raleigh will write home to his fiancé and tell her, showing how war is a pressurising situation for any relationship.
Journey’s End is primarily about men under pressure. Sherriff uses a variety of dramatic techniques to illustrate this. For example, the stage setting never moves from beyond the dugout. The other areas are only talked about and the audience never sees them. The stage description says that ‘gloomy tunnels lead out of the dug-out to left and right.’ This creates a feeling of claustrophobia, reflecting the pressures of warfare. The play also takes place within a confined time span. Trotter is particularly concerned with the time:
‘Trotter: ’Ere we are for six days again. Six bloomin’ eternal days.’
He counts down the hours, which creates a feeling of increasing and gathering stress, and will eventually lead to climaxes throughout the play. An example of a stressful situation for the relationship between Raleigh and Stanhope is at Osborne’s death. Osborne has been Stanhope’s close friend, who he calls ‘uncle.’ He copes with his emotions by drinking and merriment with the other officers, which Raleigh does not understand. He accuses Stanhope of not caring, providing a catalyst for a climatic argument between the two men. The pressure between them is brought to a peak. Stanhope shouts at Raleigh:
‘My God! You bloody little swine! You think I don’t care – you think you’re the only soul that cares!’
This dramatic argument can be compared Stephen’s argument with Weir; they are both climaxes resulting from building pressure, though for Weir and Stephen it is a rather unexpected argument. In Journey’s End the audience sees that the war has actually brought Stanhope and Raleigh closer together; at the end of the play just before Raleigh’s death. Stanhope softens, showing his inner emotions, and calls Raleigh by his first name – ‘Jimmy.’ He talks soothingly:
‘Stanhope: Steady, old boy. Just lie there quietly for a bit.’
Perhaps the war has actually strengthened the feelings of care between the men. This kind last exchange is contrasted to the harsh exchange between Stephen and Weir before Weir’s death. These ideas can support the idea that war makes some relationships, but ruins others.
An interesting comparison is that death breaks both of the relationships apart. Raleigh and Weir’s deaths are extremely harrowing in their own ways. In Raleigh’s death, the audience will feel hopeless sympathy after an insight into Stanhope’s real emotions. His death is particularly poignant as he is a naive youth. One view that could be taken is that Raleigh’s imminent death is the factor that changes Stanhope’s attitude toward him, as it is only in his injured state that he becomes caring. However it is more likely to be the case that Stanhope resented Raleigh’s being in his company so much because he cared for him. At Weir’s death in Birdsong we feel pity and regret for Stephen, because his last words to Weir were that of frustrated anger. Ultimately, war has tested both of the relationships, but they are both destroyed by death – a hopeless reality in war.
In conclusion, I believe that the conditions of the First World War were testing and pressurising, but it was ultimately the perfect time for comradeship to flourish. The underlying feelings in the relationships between Weir and Stephen and Stanhope and Raleigh are that of care. In the case of breaking or making relationships, perhaps it is easier for war to create a new friendship, rather than to keep up a relationship from home, as any reminder of home is too complex an emotion to deal with. This is certainly true in Stanhope’s case. Ultimately, war can break a friendship through the harsh reality of death.
Word count: 1551
Bibliography: Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
Journey’s End R.C Sherriff
