The play opens in a dugout close dugout A shelter for soldiers in the trenches, made by digging a hole in the ground and covering it with a roof. Hibbert is so afraid of dying in the trenches that he pretends to suffer from an acute case of neuralgia (intense nerve pain). More Hamburger icon An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. During his lifetime, he composed eighteen original plays, wrote fifteen film scripts, and even published several novels. Our resources are crucial for knowledge lovers everywhere—so if you find all these bits and bytes useful, please pitch in.

OSBORNE: A hundred yards from here the Germans are sitting in their dugouts, thinking how quiet it is. We understand that not everyone can donate right now, but if you can afford to contribute, we promise it will be put to good use. The second-in-command officer stationed in Stanhope’s trenches before Osborne and his group take over. Sherriff served in the East Surrey Regiment, fighting in several notable battles until he was finally injured in 1917.He and Stanhope went to the same high school, and Stanhope was a respected rugby captain whose father was friends with Raleigh’s father. The following day, the Colonel informs Stanhope that the long-awaited German attack is set to take place on March 21st, in two days. In the dugout officers' quarters of the British trenches, less than a hundred yards from the German trenches, Hardy dries his sock over a candle flame before he hands off duties to C Company's Osborne.

The nature of this kind of military service is quite intense, so the infantries rotate working this location, each group taking six-day shifts. Although the novel has more fighting and action than Journey’s End, Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is similar to Sherriff’s play because of its interest in exploring not only the absurd brutalities of war, but also the moments of quiet anticipation that characterize prolonged conflicts.When Osborne arrives, he has a brief conversation with Hardy, the second-in-command who has just finished his six days.