Use of Language in Journey's End by RC Sheriff

The Use of Language in Journey's End

Journey’s End was R.C. Sherriff’s only major theatrical production and

had had relatively little experience of playwriting before. However,

the language in the play does not show any evidence of this. Being set

in the trenches in the Great War, and being with a serious, ingrained

message, the play needed to be presented to the audience powerfully

and effectively. The language needed to show the characters and their

language as they would have been had they had actually been in the

trenches at the time and make sure that they were as realistic as

possible. Sherriff has aimed to relate the characters’ speech directly

to their character but also to create a powerful picture in the minds

of the audience. One of his main aims in the play was to present the

public with a play to show the real attitudes during the war. Each

character has different dialogue to each other to typify their

characters and to distinguish them apart. The characters also have

different styles of language that provides various elements to the

play. Although the play is of a deeply profound nature, the play has

vital outlets of comic relief which is displayed through the

characters in the play.

The stage notes throughout the play show the simple, atmospheric style

the Sherriff uses in describing the aspects of the play. The very

start of the play which describes the set, and the situation for the

whole play, tunes the audience into the tone of the scene.

“Warm yellow candle flames light the other corner from the necks of

two bottles on the table. Through the doorway can be seen the misty

grey parapet of the trench, and a narrow slit of starlit sky.”

This is typical of R.C. Sherriff’s style. The notes are simple,

explanatory but have the aura of the scene in mind. The characterised

aspects of the scene such as the “Warm yellow candle flames” and the

“misty grey parapet” contrast to emit the homeliness in the trench,

but with the sinister, stony atmosphere outside. Sherriff also focuses

greatly on the actions and movements of each character. He does this

to portray the character in the scene exactly as he wants them to be

perceived by the audience. This is shown in Act One where Raleigh

arrives in the trench for the first time and his uneasy disposition as

a newcomer to the dugout is clearly apparent. Sherriff explains:

“An officer comes groping down the steps and stands in the

candle-light. He looks round, a bit bewildered. He is a well built,

healthy looking boy of about eighteen, with the new uniform of a 2nd