Act I Summary
Act I of Journey's End introduces the main characters and setting, establishing the tense atmosphere of life in the trenches during World War I.
The play opens in a British officers' dugout near the front lines in France. Second Lieutenant Raleigh, a young and eager new officer, arrives and meets Lieutenant Osborne, an older, fatherly figure nicknamed "Uncle." We learn that Raleigh specifically requested to join this company because its commander, Captain Stanhope, was his older schoolmate and hero.
Highlight: The contrast between Raleigh's youthful enthusiasm and the war-weary attitudes of the other officers sets up a key theme of lost innocence.
Osborne and the outgoing company commander, Hardy, discuss Stanhope's heavy drinking and the toll three years of continuous front-line duty has taken on him. When Stanhope enters, his alcoholism and irritability are immediately apparent, though Osborne loyally defends him.
Quote: "He's a long way the best company commander we've got."
Raleigh's arrival clearly unsettles Stanhope, who fears his changed character and reliance on alcohol will disappoint his old friend. This tension sets up one of the central conflicts of the play.
Vocabulary: Neuralgia - Intense, typically intermittent pain along the course of a nerve, especially in the head or face.
The act ends with Stanhope drunkenly insisting on censoring Raleigh's letters home, paranoid about what the young officer might write about him. Osborne helps Stanhope to bed, highlighting their close bond and Osborne's protective nature.
Example: Stanhope's desire to censor Raleigh's letters demonstrates his fear of being judged and his struggle to maintain his image as a heroic leader.
This opening act effectively establishes the key characters, their relationships, and the psychological pressures they face, setting the stage for the drama to unfold as they await an expected German attack.
