Hardy

Question 1

role

Answer 1

-introduce us to stanhope and life in the trench in a comical way introducing irony of play and informing us this won’t be war propaganda

-juxtaposes Osborne in the realism style to indicate harsh reality of war

-comic relief engages the audience and also softens blow of harsh conditions

-never returns-truth of war

Question 2

futility

Answer 2

-‘he half sings, half hums a song’ (pg 9) unability to commit to either indicates a coping mechanism in war. also humming and music link to war something soothing propaganda driving them crazy as Stanhope and trotter once dote on

‘drinking like a fish as usual’ (pg 12) fish need water to live stanhope needs alcohol, drawing comparison on how war changes people

-‘red-faced’ red connotates blood or laughing or jolly to much-unknownness of it represents war

-‘and we’ll start the day all over again’ and ‘seven, eight, Clara and Caroline’ counting and cyclical mention to time reference to the post of a play metaphor for waiting in war and by singing it makes it sound ridiculous. alliteration on Clara and Caroline lik to nursery rhyme makes dying for country seem nice, as shown with girls names ref to girls in. magazine and who stanhope is waiting for-but this play shows it won’t

Question 3

coping mechanism and state and home life

Answer 3

-‘musn’t hang your legs too low, or the rats gnaw your boots’ the preposition makes rats familiar as if this is just a part of war to get used to. also a metaphor for trenches how war presented as rats and and they can destroy themselves boots something dependant to walk-cripple them almost. they are now bottom of food chain here in a world which rats can attack them/

-‘you dig your earwig In the ribs and steer him with a match across the table’ metaphor for what’s being done to soldiers. match something to light fires and should create warmth however doing the opposite.