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Osborne
An officer in Stanhope’s infantry. Hibbert is so afraid of dying in the trenches that he pretends to suffer from an acute case of neuralgia (intense nerve pain). He seizes every opportunity to talk about his physical pain in front of Stanhope, finally approaching the captain and claiming that he will have to go home on account of this overbearing condition. However, he’s caught off guard when Stanhope tells him he can’t leave and says that he isn’t allowed to go to the doctor, either. When Hibbert presses Stanhope, he discovers that Stanhope is tired of soldiers faking various illnesses in order to excuse themselves from duty. During this conversation, Hibbert grows more and more hysterical, until finally he admits that the real reason he wants to leave is because he can’t stand the stress and fear that comes along with being at war. To his surprise, Stanhope actually begins to empathize with this sentiment, revealing that he too feels this way. From this point on, Hibbert stops complaining of neuralgia, forming an unlikely bond with Stanhope, who helps him through by boosting his confidence and agreeing to work watch shifts with him. When the Germans finally stage their massive attack, Hibbert seems intentionally slow to join the fighting, but he eventually leaves the safety of the dugout to face the enemy.
Hibbert Quotes in Journey’s End
The Journey’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Hibbert or refer to Hibbert. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 2, Scene 2
Quotes
Stanhope! I’ve tried like hell—I swear I have. Ever since I came out here I’ve hated and loathed it. Every sound up there makes me all—cold and sick. I’m different to—to the others—you don’t understand. It’s got worse and worse, and now I can’t bear it any longer. I’ll never go up those steps again—into the line—with the men looking at me—and knowing—I’d rather die here. [He is sitting on STANHOPE’S bed, crying without effort to restrain himself.]
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If you went—and left Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh and all those men up there to do your work—could you ever look a man straight in the face again—in all your life! [There is silence again.] You may be wounded. Then you can go home and feel proud—and if you’re killed you—you won’t have to stand this hell any more. I might have fired just now. If I had you would have been dead now. But you’re still alive—with a straight fighting chance of coming through. Take the chance, old chap, and stand in with Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh. Don’t you think it worth standing in with men like that?—when you know they all feel like you do—in their hearts—and just go on sticking it because they know it’s—it’s the only thing a decent man can do.
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Hibbert Quotes in Journey’s End
The Journey’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Hibbert or refer to Hibbert. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 2, Scene 2
Quotes
Stanhope! I’ve tried like hell—I swear I have. Ever since I came out here I’ve hated and loathed it. Every sound up there makes me all—cold and sick. I’m different to—to the others—you don’t understand. It’s got worse and worse, and now I can’t bear it any longer. I’ll never go up those steps again—into the line—with the men looking at me—and knowing—I’d rather die here. [He is sitting on STANHOPE’S bed, crying without effort to restrain himself.]
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If you went—and left Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh and all those men up there to do your work—could you ever look a man straight in the face again—in all your life! [There is silence again.] You may be wounded. Then you can go home and feel proud—and if you’re killed you—you won’t have to stand this hell any more. I might have fired just now. If I had you would have been dead now. But you’re still alive—with a straight fighting chance of coming through. Take the chance, old chap, and stand in with Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh. Don’t you think it worth standing in with men like that?—when you know they all feel like you do—in their hearts—and just go on sticking it because they know it’s—it’s the only thing a decent man can do.
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