Hardy

Hardy - What purpose does he serve in the play?

Hardy is known as a dramatic devise, he only appears at the beginning of the play we don't see him again. Sherriff has only used him to set the scene. Giving a overview on Stanhope, the conditions, what they should expect, what life is like in the trench and some games they could play. 

Drinking water -
'Don't have too much water. It's rather strong today.'

Wet Trenches -
'He's so fussy about the trenches. I expect they are rather dirty. Don't forget to change your clothes if you get wet.'

Fighting -
'Sometimes nothing happens for hours on end; then - all of a sudden - 'over she comes!' - rifle grenades - Minnies - and those horrid little things like pineapples - you know.'

German Attack -
 'Yes, but it's very near now: there's funny things happening over in the Boshe country. I've been listening at night when it's quiet. There's more transport than usual coming up - you can hear rattling over the pave all night; more trains in the distance - puffing up and going away again, one after another, bringing up loads and loads of men.'

Length of stay -
 'Are you here for six days?' 'Yes.'

Size of front controlled -
'We hold about 200yards of front line.'

Sleeping arrangements -
'Five beds you say? Is this the best one?'
                                       "Oh no. That's mine.."

Sleeping Conditions -
'The ones in the other dugout haven't got any bottoms to them, you keep yourself in by hanging your arms and legs over the sides. Mustn't hang your legs too low, or the rats gnaw your boots.''

Number of rats -
'I should say roughly about 2 million, but then of course I don't see them all.'

Anything else?
'What about trench stores?'
'115 rifle grenades - I shouldn't use them if I were you; they upset Jerry and make him offensive. Besides, they are rusty, in any case. Then there's 500 Mills bombs, thirty-four gum boots..'