Dark, factitious and a product of their environment R.C Sherriff presents the play in a humorous tone while his intent could be to highlight the characters as just coping and their poor humour as a result of their environment showing it as a critique of the war underpinning it as futile. This is seen when Hardy states to Osborne of the dugout crumbling into their "tea" responsibly "nothing worse than dirt in your tea "this lack of sincerity at the danger highlights how they have become adjusted to the fact that it is the norm in trench life and are desensitised to it with an average officer like Raleigh's life expectancy of 4 weeks it is not unheard of to become uncaring of the pain when they want to blot it out with a modern audience accepting that although firstly they would be shocked they would later understand it to be a coping mechanism of which everybody has like Hardy slagging off others ; Hibbert unsavoury outdated views on women and Osborne reading and caring for others.This same point also would illicit those of Black Adder by a even more modern audience and this would cause links to be made further perpetuating the futility of war like it does and also like it does a critique of the even higher which are largely invisible in the play like woman.Tea is also reused  as a point as it is integral and is supposedly British "Culture" as when Raleigh is dieing he states that it is " has onion in it"  this highlights how even when he is dieing he draws to the bad envirionment and it also is comforting to Raleigh which can be seen as further palliative as he has supposedly got a "Blighty one" which is what he wants to here and so is censoring the truth allowing Raleigh to be ignorant of his impending soon death and rest easier further this allows Raleigh who is "childish" to remain youthful and innocent like those many who died young in WW1 and with some lying about their age as to get in and this is respectful as they will not grow old and peole want to remember them as they were it also not only reiterates his argument as of the wars futility but also the fact they were young shows the tradgedy of which by everyone knows post-war when they return.This point being at the end also reiterates and demonstrates Sherriff's true purpose and intentions as the story resolves the flame dimininishes and everyone dies around this point as to show and allow it to be as a tragedy requires death and this cements his ideas. Further before when discussing microbes they would rather the people ommit the "disinfectant" highlight at the poor conditons but not only this also could be seen as humour as they obviously would rather them not as the water quality is exceedingly bad but they do this as humour as the water would be bad due to commonplace rats defecating in reservoirs dead soldiers lining trenches and the plentiful mud after one of the worst Winters on record.This effectively all shows humour at their conditions of which by they laugh at as a coping mechanism highlighting through this tragedy. Further the use of humour is effective at bringing about the point of futility as it makes it seem laughable as to their reason as nobody knew why they were really there with songs like "We're here because we're here" not knowing the true reason as despite public opinion and propaganda common trench opinion neither hated nor dislike the other side as they were all just fighting for no real reason and purpose other than to be a force of which by those in power are using exemplified by Stanhope being pleased by the higher force and powered "Brigadier" despite being higher up than that of the common soldier as an officer he respects them and his loyalty lies with them as he has also lost and has lost a dear friend "Uncle". He also does this as satire which could actually be punished and some were even court martialled for highlighting his opinions and the futility of war and also how he is devoted and has had a great loss which vastly juxtaposes the messenger who is like the Brigadier uncaring this demonstrates the authors intent with him being respectful of those who serve like he himself did and like those of Stanhope's company paint in a by Plato's definition as tragic heroes as they have all the attributes like hubris but wanting to really after a long waiting period after the freshness had died down a little revive it as being as tragic as the war really was aiding to the anti-war post wars ideas that were in part due to him and poets like Sassoon and Owen. Further in exemplifying his ideas that they are good Trotter draws "rings" at which by he will fill as the hours past totaling "114" this is optimistic and shows them in a positive light as they look to the brighter side this is followed by Hibbert filling them and ruining it which links to the idea of their inevitable and futile impending doom of which they know. Shown also to be a metadrama the use of "front-row seats" highlights how despite this being only a play doesn't lose it's meaning as they will for a person in a war try to faithfully renact the war in a constructive manner and to build on trauma after they might have receive from war known as "Shell Shock" which has been reduced to PTSD. Further this being at the beginning serves the authors intent as he diverts there expectation of which they might believe to be patriotic like that of Jessie Pope although this would be unlikely due to its explicit name implying death and doom.Through all of this it shows humour and through this highlights and shows the futility of war. Further humour is also used as a negative force but still as a coping mechanism as Hibbert states to the others in the dugout "You just don't understand art" this highlights Hibbert to being flawed and although is disliked by a modern audience and is further diminished shows not only him as flawed allowing him to be a tragic hero but also as which a coping mechanism as which by allows him to function in the trench life even if he does postpone his late departure he does leave eventually and also still partakes. Further the irony of Osborne reading Alice in Wonderland further this whilst slightly humorous as it is reflective of his current situation as like in that story the world is all discordant and messed up with the mad hatter this not only showing humour also highlights the means by which he lives and so is therefore also a coping mechanism this also being a Children's' book highlights him to be both maternal and paternal as he reads to others in the dugout highlighting it to be foreign but also like home in some regards.In the 1984 Production the death effect was comical this whilst by some would distract and also undermine at first the effect as it shows it to be a laughing matter is very faithful over the intent of Sherrif as doing this questions and critiques the audiences  first beliefs and why they are laughing at such a tradgedy which further makes stronger the case for the horrors of the war this prbyoduction also playing more on comedy which some modern peope might find more powerful then the modern 2004 production which leans more onto the brute horror and strength of it all as to create the same effect.Overall throughout the play humour of all varieties is used to undermine highers build relationships and cope aswell as to pass time all of which create to the audience both modern and comtemporary the powerful meaning of the play as a tradgedy that shouldn't be forgotten.