Eva Smith / Daisy Renton Flashcards
Introduction
- symbol for working class women
- Her poor treatment shows the corruptness of the class system and a patriarchal society
Gender, ‘She had a lot to say- far too much-so she had to go’
- Eva faces a lot of PREJUDICE + harsh treatment due to her gender
- reinforces the patriarchal ideology that women don’t have a voice
GENDER , ‘She was pretty too’
-like Sheila, Eva is often OBJECTIFIED and her looks are an important part of the play- Gerald probably wouldn’t have used her and Eric wouldn’t have raped her if she wasn’t ‘pretty’
GENDER , ‘If she’d been some miserable plain little creature, I don’t suppose I’d have done it. but she was very pretty’
- her beauty is a threat to Sheila
- emphasises the importance of looks for a woman in Edwardian Society- Priestley showing how gender inequality leads to women having limited life choices and control over their lives
Class
- Eva faces many HARDSHIPS due to her class + often faces prejudice from the other characters.
- Eva’s name ‘Smith’ is significant, as it as GENERIC NAME, that many carried showing that she is a symbol of the W.C and how what happened to her happens to many others.
Class ,’Smith’
-Eva’s name ‘Smith’ is significant, as it as GENERIC NAME, that many carried showing that she is a symbol of the W.C and how what happened to her happens to many others.
Class , ‘Daisy Renton’
- The name ‘Renton’ is derived from the verb ‘to rent’ a euphemism of prostitution in the 20th century
- This change in name displays She can no longer survive by working hard and must go against her MORAL PRINCIPLES to survive, engaging in prostitution.
Class, ‘As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money’
-Mr Birling’s prejudiced view of W>C- believe Eva has NO MORALS because she is poor- dichotomy of classes + a corrupt class system
Power
- Eva was powerless against the Birling family and patriarchal capitalist society that was designed to destroy her, as a working class woman
- As a working class woman she was at the bottom of the hierarchy with zero power.
Power , ‘Burned her inside out’
- She was never strong enough to fight the disinfectant, just like how she wasn’t strong enough to capitalism
- Priestley conveying that capitalism will rot people from the inside out
Power, (lack of power) QUOTES
- ‘Old Alderman Meggarty wedged her into a corner’- helpless
- ‘I threatened to make a row’- forced to have sex with Eric because it is not within her power to stop him
Exploitation
- Eva is exploited by Mr Birling, Eric and Gerald
- Mr Birling- labour
- Eric-Physical
- Gerald-Emotional
- Priestley is highlighting the BARBARIC TREATMENT of w.c women (THESE ATTITUDES MUST END)
EXPLOITATION, ‘She was pretty and a good sport’
-Eric uses Eva to satisfy his own sexual desires
EXPLOITATION, ‘A glance that was nothing less than a cry for help’
- Gerald emotionally exploited Eva by ‘helping’ her and taking advantage of her VUNERABLE MENTAL STATE for his own entertainment
- he took the opportunity to start a relationship as ‘She was very pretty’
EXPLOITATION quotes
‘A glance that was nothing less than a cry for help’
-‘She was pretty and a good sport’
