Gerald Flashcards
“The easy, well bred young man about town” (act 1)
Animalistic image on ‘bred’: For Priestley’s contemporary audience, the stage direction “bred” evokes imagery of animal breeding, conjuring a metaphorical image of Gerald as a product of meticulous cultivation, much like a carefully bred animal
• This suggests that Gerald has been groomed from birth to embody the archetype of the aristocra and charming “man about town.” Thus, he is a victim to capitalist ideologies ingrained within him as he is unable to escape the persona crafted for him before he even had agency (a choice) over his own identity
Adjective on ‘easy’
The adjective on ‘easy’ implies that Gerald easily assimilated into the higher echelon of society as he is a paragon (perfect example) of social superiority.
• This ease and comfort in his current circumstances foreshadow his resistance to change, contrasting with the more malleable (able to change) qualities of other members of the younger generation
• This reluctance to embrace socialist principles may stem from a fear of jeopardising his social standing and being ostracised (isolated) by the elite
Linking to other key themes:
• Responsibility: Gerald derives comfort from the entrenched societal beliefs ingrained by his social class. Despite being aware of the irresponsible nature of these beliefs, he relies on the protective facade they offer, and hopes it can continue to shield him as it once did.
“We’re responsible citizens and not criminals” (act 1)
Collective pronoun “we’re”: The utilisation of the collective pronoun “we’re” serves to propagate a segregative ideology, as Gerald employs it to unite the Birlings against perceived
“criminals.”
• However, the irony lies in Gerald’s unfounded assertion of the Birlings’ respectability, which unveils aristocratic biases as fundamentally ignorant.
• Additionally, it underscores how wealthy capitalists, consumed by materialism, often lack insight into morality or even real life itself, this belittling their perceived shrewdness (having good judgement).
Alliteration on ‘citizens’ and ‘criminals’: The alliteration of “citizens” and “criminals” creates a sense of similarity, reflecting Priestley’s portrayal of blurred lines between morality and criminality as one ascends the social hierarchy
• Much like Priestley’s use of dramatic irony and satire to mock Mr. Birling, he subtly ridicules Gerald’s pretentious demeanour, revealing how the wealthy often harbour biases that align only with their narrow worldview. Priestley highlights this is only exacerbated through capitalist ideologies
“She looked young and fresh and charming” (act 2)
Noun “fresh”: The noun “fresh” connotes to innocence and purity which presents Eva as prey Gerald, it introduces this notion of consumption which implies Gerald is acting on primal and lustful desires
Alternatively, this idea of innocence distances Eva from a typical prostitute- suggesting that Gerald did not pursue their relationship as a Micheton (a customer of a prostitute) and it was instead a heroic response to the sympathy he felt towards her
Polysyndeton on ‘and’ (repetition of and): The polysyndeton on “and” serves to amplify the list of qualities that Gerald fondly reminisces about regarding Eva/ Daisy
However, the fact that two out of three adjectives list physical attributes showcases how Eva served as a physical fantasy for Gerald, a refuge (place to be safe) from the constraints of his engagement and the continual pressure of upkeeping his social status
“Everything’s all right now, Sheila [holds up the ring] what about this ring” (act 3)
Cyclical narrative: Gerald conducts the play to follow a cyclical structure, focusing back on his and Sheila’s engagement. This is reflective of his unwillingness to change and his overarching desire to absolve himself from guilt and responsibility
Despite belonging to the younger generation, he shirks (avoid/neglects) accountability, disappointi the audience with his character arc.
Unlike Sheila and Eric, who are impressionable and adaptable, Gerald’s obstinate (stubborn) nature remains unchanged
Ring as a metonym: The use of the noun “ring” as a metonym (when a noun or an attribute of something is used in place of its actual name another example could be referring to the British monarchy as ‘the Crown’) for marriage displays Gerald’s materialistic view of marriage, devoid of any emotion or love
He reverts to this symbol of traditional power and possession in order to reassert himself; he finds comfort in the ingrained societal beliefs which make life ‘easy’ for him
Linking to other key themes:
• Social class: Gerald derives comfort from the entrenched societal beliefs ingrained by his social class. Despite being aware of the irresponsible nature of these beliefs, he relies on the protective facade they offer, and hopes it can continue to shield him as it once did.
Gender: Gerald remains obdurate (stubborn) in his opinions towards morality, therefore his opinions towards women remain aligned with the marginalisation and objectification of women.
He does not embody the progressive attitudes typically associated with the younger generation but rather perpetuates oppressive views towards women.
