Inspector Calls - Characters Flashcards
Mr Birling
Head of the birling household (Patriarchy) and is a ‘‘hard headed’’ business man. He thinks he may be in the running for a knighthood. He is ‘‘Static’’ and doesn’t change his views at all - he is also materialistic and possessive with old fashioned views about women. He learns no lessons throughout the course of the play and mocks the others for being ‘‘tricked’’
Mrs Birling
Arthur Birlings wife - she is cold hearted and snobbish despite being a prominent member of a local women’s charity. She sees both of her offspring as ‘‘Children’’ not as young men and women. Her cold uncaring nature leads to her downfall as the inspector forces her to condemn her own son
Shiela Birling
Sheila is Arthur and Sybils daughter and in her early 20’s. She is celebrating her engagement to gerald and is a ‘‘giddy, naive and childish young lady”. She regrets her involvement in the suicide of Eva and along with eric develop a strong moral compass by the end of the play.
Eric Birling
Eric is the Birlings’ son and is in his early twenties, he is described as being ‘not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive’. In other words, he lacks confidence. At points he tries to stand up to his father but is talked down. It becomes clear that he is drunk at the dinner table and later it is revealed that he has been drinking too much for quite some time.
It turns out that Eric had an affair with Eva Smith and that she was pregnant with Eric’s baby when she committed suicide. Eric stole money from his father’s business to help Eva. In the final act Eric makes an emotional attack on his parents and their values and shows that he can be assertive.
Gerald Croft
Gerald is described as ‘an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town’. Mr Birling is very pleased that Gerald is getting engaged to Sheila because his family are upper-class business owners, Mr Birling hopes they can join forces in business.
At the beginning of the play, Gerald comes across as being confident and charming. This changes after his affair with Eva Smith is revealed. Gerald gives himself away when he hears that Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton. He initially is evasive and tries not to talk too much about it but redeems himself in the eyes of the audience by being more open and honest about it as he talks to Sheila. He lets himself down in the final act by trying to get the family out of trouble, he doesn’t seem to have learned from his mistakes.
The inspector.
The inspector Arrives whilst the birling family are celebrating the engagement of sheila and gerald. He’s described by the stage directions as ‘‘he need not be a big man but he must create an impression of massiveness, solidarity and purposefulness.’’ He investigates each family member one at time and reveals the consequences of their behavior. He also drives forwards the drama with his questions creating suspense for the audience. The name ‘‘goole’’ suggests a supernatural or ghost like element, and he seems to be all knowing.
Eva smith/Daisy renton
The audience learns about eva through the inspector, where he reads out her diary. She is always referred to in a positive light by the characters that met her, but the inspector never lets the Birlings forget her gruesome death. She is strong willed (standing up to Mr Birling) and has a sense of humor (When sheila tries on a dress that doesnt suit her)
