Eric Birling

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  • Eric Birling
    • Characteristics
      • Irresponsible
        • "I didn't even remember - that's the hellish thing."
      • unloved
        • "You don't understand anything. You never did."
      • alcoholic
        • "I was in the state when a chap easily turns nasty."
      • Sensitive
        • "My God - I'm not likely to forget."
      • guilty and frustrated
        • "Oh - my God! - how stupid it all is!"
      • he does care about Eva
        • "So I gave her enough money to keep going"
        • "I do take any interest in it, I take to much interest that's my trouble."
      • He is modern in his thinking.
        • "Why shouldn't they try for higher wages?"
      • Priestley suggests that there's something not right with Eric
        • He's embarrassed and awkward
          • He interrupts Sheila and Gerald when he "suddenly guffaws."
        • he's "not quite at ease."
    • Purpose in the play
      • At the start of the play, he was just like the others – abusing his power over a working class girl.
        • He treated her ‘as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person
      • he accepts responsibility, and like Sheila, feels very guilty about what he did.
        • ‘The fact remains that I did what I did.’
    • He has lots of secrets
      • He got a prostitute pregnant and there's a suggestion he forced himself on her.
      • He has stolen money from his father's business to support Eva
      • He's a heavy drinker and has been for a while. He has a 'familiarity with quick heavy drinking" seen in ACT 3
    • He has a sense of repsonsibilty
      • He gets really angry with his parents: "I am ashamed of you."
        • "Your own grandchild - you killed them both!"
      • "We did her in all right."
      • "I don't give a damn now."

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