Eric Birling Character notes

ERIC BIRLING

 “Eric Birling works at Birling and Co., his father is presumably his boss. Eric is the son of Arthur and Sybil Birling and brother of Sheila Birling. We discover early on in the play that Eric has a drinking problem and that he has been drinking steadily for almost two years. J. B. Priestly describes Eric as in his "early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive". Eric is quite naive, and is in no way as cunning or as worldly as Gerald Croft. By the end of the play, like his sister Sheila, he becomes aware of own responsibilities, realising that he has played a part in Eva Smith's death. Eric is one of the characters to be questioned by Inspector Goole.”- www.oxnotes.com

“in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive”

-Embarrassed and awkward from the start: The first mention of him in the script is “Eric suddenly guffaws” then is unable to explain his laughter. This could be due to the fact he is drunk.

-Hard drinker: He has been “drinking steadily for almost two years”. Sheila describes him as “squiffy” and Gerald admits “I have gathered that he does drink pretty hard”. Perhaps, Eric is a hard drinker because of his awkwardness and the tensions between him and his father. He becomes very different when he is drunk: “I was in the state when a chap easily turns nasty- and I threatened to make a row” which suggests he ***** her. It is clear he regrets what he did.

-There is tension between him and his father: Birling confides in Gerald about his “chance of aknighthood” rather than his own son. This is highlighted in their differences on social views- when he hears why his father sacked Eva, he supports the worker’s cause and says “Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? ... I’d have let her stay”, which portrays him as having a socialist nature rather than the capitalist views of his father. Through this, Priestley represents a change in the younger generation and is the hope that the future will be brighter. By the end of the play, Eric is standing up to his father and highlighting Mr Birling’s failure as a father: “you’re not the kind of father a chap would go to when he’s in trouble”.

-Suspicious: When Gerald jokes to Mr Birling that the arrival of the Inspector could be something to do with Eric-: “Unless Eric’s been up to something”, Eric replies “(still uneasy) Well I don’t think it’s very funny”. This is foreshadowing his part in Eva’s death. He seems to know more about girls than his family think: “you’d think a girl had never had any clothes before she gets married. Women are potty about ‘em”- how does he know this? He has more experience than we think. His awkwardness from the start of the novel could also suggest he has done something he doesn’t want anyone to…