Gerald Croft

Profile

Full name: Mr Gerald Croft

Age: ‘about thirty’

Role: Birling’s future son-in-law

Ideology: strong capitalist

Social class: upper class

Characteristics

• Traditional

‘You couldn’t have done anything else’

• In reference to Mr Birling sacking Eva

Arthur and Gerald

• Gerald is like a young Birling - used to being in control
• Gerald often agrees with Birling in terms of politics and women
• Both are business minded and committed to their work
• Both are determined to take action at the end to find out whether it was a hoax

Responsibility

• Gerald isn’t responsible for his actions
• Stood next to Sheila he looks less passionate and dismissive like Birling

‘Everything’s alright now, Sheila’

'Sorry- I- well, I've suddenly realized- taken it in properly- that she's dead-'

'I don't come into this suicide business.'

Says that Daisy ‘didn’t blame me at all’ - he thinks that he shouldn’t be blamed because she didn’t blame him (same with the audience at first as they feel sympathy for her)

Complexity

• 'And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?’ - Inspector (Gerald agrees)
• But, Gerald takes advantage of Daisy Renton and Sheila

Saviour Complex

Daisy Renton:

• Gerald saves Daisy from Alderman Meggarty at the Palace Bar
• He provides her with a home and resources and then stops when it is no longer benefitting him

Sheila Birling:

• Gerald is around 10 years older and more mature than Sheila - it is easy to exploit her
• He is of higher class than all of the Birlings so is raising their social class
• He takes control of Sheila

The Hoax:

• He finds out that it is all a hoax and ‘slowly’ reveals it to Mr Birling
• All that mattered to Mr Birling was his reputation - Gerald has saved him

Intelligence and Audience Reaction

Priestley presents Gerald as a more intelligent character, this makes the audience judge him more harshly as he sees and understands the Inspector’s point but actively chooses to ignore it.