Eric Birling
Full name: Mr Eric Birling
Age: ‘early twenties’
Role: Birling’s son
Ideology: Capitalist → Socialist
Irresponsible
‘You’re squiffy’ - Sheila to Eric
‘I didn’t even remember - that’s the hellish thing’
Other Quotes:
‘not quite at ease’
‘half shy’ ‘half assertive’
The way he goes for a drink shows ‘his familiarity with quick heavy drinking’
He shows up the the party ‘squiffy’
He often gets a drink even before the Inspector arrives
Eric represents all “respectable” upper middle class men in Edwardian times
Most men were like Eric, just in secret
He lacks self control
He took advantage of Eva
He is an alcoholic
‘the fact is I did what I did’
Eric accepts responsibility and shows his guilt
Anger:
The audience feel sorry for him as he yells at Sybil saying ‘You don’t understand anything’
‘my child - you’re grandchild - you killed them both’
Alternative Interpretations
Takes no responsibility for his own actions - forces himself on Eva and says he has forgotten ‘it seems’ he behaved badly. ‘a state where a chap turns nasty’ - distances himself from the action and generalises all men like this
Denies that it isn’t theft - ‘not really’ - as he intended to pay it back
Symbol of the future of capitalism - capitalism = theft
Personifies capitalism as theft
Clearly kept most of the stolen money for himself as Eva couldn’t have possibly spent all that money in the short period of time
Agreement with the Inspector may be because of his drunkenness
Full name: Mr Eric Birling
Age: ‘early twenties’
Role: Birling’s son
Ideology: Capitalist → Socialist
Irresponsible
‘You’re squiffy’ - Sheila to Eric
‘I didn’t even remember - that’s the hellish thing’
Other Quotes:
‘not quite at ease’
‘half shy’ ‘half assertive’
The way he goes for a drink shows ‘his familiarity with quick heavy drinking’
He shows up the the party ‘squiffy’
He often gets a drink even before the Inspector arrives
Eric represents all “respectable” upper middle class men in Edwardian times
Most men were like Eric, just in secret
He lacks self control
He took advantage of Eva
He is an alcoholic
‘the fact is I did what I did’
Eric accepts responsibility and shows his guilt
Anger:
The audience feel sorry for him as he yells at Sybil saying ‘You don’t understand anything’
‘my child - you’re grandchild - you killed them both’
Alternative Interpretations
Takes no responsibility for his own actions - forces himself on Eva and says he has forgotten ‘it seems’ he behaved badly. ‘a state where a chap turns nasty’ - distances himself from the action and generalises all men like this
Denies that it isn’t theft - ‘not really’ - as he intended to pay it back
Symbol of the future of capitalism - capitalism = theft
Personifies capitalism as theft
Clearly kept most of the stolen money for himself as Eva couldn’t have possibly spent all that money in the short period of time
Agreement with the Inspector may be because of his drunkenness
