SYBIL BIRLING

“A rather cold woman and her husbands superior”

• Her demeanour throughout the play is unchanged

• She remains snobbish, uncaring and dismissive of others

• Depicted as a symbol of the privileges of the upper classes and their selfish conduct

  • Similar to Arthur, she is extremely conscious of her high social position

  • Presented as more arrogant, dismissive and prejudiced than him

  • Treats the Inspector as socially inferior

• Views the working class as morally inferior because of her social position

  • Refuses to believe Eva would turn down stolen money, as she doesn’t have the same level of morality as the upper classes

  • Refuses to use Evas name and refers to her as ‘girl’ as though Eva is not worthy of being recognised as an individual

• Portrayed as one of the least compassionate

  • Prominent member of a women’s charity but her role is not due to a concern for others less fortunate, but as a symbol of status

  • Indifferent to the fact that she refused assistance to Eva and her grandchild and is devoid of any empathy for them

• Her callousness is further revealed in Act 3

• Still maintains that the charity is ought to deity assistance to undeserving people, even after finding out Eric is the father

• Appalling behaviour and cold detachment would be incomprehensible to an audience

  • Heightened further as she is a woman and a mother

• Perceived as someone who fails fully to perceive those around her

  • May deliberately turn a blind eye to any reality contradicting the reassuring image of herself and her family

  • Comforts herself by insisting she had done her duty instead of believing she contributed to the death of Eva and her grandchild

  • Initially refuses to believe Eric is the father and that he has a problem with alcohol

  • Both Sybil and her husband are concerned with preserving a respectable facade

• Sybil remains deeply entrenched in her prejudiced ways

  • Least effected and most resistant to the Inspectors message