Gerald

• Gerald is presented as the product of a capitalist society at the time. While he shows some signs of remorse, it could be argued that these are by the resulting risk to his reputation
• Gerald: "I wish to God she had now. Perhaps I'd feel better about it."


  • Morality play set in Christian Context

  • Heightens remorse as he calls for saving from a higher power

  • "Perhaps" -> Unsure of himself
• Gerald: "Everything's all right now, Sheila. What about this ring?"


  • Ignorance of what has just happened

  • Ring acts as a symbol of capitalist values around materialism

  • Gerald focuses more on the ring than on his past actions

  • Failure to redeem himself
• Gerald is a symbol of the cyclical nature of abuse that occurs from Capitalism through the way in which Gerald contrasts the others of his generation
• Gerald: "You couldn't have done anything else."

  Eric: "He could."


  • Gerald confirmative tone with longer sentence.

  • Contrasts Eric's shorter sentence which has a more declarative tone.

  • Gerald is continuing the legacy of his father while Eric tends towards socialist values.
• Gerald: "I know we'd have done the same thing."


  • Collective noun to refer to his family

  • Doesn't see a difference between himself and the elder people in his family.
• Gerald: "Inspector, I think Miss Birling ought to be excused any more questioning."


  • Suppression of women

  • Play is set 16 years before women get the vote in the UK.