Sheila Birling

• Sheila Birling


  • Quick-witted and strong-minded
  • Sensitive and moral
  • Childish at first but more mature than expected
• Sheila's actions


  • Hands Gerald's ring back when she finds out he's been unfaithful
  • Suspects Eric might be the father of Eva/Daisy's child
• Sheila's past actions


  • Abused her status as a wealthy customer at Milwards to get Eva/Daisy dismissed
• Sheila: '"I don't believe I will. So you be careful."'
• Sheila: '"he's giving us the rope-so that we'll hang ourselves"'
• Sheila: '"you used the power you had [...] to punish the girl"'
• Sheila: '"But these girls aren't cheap labour, they're people"'
• Sheila's language


  • Childish at first, using slang like "squiffy"
  • Excited about the ring, looking to her mother for approval
  • Witty lines that undermine the authority of others
• Sheila's development


  • Has wise instincts, not naive
  • Acknowledges using her power to punish Eva Smith, eager to learn
  • Sees the need for the family to change
• The Inspector's revelations


  Change Sheila for good
• Sheila is the character who changes the most out of all the characters in the play
• Sheila's final line about the ring shows ambiguity in how the audience sees her character
• Sheila's similarities to the Inspector

  • Asks Gerald as many questions as the Inspector
  • Reveals Eric's drinking problem to her mother
  • Contradicts and undermines her parents like the Inspector
  • Shocks Eric by telling him his mother refused to help Eva/Daisy