Why does Gerald want to marry Sheila?
Gerald’s motives can sometimes be hard to understand. We know he’s a member of the aristocracy, the highest class of British society, and that social status was hugely important in the early 1900s in Britain. He can’t marry Eva. But why is he marrying Sheila if she’s of a lower social standing to him and he’s prepared to have an affair while being with her?
Some possibilities are:
- His parents may prefer he marries Sheila to draw attention away from his behaviour around town, including sleeping with prostitutes. They may accept this as a compromise, as the union may bolster their business interests, although they seem to make their disappointment known by being ‘abroad’ for the engagement party.
- He may be attracted to Sheila, and knows that, due to her lower social status, she will always have a muted voice in the marriage. This way, he’ll be able to continue with his deceptive, irresponsible behaviour.
- He may be attracted by the idea of romantic love. An engagement party and a ring may well appeal to his romantic side, even though he may be unwilling to fulfil the more difficult parts of the marriage contract.
Why does Gerald have an affair with Daisy Renton?
We know from the exposition that he’s a ‘good-looking man about town’, which already suggests he’s charming, sociable and probably popular. Yet we also know he enjoys being the hero and helping a damsel in distress. It fits his view of himself. When he meets Daisy at the Palace bar, a haunt of prostitutes, it’s her ‘big eyes’ and (the rather ominous) ‘fresh and young and pretty’ qualities that attract him as opposed to the older ‘dough-faced’ women that frequent the bar. There is absolutely no reflection from Gerald (or Eric either) that these women age prematurely through the mistreatment the impoverished lives they endure. If we need any persuading as to whether Gerald actually frequented prostitutes, we only need to ask why Charlie Brunswick lent him ‘a nice little set of rooms’ for six weeks.
So he sees her beauty and youth and wants to save her (she’s ‘intensely grateful’). He doesn’t intend to have an affair but also doesn’t control himself enough to avoid it. He lets her fall in love with him, gives her a taste of kindness and stability, then drops her. So Gerald gets a warm glow, sex with a beautiful young woman, and is inconvenienced in no way whatsoever. Eva and Sheila pay the price.
As an aristocrat, Gerald feels he’s above the normal rules of society and acts as if he’s untouchable. He may have cared about Eva, but not enough to consider the repercussions of his actions.
Why does Gerald leave the house?
Gerald avoids confrontation whenever he can. He’ll agree with people to keep the situation light (think about his interactions with Mr Birling) and he’ll try to remove himself from tense conversations. When he starts to have a meaningful conversation with Sheila, we see a glimmer of hope for him, and we also feel a modicum of empathy. Yet he still struggles to face the results of his actions. He leaves because the tension of the situation is too much for him to cope with. However, he doesn’t just go for a walk, he actively seeks out a police officer to find out about Inspector Goole. He actively tries to absolve himself of responsibility.
Why doesn’t Gerald change by the end of the play?
He represents the aristocracy, the class with the most to lose if socialism were to become a reality. Gerald would have to give up his wealth, a lifestyle of leisure, his relative protection from the law and his hereditary position. It would be unrealistic to portray an aristocratic character as easily swayed to become a socialist. His resistance may also be a warning to the audience that change won’t happen without intervention. If the populace wants socialism, they’ll have to fight for it one way or another.
