Sheila Birling Character Analysis

An Analyse of Sheila Birling

Set in England 1912, Sheila Birling is the daughter of a pompous businessman and an uptight mother. Her father’s money is self-made so their social status is around upper-middle class, despite this, her parents desperately want to have an even high social status. So when it's announced that Sheila is to be engaged to a man whose family is of very high social status, and a potential business partner’s son also, they are very pleased. Rather than thinking of their daughter and how she has found love, they view it as a business deal that will strengthen his company.

At the very start of Act One in the stage directions, Sheila is described as, ‘...a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited.’ This implies that Sheila is pleased with her relationship and seems to be somewhat innocent. In addition to her innocent, childlike and sheltered personality, Sheila calls her mother, ‘…Mummy,’ and her father, ‘…Daddy’. These acts show a huge contrast to Shelia’s attitude after she is confronted by the inspector about the incident at Milwards. Sheila’s initial reaction to the …show more content…
Later in the play after the inspector leaves, Sheila seems to be very affected by the inspector’s emotive words prior to his leave. While everyone seems to be shifting the blame or finding loopholes out of the situation on Eric and Sheila are deeply affected, Sheila states, ‘…But you’re forgetting one thing I still can’t forget. Everything we said happened really had happened. If it didn’t end tragically, then that’s lucky for us. But it might have done.’ After this, her father proceeds to mock the family and Sheila leaves because ‘it frightens me the way you talk.’ As sad as it is only Sheila and Eric are deeply sorry for their actions and I believe this links in with J. B. Priestley’s

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