An Inspector Calls Character Profile Essay

Arthur Birling Husband of Sybil, father of Sheila and Eric. He is the owner of Birling and Company, some sort of factory business that employs several girls to work on machines. He is a Magistrate and two years ago, was Lord Mayor of Brumley. Gerald Croft Engaged to Sheila. His parents, Sir George and Lady Croft, are above the Birlings socially, and it seems his mother disapproves of his engagement to Sheila. He works for his father’s company, Crofts Limited, which seems to be both bigger and older than Birling and Company. Sheila Birling Engaged to be married to Gerald. Daughter of Arthur Birling and Sybil Birling, and sister of Eric. Sybil Birling Married to Arthur. Mother of Sheila and Eric. Sybil is, like her husband, a woman of some public influecnce, sitting on charity organizations and having been married two years ago to the Lord Mayor. She is an icily impressive woman, arguably the only one of all the Birlings to almost completely resist the Inspector’s attempts to make her realize her responsibilities. Eric Birling Son of Arthur and Sybil Birling. Brother of Sheila Birling. Eric has a drinking problem He works at Birling and Company, and his father is his boss. Inspector Goole The Inspector is in his fifties, and he is dressed in a plain dark suit. He initially seems to be an ordinary Brumley police inspector, but (as his name might suggest) comes to seem something more ominous–perhaps even a supernatural being. Edna The parlour maid. Eva Smith A girl who the Inspector claims worked for Birling and was fired, before working for Milwards and then being dismissed. She subsequently had relationships with Gerald Croft and then Eric Birling (by whom she became pregnant).