Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft

1. Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft Gerald met Eva Smith [ now Daisy Renton ] in the Palace Music Hall bar in March 1911, which was two months after being fired by Millwards. The Palace Music Hall bar was a place that prostitutes came seeking clients. She was being coerced by Alderman Joe Meggarty and Gerald had taken pity on her. Mrs. Birling is shocked that someone like Alderman Meggarty is not only there but flirting with girls. “There’s no need to be disgusting. And surely you don’t mean Alderman Meggarty?” P. 35 “Well, really! Alderman Meggarty! I must say, we are learning something tonight.” P. 35

2. Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft It is clear from Sheila that many in Brumley know about Meggarty and indeed his appearance with Eva is not the first time he has done that sort of thing. “..everybody knows about that horrible old Meggarty. A girl I know had to see him at the Town hall one afternoon and she only escaped with a torn blouse -” P. 35 Gerald first gets involved with Eva because he sees that she is in distress from Meggarty’s attentions. The girl saw me looking at her and then gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help. P. 35

3. Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft Gerald may have been sincere in his rescue of Eva and assisting her with food and drink. However the meeting has an impact on him. He decides two days later to meet her. “…two nights later we met again - not accidentally this time of course” P. 36 It is during this meeting that Gerald discovers that Eva is so broke that she is to be thrown out of her lodgings. He offers to put her up in his friends flat. Because he goes out of his way to meet her two days later, again at the Palace bar, and because of the speed he offers the flat it is clear he wants a relationship with her. He denies that was his reason for doing this.

4. Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft I want you to understand I didn’t install her there so I could make love to her. I made her go to Morgan Terrace because I was sorry for her and didn’t like the idea of her going back to the Palace bar. P. 37 Gerald makes it clear why he was attracted to her and why he was happy that an affair between them was bound to happen and indeed why he wanted it to happen. She was young and pretty and warm hearted - and intensely grateful. I became at once the most important person in her life. P. 37

5. Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft When asked by Sheila whether he loved Eva, he replies: I didn’t feel about her as she felt about me P. 38 Whereas Gerald did not love Eva, Eva deeply loved Gerald. I became at once the most important person in her life P. 37 The affair with Eva lasted seven months and ended in September 1911. Gerald used the time he knew he would be away on business to end the affair with Eva. Eva had not expected the affair to last long and was prepared when Gerald decided to tell her it was over. However although the affair meant little to Gerald, it had meant everything to Eva. After it ended she had to be away on her own to come to terms with his leaving.

6. Act 2:- September 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft She told me she’d been happier than she’d ever been before P. 39 She had to leave the flat and, although Gerald offered her money she did not want to take it but Gerald insisted…….however it was not a great deal of money he gave her. The Inspector informs Gerald that Eva went away on her own to remember the time she had been with Gerald. ..she said there that she had to go away and be quiet and remember “just to make it last longer”. P. 39

7. Act 2:- September 1911 Gerald Croft & Selfishness Gerald’s contact with Eva Smith is outright selfishness. Although he shows some concern when he hears of Eva’s death, it is soon over with:- • It is he who makes contact the second time: he goes back to the Palace bar two nights later to see if he can meet her again. • While this is happening he is still going out with Sheila Birling. • It is he who offers the flat to Eva. • Although Sheila also expects to be seeing him, he informs her that he can’t because he is too busy at work. • At one point he decides to go back with Sheila and promptly ditches Eva

8. Act 2:- September 1911 Gerald Croft & Selfishness • He chooses a time to tell Eva when he knows he will be away for three weeks so that she is not able to contact him. • Although he does not love her, he is aware that she is deeply in love with him. It is maybe for that reason that he offers her a little money. He tells Sheila that he wishes to go outside for a while and when he does return it is he that leads the others into doubting the Inspector is real and that indeed Eva Smith has killed herself. At the end of the play when it seems that the Inspector may not be real Gerald feels very confident and turns to Sheila: “Everything is alright now. Sheila what about this ring? P. 71

9. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith Two weeks before the Inspector arrived Eva met Sybil Birling. Sybil Birling was the most prominent member of the “Brumley Womens’ Charity Organisation”. This was an organisation to aid and help women in distress. Her contact with Eva was as follows:- i. Eva had approached her committee two weeks earlier. She was pregnant and had given her name as Mrs. Birling. I didn’t like her manner. She’d impertinently made use of our name, though she pretented afterwards it just happened to be the first she thought of. P. 44

10. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith ii. The committee refused her help. This was mainly due to pressure from Sybil. iii. Under Sybil’s questioning, Eva admitted that she was not married and that the story she had first told about a husband deserting her, was a lie. iv. Sybil told her to find the young man who had got her into this condition and demand he is responsible. I told her it was her business to make him responsible. If he refused to marry her - and in my opinion he ought to be compelled to marry her - then he must at least support her. P. 46

11. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith v. In the end Eva left having gained no assistance. Mrs. Birling’s attitude towards Eva was based on four points. a. Eva had called herself Mrs. Birling when she first approached the committee. It got Mrs. Birling very angry. She referred to it as a “piece of gross impertinence”. b. Eva had told a pack of lies at being married. c. Eva not only refused to name who the man was but went on to comment that the person was too immature to be able to cope with marriage. She felt marriage was out of the question. This got Mrs. Birling really angry.

12. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith ..it made me finally lose all patience with her. She was giving herself ridiculous airs. She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that simply absurd in a girl in her position. P. 46 d. Eva also informed Mrs. Birling that she refused any further help from the person when she discovers that the aid she is receiving is stolen by that person.

13. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Prejudice Sybil Birling’s attitude towards Eva Smith is one of severe prejudice. It is based on three elements:- i. Name ii. Class iii. Situation i. She is shocked that Eva has used the name of “Birling”. Sybil grills her to find out whether she has married Eric or has another claim to the name. She had to admit, after I started questioning her, that she had no claim to the name. P. 44

14. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith It is not clear why Eva used the name, maybe she thought that being Eric’s mother she would be more sympathetic especially since she was Chairwoman of the “Brumley’s Womens’ Charity”. She was find that she was very wrong. ii. She is astonished that Eva should have feelings and considerations for people and situations. She know she is “Working Class” and Mrs. Birling feels she has no right to be “choosy”. She should be grateful if offers of help were made to her by other people, whoever they are. The idea that Eva should decide whether a certain man was or was not right for her she found absurd.

15. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith She said that the father was only a youngster - silly and wild and drinking too much. There couldn’t be any question of marrying him - it would be wrong for them both P. 46 Ah - she had some fancy reason. As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money! P. 47

16. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith iii. The third reason that Sybil was prejudiced against Eva was that she was pregnant. She did not feel it was the responsibility her organisation to look after Eva. In her mind that was the responsibility of the father. Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility. P. 45 She is convinced that whoever got her pregnant should be forced to marry her and support her. If he refused to marry her - and in my opinion he ought to be compelled to - then he must at least support her. P. 46

17. Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith She clearly also blames Eva for becoming pregnant. She comments on her character when she refers to her refusal of money from Eric. As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money P. 47