The Humans

Erik is the father of Brigid and Aimee, the son of Momo, and the husband of Deirdre. Though the lives of many of the characters in The Humans are explored, Erik is the closest to a protagonist among them, as the secret he hides for much of the play proves to be the climax of its plot. 

Erik presents himself as duty driven in his life, always looking out for his family and caring for Momo and his daughters. Erik used to work at a local Catholic school, primarily to provide Brigid and Aimee with better lives by setting up their education and careers. As he explains to Richard, “It’s practical. Got the girls free tuition. You don’t pick up after other people’s kids for twenty-eight years unless you really love your own, you know?” (37). Erik does, however, ultimately confess that he lost his job because he had an affair with another teacher at his school. His infidelity to Dierdre and his willingness to jeopardize—and finally lose—his job plunged the family into further financial hardship, which suggests that for all his professed commitment to duty, he sometimes fails to put the true well-being of his wife and daughters first.