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Emma
Casey is a writer whom Jerry discovered and represents, and whom Robert publishes. His artistry has declined since Jerry discovered him, but his books still sell well. In continuing to promote him, Jerry and Robert thus compromise on their artistic standards for the sake of financial gain. Casey never appears onstage, but he often crops up in conversation, signaling Jerry and Robert’s evolving sense of guilt and disappointment in their careers. Robert begins playing squash more with Casey once Jerry stops joining him, and in the end, Casey and Emma begin an affair. In this regard, Casey is a kind of nemesis to Jerry, usurping his roles as he vacates them.
Casey Quotes in Betrayal
The Betrayal quotes below are all either spoken by Casey or refer to Casey. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Scene 1 Quotes
JERRY: The funny thing was that the only thing I really felt was irritation, I mean irritation that nobody gossiped about us like that, in the old days. I nearly said, now look, she may be having the occasional drink with Casey, who cares, but she and I had an affair for seven years and none of you bastards had the faintest idea it was happening.
Pause
EMMA: I wonder. I wonder if everyone knew, all the time.
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Scene 2 Quotes
JERRY: [Casey’s] over the hill
ROBERT: Is he?
JERRY: Don’t you think so?
ROBERT: In what respect?
JERRY: His work. His books.
ROBERT: Oh, his books. His art. Yes his art does seem to be falling away, doesn’t it?
JERRY: Still sells.
ROBERT: Oh, sells very well. Sells very well indeed. Very good for us. For you and me.
JERRY: Yes.
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Scene 4 Quotes
ROBERT: Well, to be brutally honest, we wouldn’t actually want a woman around, would we, Jerry? I mean a game of squash isn’t simply a game of squash, it’s rather more than that […] You really don’t want a woman within a mile of the place […] You see, at lunch you want to talk about squash, or cricket, or books, or even women, with your friend, and be able to warm to your theme without feat of improper interruption. That’s what it’s all about. What do you think, Jerry?
JERRY: I haven’t played squash for years.
Pause
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Scene 7 Quotes
I’m a bad publisher because I hate books […]. I mean modern novels, first novels and second novels, all that promise and sensibility it falls upon me to judge, to put the firm’s money on, and then to push for the third novel, see it done, see the dust jacket done, see the dinner for the national literary editors done, […] all in the name of literature. You know what you and Emma have in common? You love literature. I mean you love modern prose literature, I mean you love the new novel by the new Casey or Spinks. It gives you a thrill.
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Casey Character Timeline in Betrayal
The timeline below shows where the character Casey appears in Betrayal. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Scene 1
...apartment. Jerry, a literary agent, is irritated by current rumors of Emma’s new affair with Casey, a client of his. Emma reveals that her husband Robert, a publisher, has been having...
(full context)
Scene 2
...divorce. Robert is equally indifferent to the rumors that Emma has been having sex with Casey, whom he publishes.
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The two of them discuss Casey’s artistic decline since the days when Jerry discovered him and convinced Robert to publish him,...
(full context)
Scene 4
...reveals he has popped in because he was just around the corner having tea with Casey. Emma claims not to have known that Casey had left his wife and moved to...
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...when they’ll play squash, but Jerry is evasive. Robert reveals he’s been playing squash with Casey. Emma asks if she can watch Jerry and Robert’s next match, and Robert condemns at...
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Jerry reveals he’s going to New York next week with Casey on a publicity tour. He leaves, and Robert kisses Emma. She resists at first, and...
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