Alternative transcript:

to change and ultimately success. After her fears of Gerald being unfaithful in act 1 are confirmed, Sheila "[hands him the ring]" and states to Gerald "I think you'd better take this with you" which shows that Sheila has an understanding of her worth and is not willing to accept her mother's dim prospect of a future "when you're married you'll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business". Sheila shows that women should not have to accept men's immoral action. The manipulative phrase "I think you'd better" shows how Sheila feels as though she has the upper hand now in this situation and her confidence has encouraged her to stand up for herself as she knows she doesn't deserve an unfaithful man. The audience may perceive this phrase of manipulative as Sheila does not use imperative verbs which you may expect in this situation, instead, she manages to maintain some etiquette and elegance when returning the ring. This stage direction "[hands him the ring]" acts as a power move to convey that women have their own mind and opinions and can act on them even if it goes against men which would've been out of social norms in the Edwardian era. Despite gloating that the ring was "pretty" to her mother at the beginning of the play and then handing it back shows how Sheila's character has been able to change and develop - she is not as materialistic as she was at the beginning of the play. Overall, Sheila proves that a woman's instincts are just as valued as men's and that women can be powerful and stand their ground in order to get what they deserve.