Marshall Eriksen

Marshall Eriksen

277
    How I Met Your Mother
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Character Analysis

(Avoiding Spoilers)

Grew Up… in St. Cloud, Minn., with his father, Marvin, his mother, Judy, and his older brothers, Marvin Jr. and Marcus. His brothers and father were incredibly competitive and natural athletes. Though Marshall is 6’4”, he was considered small compared to his brothers, who often picked on him for his supposed lack of height. Overall, his family was incredibly loving and loyal, teaching him proper manners and making him a very kind and compassionate person.

Living… in “The Apartment” with his best friend Ted and his fiancé Lily. Marshall and Ted were roommates in college who had little in common until they were forced to spend hours together in a car ride to and from school. After that, Marshall and Ted were nearly as inseparable as Marshall and Lily, becoming “best bros” for life. The three of them also spend a lot of time with their friends Robin and Barney, especially at MacLaren’s Pub.

Profession… law school student at Columbia University (and, later, a lawyer). Though he has many friends at school and even created a funk band called “The Funk, The Whole Funk, And Nothing But The Funk” with some classmates, Marshall often struggles with the workload and exams and constantly worries about whether or not he has what it takes to become a good lawyer.

Interests… the supernatural, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, ghosts, food, becoming a lawyer, music, Star Wars, doing the right thing, winning arguments, and playing (and winning) board games.

Relationship Status… happily engaged to Lily. Marshall is the kind of person who knows what he wants and once he gets it, he holds onto it with everything he has. Marshall is fully committed to Lily and, though they often butt heads on little things, he is fiercely loyal to her and would protect her no matter what.

Challenge… getting through Columbia to achieve his dream of becoming an environmental lawyer. Marshall is an incredibly hopeful person who sets lofty expectations for himself. The last thing in the world he’d want to do is disappoint one of his friends or family members, but he is truly his own harshest critic.

Personality… polite and sensitive. Though he is arguably the kindest member of the group, he never shies away from a spirited debate, usually shouting “Lawyered!” if (well, “when”) he wins. While Marshall is a very confident person when he knows that he’s good at something, he can also be self-conscious and insecure about other things. But he loves Lily and the rest of the gang, and he would do anything for any one of them.

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