Mrs Birling Flashcards
“(reproachfully) Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things” - Act 1, social class
- The use of the adverb “reproachfully” immediately establishes the snobbish and traditional attitude of Mrs. Birling as she is shown to be highly concerned with the social etiquette and hence strictly follows it further demonstrated by the fact that she is chastising her husband for a simple remark
- This also links to the stage directions of Mrs Birling being Mr Birling’s “social superior”
“When you’re married you’ll realize that men … spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You’ll have to get used to that, just as I had” - Act 1, gender
- This shows how little power women had and highlights how Mrs Birling is submissive and obeys society’s expectations
- The fact that she also urges Shelia “to get use to that” foreshadows the conflict between the older generation and the younger generation later on in the play and mirrors how the old generation refuse to change how things are
“Be quiet so that your father can decide what we ought to do” (looks expectantly at Birling) - Act 3, gender
- Links to “when you’re married”
- Traditional roles of women to be meek and submissive to men, despite being social superior
- She reinforces patriarchy
- The adverb “expectantly” highlights how it men always made decisions
“all right, Edna. I’ll ring from the drawing room when we want coffee.”/ “Arthur!” “Sheila!” “Eric?” - Act 1
- Shows dominance over the maid as an upper class
- The adverbial phrase “when we want coffee” shows command and power as shown by the connotations of control in the adverb “when”
- Dominance further reinforced through her exclamatory remarks when she tries to control her whole family, the constant use of exclamation marks shows her trying to assert dominance over everyone else
“Briskly and self-confidently, quite out of key with the little scene that has just passed” - Act2, social class
- Presents as naïve with a lack of awareness of other people from the outset
- a symbol for the class divide: the luxuries enjoyed by the wealthy and powerful blinds them from the struggles of others
- The adverbs “Briskly and self-confidently” gives an impression of authority and power, conveying the arrogance and self-satisfaction of the upper class – dramatic irony as the audience knows that the inspector has the real authority
“I’m Mrs Birling, y’know” Act 2, social class
- Intimation used like Mr Birling= presents her as snobby
- Use of colloquial language “y’know” is unusual = could be sweetening up to the inspector mirroring how the upper class always try to look like good people
“forget about this absurd business” - Act 2, social responsibility
- Highlights her heartless and unsympathetic nature = her priority is to shield Sheila away from the situation
- Both Gerald and Mr birling have both described the suicide as “business” foreshadowing their decision not to take responsibility by the end of the play
“girls of that class” - Act 2, class
- Demeaning nature of this line, highlights how socially and morally superior she feels
- The determiner “that” highlights how far Mrs Birling wants to separate herself from the lower class, mirroring the dichotomy between the to classes during this time period
- Her disgust of the lower class is also highlighted here, by replacing “the lower” with “that”, suggesting that she is so repulsed by them that she doesn’t want to say their name, reflecting the intensity of hatred the upper class had towards the lower class
“You know of course that my husband was lord mayor only two years ago” - Act 2, social class
- Intimation used like Mr Birling= presents her as snobby
- Suggests that due to the power they have they are beyond questioning
“And surely you don’t mean Alderman Meggarty?… (staggered) we are learning something tonight” - Act 2
- Oblivious = mirrors how the upper class were deemed as righteous
- Upper class men easily got away with crimes against the lower class
“Disgusting affair” - Act 2 social class
- Highlights her prudish and unforgiving nature as well as how patronizing she is towards the lower class
- The adjective “disgusting” suggests that she is repulsed, possibly because it involved a lower class girl and therefore implies that she sees the lower class as filth
- Ironic how it is revealed that Mrs B pushed Eva to her death
“(referring to Eva calling herself Mrs Birling) “gross impertinence”… naturally that was one of the things that prejudiced me against her case” - Act 2, social class, blame
- “gross” highlights how deeply offended she is that a lower class used her name and highlights how ashamed she is
- The adverb “naturally” suggest that it she is inherently cruel and condescending
- Priestley demonstrates how the lower class are constantly judged in society
“I’m very sorry. But I think she had only herself to blame.” - Act 2, social responsibility, blame
- Trying to alienate herself from the situation, mirroring how upper class want nothing to do with the lower class
- The use of the short sentences implies her coldness and disregard for others below here
- Priestley uses Mrs Birling to epitomize all that is wrong with society. She represents the social snobbery and hypocrisy of the upper classes and shows no remorse in her cruel treatment of Eva Smith.
- The first sentence “I’m sorry” demonstrates guilt which contrast with the second sentence that
- shows no mercy which could mirror the inhumane and psychopathic qualities that conservatism and the bourgeoisie culture bring about thus repelling the audience from it
“Unlike the other three, I did nothing I’m ashamed o” - Act 3,f social responsibility, blame
- “I did nothing I’m ashamed of” – This indicates her pure arrogance and her unwillingness to accept blame – if she cannot understand she’s made a mistake, she will never learn
“so I used my influence to have it refused.” - Act 2, class
- she again openly admits the misuse of power that she has done, making her character apathetic to the audience.
- Presents her as spiteful with no understanding of the struggles that the lower class face
