mrs. birling 2

• Mrs. Birling operates under a shielded worldview as she fails to see beyond the superficial boundaries of her class.
• Priestley employs dramatic irony as Mrs. Birling absolves (declare someone free from) Eric from his behaviour whilst drinking by saying "He's only a boy";

  • However, as the play develops, we learn that he has impregnated a woman and has a drinking problem.

  It seems he is far more than an innocent little boy, exposing Mrs. Birling's oblivion and ignorance, even of her own children.
• Mrs. Birling is oblivious to common knowledge within her social circle, she exclaims;

  • "Well really! Alderman Meggarty! We really are learning something tonight."

  In one sense, this exposes how ignorant she is to what goes on around her, she is encapsulated within the contrived and artificial bubble that she has created for herself.
• Alternatively, Mrs. Birling's oblivion could show her desperation to condemn and denounce others to distract from any of her own flaws and deny taking any responsibility.
• Mrs. Birling is dishonest, she claims that she did not recognise the girl (Eva Smith) in the photography the Inspector shows her.

  • Priestley later uses this to expose her as deceitful when it comes apparent that she has in fact met Eva Smith before.
• We see Mrs. Birling's prejudice and egotism amplified by her disgust of Eva using the pseudonym (false name) Mrs. Birling, referring to it as "gross impertinence".

  • This seems hyperbolic (over-exaggeration) as she merely used her name, which shows how highly Mrs. Birling regards herself that she believes it is a great misconduct to insult her status.
• Mrs. Birling's arrogance is overarching, proudly stating:

  • "I consider I did my duty" which is ironic, as she in truth juxtaposed what would be expected of someone in a philanthropic (charitable) position.
• "I consider I did my duty"

  • The noun "duty" could be a tool to explore the disparity in the perspectives of capitalists and socialists.

  For capitalists, upholding the class system was paramount (more important).

  • Thus, for Mrs. Birling, her duty may be to uphold the class gap by refusing Eva help.

  This contradicts what would be the expected duty of her organisation.
• Priestley introduces the audience to the social duty vs. moral duty dichotomy (a contrast between two things).

  • "Duty" is a noun echoed by both Mrs. Birling and the Inspector which puts the definition of duty up for debate.

  Through this, Priestley critiques the classism which penetrates every aspect of Edwardian life, rendering even the welfare organisation hollow, corrupt, and performative.
• Mrs. Birling is almost proud of her decision (not helping Eva), even though it had negative repercussions as she is incapable of addressing her own wrongdoing, this extends to her family too.

  • Despite advocating that the father of the child is to blame, when the suggestion is made that it is her own son responsible, she simply rejects it "I won't believe it".

  This also suggests that her ignorance and blindness previously discussed is a deliberate choice extending from a selective belief.
• Mrs. Birling's entry into Act 2 is conducted entirely under the arrogance of her social superiority she [enters, briskly and self-confidently, quite out of key]

  • She is so performative in her expression of her class that it seems she is living a different narrative to the rest of the characters in the play which serves to amplify how disjointed they are as a family.

  It also shows her lack of social awareness, as she is unable to detect the tense atmosphere she has entered.
• Every action she makes seems conceited (high opinion of oneself) and calculated, which is made evident through the stage directions;

  • [affecting great surprise]
  • [smiling, social]
  • [same easy tone]

  She is well-rehearsed in conducting her social behaviour, but this act fails to apply to the present situation they have found themselves in.

  • Her affable (friendly, easy tone) performance does not match the tone of the investigation.
• Mrs. Birling's class-driven egotism characterises her as a controlling character.

  • This extends from her behaviour in Act 1 when she scolded her husband and daughter for the way they behaved.
• The stage directions "rebuking them" and her saying;

  • "I'm talking to the Inspector now, if you don't mind"

  exemplifies her belief in her inherent superiority, it also shows her defensiveness.
• Mrs. Birling groups together the lower classes in saying "Girls of that class-" to dismiss them as an aggregate (all grouped together as one) inferior group that all behave in the same way.

  • Her classist attitudes are apparent.