Mr Arthur Birling

• Mr Birling is the head of the Birling household and has made himself wealthy by being a 'hard-headed' businessman
• At the start of the play, Mr Birling comes across as arrogant, making long speeches about his predictions for the future
• Mr Birling is an active member of the community in Brumley and thinks he might be in the running for a Knighthood
• Mr Birling is shaken by the investigation and shocked by his son Eric's behavior
• Mr Birling is materialistic, possessive, and has old-fashioned views about women
• Mr Birling is self-conscious about his working-class background and is hinted to be so
• Mr Birling does not learn any lessons during the course of the play
• When it seems the Inspector might have been an imposter, Mr Birling is overjoyed and mocks the others for being 'tricked' by the investigation
• Mr Birling is confident that there will not be a war, claiming it is impossible, and also predicts that the Titanic is unsinkable
• Mr Birling's arrogance and complacency are evident in his speeches, losing the audience's trust in him as a character
• Mr Birling makes old-fashioned and patronising points about women and their views on clothes and appearance
• Mr Birling objectifies women by suggesting that clothes are more important to them and make them look prettier
• Mr Birling is a capitalist businessman driven by making money and is portrayed as greedy
• Mr Birling sees his daughter's engagement as an opportunity for 'lower costs and higher prices', showing his greed and lack of concern for others
• Mr Birling refers to things and people as 'his', emphasizing possession, such as calling his wife 'his' wife
• Mr Birling represents greedy businessmen who only care for themselves, according to J B Priestley who believed in socialism and common ownership
• Priestley uses Mr Birling to show that if people like him remain in power, individuals like Eva Smith will continue to suffer
• Arthur Burling symbolizes what's wrong with capitalism
• Priestley uses Arthur Burling as a construct to criticize capitalism
• Arthur Burling is corrupt and unfeeling, exploiting his power over people
• King Arthur symbolizes an ideal ruler, while Arthur Burling represents the opposite
• Burling's lack of pity for disadvantaged individuals reflects Priestley's socialist message
• Burling's description of the strike as a "pitiful affair" shows his contempt for the working class
• 1945 politics context
• Written after the end of World War II and during the general election in the UK
• Churchill, a conservative prime minister, was a symbol of capitalism and a national hero
• Priestley's message emphasizes the need for a caring and socialist society to prevent future wars
• Capitalism is criticized for exploiting people and profiting from war
• Burling as a capitalist
• Burling is portrayed as a hard-headed man of business, reflecting the exploitation of war for profit
• The reference to the Titanic symbolizes the vulnerability of capitalism and the upper classes
• Burling's marriage alliance and treatment of Sheila as a commodity highlight his self-interest and business focus
• Priestley uses Burling to exemplify the negative aspects of capitalism and the need for societal change