Birling Flashcards
Birling talking about the engagement between Sheila and Gerald, viewing it as something to further himself corporately.
“No, we won’t… and now you’ve brought us together, and perhaps we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together - for lower costs and higher prices.”
First of Birling’s wrong predictions that caused doubt in his ‘capitalist manifesto’ - nationwide “General strike” in 1926, put everything on hold for a week in the UK - dramatic irony.
“…wild talk about possible labour trouble in the near future. Don’t worry. We’ve passed the worst of it… in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.”
Second of Birling’s wrong predictions that caused doubt in his ‘capitalist manifesto’ - WW1 and WW2, both caused by Germans, coming after this - dramatic irony.
“… people say that war is inevitable. And to that I say - fiddlesticks! The Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war, except some half-civilised folks in the Balkans.”
Third of Birling’s wrong predictions that cause doubt in his ‘capitalist manifesto’ - Prediction rooted in his belief in industrialism - dramatic irony.
“…the Titanic… and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
Fourth of Birling’s wrong predictions that cause doubt in his ‘capitalist manifesto’ - 1940 is the peak of the Blitz in London, which the audience would’ve just went through - dramatic irony.
“…1940, you may be giving a little party like this… peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere…”
Fifth and final of Birling’s wrong predictions that cause doubt in his ‘capitalist manifesto’ - Russia faces extreme economic growth in the near future of the play - dramatic irony.
“…except of course in Russia, which will always be behindhand naturally.”
First and foremost priority is that his knighthood is secured - this comes up a lot in the play.
“…don’t get into the police court or start a scandal, eh?”
Directly contrasting the Inspectors later speech, Capitalism vs. Socialism.
“…but the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense…”
Regular response in society when workers ask for higher wages, shocked that someone is questioning him.
“I refused, of course.”, “(Surprised) Did you say ‘Why?’?”
Intimidating the Inspector with the connections he has due to his status - Mrs. Birling does something similar to Sheila later on in the play (especially during Mrs. Birling’s interrogation).
“How much do you get on with our Chief Constable, Chief Roberts?”, “Perhaps I ought to warn you that he’s an old friend of mine…”
Provinces were outlying counties around major speeches, shows his modest upbringing. Portentous shows that he’s trying to speak like they ‘know the future’ (portent = omen), like his predictions further on in the play. Weighty speech shows his artificial nobility.
“…heavy looking, rather portentous… rather provincial in his speech.”
Still only caring about the possibility of a scandal and losing his knighthood, after Inspector leaves.
“Most of this is bound to come out. There’ll be a public scandal.”
