Key Quotes: Mrs Birling Flashcards
contradictory, perhaps explores her potential to change, yet she obeys to her husband to conform to the gender expectations of the time
“We are learning something tonight”
dramatic irony accuses the father without knowing who he is
“I’ll tell you what I told her. Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
displays the same attitudes as Mr Birling and denies responsibility for her actions, can’t understand what she has done wrong
“But I accept no blame for it at all”
volta/point of climax shows her immediate reaction that she must be wrong and that her son isn’t capable of that crime
“Eric, I can’t believe it. There must be some mistake”
shows her attitude towards having good manners, reveals her upper-class attitude
“I didn’t like her manner”
shows her shock towards the truth/confrontation
“I beg your pardon!”`
lexical choice display her upper-class attitude and education standard, perhaps trying to out-wit the inspector, trying to distract from her own issues
“I realise that you have to conduct some sort of inquiry, but I must say that so far you seem to be conducting it in a rather peculiar and offensive manner”
can’t accept that her actions may have had a chain reaction towards Eva’s suicide
“In spite of what’s happened to the girl since, I consider I did my duty”
Priestly’s request of how Mrs Birling should look
“is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband’s social superior”
Stage directions about Mrs Birling
“(grandly)(bitterly)(with sudden anger)(alarmed)(severely)
