Mr Arthur Birling Flashcards
Role in the play
- Antagonist
- Symbol of Old order
- dramatic foil- never changes
Adjectives to describe Personality
- Arrogant
- Selfish
- Materialistic
- Overconfident
- Stubborn
Social/ Political Views
- Capitalist
- Classist
- Conservative
- Exploitative
- Short sighted
- Authoritarian
Priestley’s Ideas
symbol of callous-insensitive and cruel disregard for others- heartlessness
capitalism- profit motivaed, exploitation of labour, social inequality
Priestley represents capitalism as a self absorbed, amoral system where an individual’s purpose is reduced to their ability to make moneye
Arthur is presented as
- representative of older generation
- a realistic character
- invites audience to feel sympathy
Summary of Mr Birling
- head of a middle-class family
- prosperous business owner
- aspires to a knighthood
- unchanged by theevents of the evening
dramatic irony quotes
- The Titanic - she sets ssail next week…. and unsinkable, absolutley unsinkable
- I say there isn’t a chance of war
- dramatic irony as Titanic does sink and WW1 happens
- Also shows overconfidence and wrongful predictions
Quotes showing Mocking and dismissive behaivour
- “Community and all that nonsense.”- dismissing social responsibility
- **“Rubbish! If you don’t come down sharply on these people, they’ll soon be asking for the earth.” **- mocking worker’s rights
- “You’ll hear some people say war is inevitable. I say – fiddlesticks!”- ignorant confidence
Quotes representing Indvidualistic views
- “Community and all that nonsense.”-dismissing social responsibility
- “A man has to mind his own business.”- extreme individualism
Quotes to show avoiding of blame
- “You’re the one I blame for this.” (Act 3 – shifting blame onto Eric)
- “I can’t accept any responsibility.” (Act 1 – refusing accountability)
- “She had a lot to say – far too much – so she had to go.” (Act 1 – implying she deserved her fate for speaking up)
- “Look at the way he talked to me – as if I were a criminal!” (Act 3 – playing the victim when challenged)
Each quote shows Birling’s defensive, selfish nature—he never truly accepts fault.
Quotes to show the prioritizing of reputation
- “There’ll be a public scandal… and who here will suffer from that more than I will?” (Act 3 – worried about himself, not Eva/Daisy)
- “I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can.” (Act 3 – immediate focus on damage control)
- “I was almost certain for a knighthood.” (Act 3 – his social status matters more than guilt)
highlights his selfishness and desperation to maintain his image as a “respectable” businessman, even at the expense of justice
Quotes to show capitalistic views
- “It’s my duty to keep labour costs down.” (On refusing to raise wages for his workers
-
“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices!”
→ Eric exposes his father’s hypocrisy, showing how capitalism exploits the working class.
J.B. Priestley uses Arthur Birling as a mouthpiece for capitalist selfishness, contrasting him sharply with other characters—particularly the Inspector (who represents socialist ideals) and Sheila/Eric (who undergo moral awakening).
