Mr Birling Flashcards
” A heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties”
stage directions
- “heavy looking” held weight for Priestley’s contemporary audience as a generation emerging from a period of rationing and war. Having a plumper frame was synonymous with affluence and indulgence
- His heaviness is deeply metaphorical - it is a physical assertion of the solidity of his status whilst also standing to represent his hedonistic and undisciplined tendencies.
- the adjective “portentous” is used to unveil the superficiality of capitalism, it highlights how desperate Mr Birling is to assert his position within the hierarchy showing he can only see value in wealth and status.
- Priestly advertises capitalism as an ostentatious affari in order to satirise it
“As if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive - a community and all that nonsense”
(Act 1)
• This direct comparison reflects Mr. Birling’s degradation and mockery of the concept of collective responsibility, portraying it as an animalistic and primal behaviour fit only for insignificant creatures like “bees.”
• He dismisses the idea of intertwining his responsibilities with those of others and perceives the notion of ending his negligence as trivial (unimportant) “nonsense.”
Hyphen: The deliberate insertion of a hyphen prompts a theatrical pause, compelling the actor portraying Mr. Birling to hesitate before articulating the word “community.” This pause emphasises his physical repulsion to the concept, suggesting an inability to even verbalise it
• Acting as a microcosm (something small representing something larger) for capitalist ideologies, Mr. Birling becomes vilified for his rejection of the idea of “community” and his preference for materialism over human relationships
Linking to other key themes:
• Older vs younger generation: He persists in holding onto his entrenched worldview as a product of the older generation, displaying obdurateness (stubbornness) and resistance to change. He is a stagnant character as he maintains a dehumanising and irresponsible perspective, refusing to adapt or grow.
• Guilt: Mr Birling is so entrenched in his capitalist ideologies that he absolves (frees) himself from feelings of guilt and remorse. He perceives his social status as granting him the authority to dehumanise those beneath him.
“There’ll be a public scandal” (act 3)
Euphemistic language: Rather than admitting to the grave crime he has contributed to, Mr.
Birling employs euphemistic (substituting it for a phrase less harsh) language to brand it as a mere ‘scandal.
• This exacerbates his stubbornness as a representative of the older generation, as he adamantly refuses to acknowledge the truth and feels no remorse for his exploitation of Eva.
• Alternatively, It also implies his hesitancy to confront the crime, perhaps driven by the fear that doing so would dismantle the carefully crafted facade he maintains for public perception
Stagnant character: Mr. Birling persists in his self-serving outlook, thus is presented as a stagnant (doesn’t change) character as he ignores his moral and civic obligations as a member of society
• His lack of character development is disheartening, yet unsurprising for the audience, as Priestley establishes early on that capitalist characters from the older generation prioritise social status over compassion, remorse and social reform
Linking to other key themes:
• Responsibility: Mr. Birling exhibits a complete absence of guilt regarding his consistent display of unscrupulousness and irresponsibility. Devoid (lacking) of remorse, he remains fixated on preserving his reputation and facade. His primary concern lies not in the impact of events on individuals but rather on how they will affect his social standing.
• Capitalism vs socialism: Serving as a microcosm exemplifying capitalist ideologies, Mr. Birling faces condemnation from the audience for his dismissal of the fundamental societal value of responsibility, alongside his prioritisation of materialism over human relationships
“The famous younger generation who know it all. And now they can’t even take a joke” (act 3)
Irony: It’s ironic that Mr. Birling derisively (mockingly) labels the younger generation as ‘know-it-alls, given he himself is the only character who asserts to “know it all,” referencing events like the “Titanic” and
dismissing concerns as “silly little war scares.
Priestley deliberately set the play in 1912 to fragmentize (break) the “know it all” ignorance of the older generation To some degree, by labelling them as the “younger generation,” Priestley aligns Sheila and Eric with his contemporary audience, aiming for them to feel provoked by Mr. Birling’s ignorant sarcasm. Priestley’s intention is to urge his audience to repudiate (refuse to accept) the capitalist perspectives held by their parents
Speech is cut off: Following Mr. Birling’s remorseless and callous dismissal of the suicide as a mere ‘joke,’ he is abruptly interrupted by the telephone, echoing the earlier interruption by the
Inspector in Act 1
• Perhaps Priestley opted for the form of a play to convey his allegorical diatribe (criticism while teaching a message) enabling him to visually depict Mr. Birling’s beliefs as emblematic of the capitalist older generation-ones that should be physically and symbolically removed from society
Linking to other key themes:
• Capitalism vs socialism: Serving as a microcosm exemplifying capitalist ideologies, Mr. Birling faces condemnation from the audience for his dismissal of the fundamental societal value of responsibility, alongside his prioritisation of materialism over human relationships
• Responsibility: Mr. Birling exhibits a complete absence of guilt regarding his consistent display of unscrupulousness and irresponsibility. Devoid (lacking) of remorse, he remains fixated on preserving his reputation and facade. His primary concern lies not in the impact of events on individuals but rather on how they will affect his social standing.
“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges” (act 2 said by inspector)
Syntax: The syntax (word order) of the phrase places “responsibilities” before “privileges,” reflecting the direct order of importance emphasised by the Inspector to Mr. Birling
• However, Mr. Birling inverts this sequence, prioritising his privileges and materialistic gains over his responsibilities and the development of a collective social conscience (knowing right from wrong in society)
: The concise, fragmented structure of “public men” followed by “Mr
Birling” mirrors Mr. Birling’s fragmented perception of responsibility and accountability for lis exploitative treatment of the lower classes.
• He perceives his social status as granting him the authority to dehumanise those beneath him and absolve (be free from) himself of any responsibility for the suffering he causes them.
Linking to other key themes:
• Older vs younger: Mr. Birling persists in his self-serving capitalist outlook, thus is presented as a stagnant (doesn’t change) character as he is entrenched in the traditional values of his generation.
• Guilt: Mr. Birling exhibits a complete absence of guilt regarding his consistent display of unscrupulousness and irresponsibility. Devoid (lacking) of remorse, he remains fixated on preserving his reputation and facade. His primary concern lies not in the impact of events on individuals but rather on how they will affect his social standing
