Mrs Birling Flashcards
Ts1: as a married women, Mrs B illustrates he position of women in Edwardian society.
‘Men with important work to do…spend nearly all their time and energy on their business… you’ll have to get used to that’
‘You might be wanting to help him instead of us… be quiet so your father can decide what to do’
‘You refused her… even the pitiable little bit of organised charity you had in your power to grant her’
Ts2: Mrs B’s attitudes reflect the class prejudice prevalent in the Edwardian era.
‘Girls of that class…’
‘Gross impertinence… prejudiced me against her case’
‘Elaborate fine feelings and scruples… absurd in a girl in her position’
Ts3: unlike her children, Mrs B refuses to accept responsibility for abusing her power over others and she fails to change.
‘I did nothing I’m ashamed of’
‘Look for the father of the child…it’s his responsibility’
Topic sentences
Ts1: position of women
Ts2: class prejudice
Ts3: abuse of power and refusal to accept responsibility
‘Men with important work to do… spend nearly all their time and energy on their business… you’ll have to get used to that’
C= women 2nd class citizens in patriarchal society. Mr b resigned to this but new generation of suffragettes challenging it. Mrs b is resigned to the fact that she, to Mr Birling, is subservient to his business; and tells Sheila to do the same with Gerald. C= Sheila disagrees showing the changing expectations of women in Edwardian society.
‘Girls of that class’
L= use of determiner (that not this) implies WC are seen as different species. C= reflects class prejudice in highly stratified society.
‘Gross impertinence…prejudiced me against her case’
C= implies that LC should behave with humility towards upper class and be respectful. Mrs B takes offence at Daisy’s use of the Birling surname; ironically the offence is the Birlings’ for mistreating her.
‘Look for the father of the child… it’s his responsibility’
C= Mrs B believes responsibility is an issue for the individual not the state. She seeks to pass the blame to the father not share it. R= due to the structure of the play, audience has worked out father of child is Eric. L= creates dramatic irony. Audience sees Mrs B’s views as flawed.
‘You refused her…even the pitiable little bit of organised charity you had in your power to grant her’
L= adjectives ‘pitable’ ‘little’ are emotive; emphasise how little Daisy is asking for and how mean-spirited Mrs B is to refuse her help. R= despise Mrs B for her hard hearted ness. C= no welfare state in Edwardian Era; poor relied on charitable institutions . D= as a women Mrs B has very little power in the patriarchal Edwardian society. The charitable committee is the only place she can exercise any power, yet she abuses it.
‘You might be wanting to help him instead of us… be quiet so your father can decide what to do’
L= Contrast in pronouns ‘him’ and ‘us’- I is enemy of husband so he is an enemy of Mrs B. Should remain loyal to her husband. C= patriarchal society. Men make decisions and have all the power. Women inferior to husbands.
‘Elaborate fine feelings and scruples…absurd in a girl in her position’
L= adjectives ‘elaborate, fine’ imply WC girls are not morally superior to the UMC. R= audience realises this is ironic. Mrs B has behaved immorally whilst Daisy has behaved honourably.
‘I did nothing I’m ashamed of’
Mrs B refuses to accept responsibility for what happened to Daisy. C= unlike the younger generation, she is not open to change. Hope for social change lies not with the older generation who involved Britain in two world wars, but with the younger generation, who can change.
