Responsibility Flashcards
Priestley uses the Birling family at the start of the play to show us that the upper classes in the Edwardian era had become selfish and irresponsible
opening stage directions a “curtained window” . it could symbolise how irresponsible the Birling family truly is.
they are content to cut themselves off from the wider world and live in a bubble of privilege at the expense of the lower classes.
Birling “nonsense.” the idea of human beings being connected and responsible towards one another is ridiculous and absurd; as if it is a joke to him.
He also goes on to say that it would be “very awkward” if everybody had to look after one another. The adjective “awkward” implies it is laziness that stops him from taking responsibility. he knows that living in a responsible society is not impossible but that he does not want to make the effort or the personal sacrifices it would involve.
The Edwardian era was a time of great prosperity for the upper classes and Birling clearly does not want to risk his high status by having to worry about others. To the audience, this may seem particularly selfish and cold hearted.
Priestley deliberately portrays how dangerous and harmful irresponsible attitudes like Birling’s are with the death of Eva Smith
Eva’s name has biblical connotations perhaps linking to Eve in the bible represent the idea that we are in some way all connected to her as a human being.
Her alternative name “Daisy” also connotes purity, innocence and fragility, this juxtaposes the dysphemistic language used by the inspector when he says she drank bleach that “burnt her insides out” and “died in agony”.
grotesque imagery is used to shock the Birlings by confronting them with the consequences of irresponsible attitude. It leaves us to question how difficult Eva’s life must have been if she chose this as a way to escape.
conveys how sick and distorted Edwardian life was if such brutal things could happen to innocent people. There was little help for working class women in 1912 so Eva would have been trapped in a life of poverty after Birling sacked her.
This makes his lack of consideration for others seem even more cold –hearted when he refers to her as “the wretched girl” even after he had heard details of her death. The adjective “wretched” presents her as pathetic and of little value and implies that Birling only really values the life of people who are of an equal social status to himself.
Priestley also criticises the Edwardian upper classes for being irresponsible towards their own families.
Birling proudly declares that a man must “look after himself – and his family too”., Priestley exposes him as a hypocrite when the setting is described as being “substantial but not
cosy and home-like.”
This juxtaposition implies that Birling has not taken the time to care for his family but has built a cold, unloving home that is designed to show off how successful he is rather than nurture a family.
In the Edwardian era, Britain was divided by a strict class hierarchy and climbing the ladder was a preoccupation for many middle- and upper-class people.
neglected his responsibility as a father to Eric says, “you’re not the kind of father a chap can go to when he’s in trouble.” dialogue highlights the lack of trust and love in their relationship and that Eric’s troubles might have been avoided if Birling was a more responsible father.
Priestley also has an optimistic message that future generations can be responsible.
Compared to their parents, Eric and Sheila show the ability to empathise with the lower classes and express remorse for their actions.
when first told of Eva’s death, Sheila exclaims“(involuntarily) my god!” which highlights her immediate shock and horror at what has happened and stands in stark contrast to her parents who both try to dismiss Eva’s death.
Furthermore, the stage direction “involuntarily” suggests that this is Sheila’s natural reaction and not one that is put on for effect. Deep down she is an empathetic person who can learn to change.
In addition to this, both Eric and Sheila face up to what they have done and express remorse. Sheila says, “I’m desperately sorry” with the adverb “desperately” suggesting emotional intensity and a genuine desire to change what she has done.
As Priestley was writing in 1945, many would have been of the similar generation to Eric and Sheila. He perhaps presents them as more responsible people in order to encourage the audience to believe that social change is possible if everybody takes responsibility for one another.
Finally, Priestley uses the end of the play to demonstrate the idea that we can not escape our responsibility for others.
This is first evident in the inspector’s final speech when he says that “if men will not learn that lesson, they will learn it in fire and blood and anguish.”
The syndetic list here is multi-layered; it has connotations of hell so it could suggest that the Birlings will be punished in the after life for their selfishness., it could also be a reference to the two world wars that would soon occur after 1912.
During WW1 and WW2, the class divides were blurred as people came together to fight the war. suggesting that there will be times in life when we will need to rely on one another to survive and that it should not take such drastic circumstances to teach us to take responsibility for one another. At the end of the play, Priestley uses the structure of the play with a kind of premonition to emphasise the idea that we cannot escape our responsibility.
In Act Three, Gerald believes he has proven that the inspector was a fake, just as the family celebrate “the telephone rings sharply” and interrupts them with the news that a real inspector is on the way to investigate a suicide. Symbolically, this reinforces the idea that no matter how hard we try, we will be held accountable for our actions whether it is in this life or the next.
