Mr. Birling Quotes

BP: responsibility (selfish), capitalist (unlikable), class/reputation (materialistic)

accept (responsibility)

I can’t accept any responsibility (interrogation)

• adverb ‘any’ reveals the extent of Mr. Birlings ignorance, even with evidence of him ruining Eva’s life, he still doesn’t accept any responsibility, he doesn’t understand the Inspectors message about social responsibility

• verb ‘can’t’ makes it appear that Mr. Birling is actually unable to accept responsibility, and not just that he doesn’t want to. Accepting responsibility seems so foreign to him it just doesn’t seem like a possibility

• this initial and simple rejection of responsibility demonstrates how Mr. Birling refuses to understand the inspector, he doesn’t feel any guilt or sadness for Eva’s death because he doesn’t respect her as a person and doesn’t see him involvement in it, with this he uses his ignorance to appear innocent

excuse (responsibility)

There’s every excuse for what both your mother and I did (ending pre discovery)

• Mr. Birling states they had good reasons for their actions and that they should not be held accountable, by the end of the play they have still refused and denied to accept responsibility for their actions

• Through also protecting Sybil he shows how as part of the upper class he believes that their actions are justified, they are above all the problems and it’s just the lower classes that cause problems for themselves, they constantly redirect the blame for what happened to Eva to Eva, her actions are her fault, but their actions and their consequences aren’t their fault. This double standard demonstrates the upper-class and older-generations stubbornness

joke (responsibility)

they can’t even take a joke (ending - aimed at Sheila & Eric)

• Treating Eva Smith’s suffering and suicide as a ‘joke’ emphasis the lack of empathy and respect Mr. Birling has for the lower classes, it’s not his problem so he seems to not need to care

• The idea joke is also ironic as it isn’t a joke and at the end a real inspector calls

• Mr. Birling mocks the younger generation for caring for the lower class an accepting social responsibility, acting as if he’s superior for neglecting the lower classes, this shows his ignorance

• after discovering that the inspector is fake and assuming Eva isn’t actually dead, Mr. Birling becomes happier, now he has no one pressuring him to accept responsibility and can go back to ignoring the consequences of his selfish actions, with this Priestly shows how Mr. Birling hasn’t changed as he hasn’t listened or understood the Inspector, as part of the older-generation he is to resistant to change as he thinks he knows best

bees (capitalism)

as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive (start)

• simile ‘like bees in a hive’ shows Mr. Birlings opinions of socialism, the imagery of bees in a hive seems unpleasant and crowded. Like the slum and living conditions lower-class people were forced to live in, in the urban cities while upper-class people would escape poverty in the countryside

• Bees connote hard work and teamwork, but as a capitalist Mr. Birling doesn’t want to work to benefit others, he believes that he should only work for himself and not for his community

• ‘as if we were’, the word ‘if’ making it seem like we aren’t already together, he still views us as separated, he’s sealed in his comfortable house, free from the issues that affect the lower class

• idea of us ‘all mixed up’ and not separated by a class divide seems absurd to Mr. Birling because he thrives from the hierarchical structure of Edwardian society, he doesn’t want to dismantle this system and lose his power and authority

duty (capitalism)

it’s my duty to keep labour costs down (start)

• imagery of ‘duty’ is used as a defence and excuse to Mr. Birlings individualist and capitalist nature. It also emphasizes Mr. Birlings dedication to keep increasing his profit

• the noun ‘labour’ consistently used throughout Mr. Birlings speeches when referring to his workers really dehumanizes them, as it distances them from him.

• keeping costs down just to heighten his wealth is a clear indication of how Mr. Birling wants a static society, he has no intention of supporting the lower class gain any money, he doesn’t view it as his problem and enjoys having power over them

man (capitalism)

a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own - [bell ring] (start)

• third person, attempt to create philosophical element to his words, he is so clear and convinced of his views

• the pronouns ‘his’ and ‘himself’ demonstrate Mr. Birlings selfish ways, he thinks that people should only look after themselves and ignore others. which is clearly a capitalist opinion

• the interruption of his statement by the arrival of the Inspector helps foreshadow how he’s going to challenge Mr. Birling’s capitalist beliefs

lower higher (capitalism)

lower costs higher prices

(start - toast towards Sheila and Gerald’s engagement)

• reveals the true motive of Sheila’s marriage, which isn’t love but profit, Mr. Birling is ecstatic that his daughter is marrying into a family of high class, boosting the status of his family name, instead of focusing on love he’s obsessed with his business

• both these actions are taking money from the lower class and giving it to him, reducing the pay for his workers, and charging more for his customers (including the struggling lower class), with this we see how he prioritises himself, and neglects everyone else, it’s not his responsibility

wretched (reputation)

wretched girl’s suicide (interrogation)

• phrase "wretched girl" is a derogatory and dismissive way to refer to Eva Smith, implying she is unworthy of sympathy as a person of the lower class

• adjective "wretched" highlights his inability to see Eva Smith as a human being deserving of respect, even as she’s dead, and it’s normal to respect the deceased

cover (reputation)

I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can (eric interrogation)

• sense of urgency, Mr. Birlings reaction to his involvement in Eva’s suicide is to focus on his social status, rather than her death

• Mr. Birlings constant worry for a scandal seems to be the only concern of his about the matter, he feels no human emotion of regret or sadness to the death of one of his workers, this shows how dehumanised he views the working class, not even their death affects him

• This idea of him having to cover up this possible scandal, it’s ironic as he refuses to accept responsibility for his actions and it's dire consequences but accepts his responsibility to hide it

thousands (reputation)

(unhappily) Look Inspector - I’d give thousands - yes, thousands.. (eric interrogation)

• stage direction (unhappily) contrasts with Sheila, who has stage directions showing her sadness for Eva’s death and her guilt towards it, while Mr. Birling’s sadness comes from having to deal with the inspector and work to stop this scandal from ruining his reputation, he’s more emotional about his status than the life of Eva. With this Priestley highlights the upper-class obsession with reputation and lack of empathy towards the lower classes

• repetition and magnitude of ‘thousands’ demonstrates Mr. Birlings desperation to preventing any harm towards his family’s reputation

• dashes present his panic, as he doesn’t know what the Inspector will do, he doesn’t have authority over him so he can’t control him which is unusual for Mr. Birling

(jovially) (reputation)

(jovially) But the whole thing’s different now (ending)

• stage direction (jovially) emphasizes Mr. Birlings indifference to the death of Eva Smith and happiness that his reputation is safe

• ‘the whole thing’s different now’ to him only because there aren’t any social or legal consequences for him. That was the only aspect he cared about, avoiding a ‘scandal’, he never understood the inspectors message due to his ignorance

• because Mr. Birling feels safe from facing the consequences of his actions he doesn’t change, he feels no moral compulsion to change and help others as he is too selfish