Mrs Birling

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social Responsibility

“I accept no blame for it at all.” (Act 2)
👉 She outright denies responsibility, even though she rejected Eva’s plea for help.

“Unlike the other three, I did nothing I’m ashamed of.” (Act 3)
👉 Priestley uses her lack of remorse to criticise the upper class’s failure to care for others.

🎩 Class / Social Class

“As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!” (Act 2)
👉 She equates working-class status with moral inferiority. Her prejudice leads her to believe Eva is dishonest and greedy.

“Girls of that class—” (Act 2)
👉 Her disdain for Eva is based entirely on class. Priestley uses this to expose how the upper class dehumanises the poor.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Generational Divide

(About Sheila and Eric) “They're over-tired. In the morning they’ll be as amused as we are.” (Act 3)
👉 Shows how out of touch she is—completely misses the moral weight of what’s happened.

(Implied): Her attitude contrasts strongly with her children, who accept guilt and change.

💰 Capitalism vs Socialism

“Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.” (Act 2)
👉 Obsessed with individual blame, not collective responsibility. Ironically, she blames her own son without knowing it.

(Implied): Priestley criticises the self-righteousness of the capitalist elite through her character.

👮 Judgement & Morality

“I used my influence to have it refused.” (Act 2)
👉 She judges Eva harshly, acting with prejudice and cruelty—denying a desperate girl help.

“She only had herself to blame.” (Act 2)
👉 Shifts blame onto Eva, showing her lack of empathy and deep moral failure.

💍 Gender & Sexism

(Implied): She holds traditional views—she’s outraged by Eva's independence and believes women should conform to certain moral standards.

“She was claiming elaborate fine feelings... that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.” (Act 2)
👉 Reinforces sexist double standards—working-class women are expected to suffer silently.

🕵 Guilt & Responsibility

“I’m sorry she should have come to such a horrible end. But I accept no blame.” (Act 2)
👉 She expresses surface-level sympathy without personal accountability.

(Inspector) “You slammed the door in her face.”
👉 Priestley uses the Inspector to directly accuse her, yet she shows no remorse.

🎭 Appearance vs Reality

“We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases.” (Act 2)
👉 She tries to present herself as charitable, but Priestley reveals her to be selective and prejudiced in her kindness.

(Implied): Her public persona as a charitable, moral woman contrasts sharply with her cold, judgmental actions.