Mrs Birling (the snob)

Mrs. Birling is an important member of the Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation. She is the mother of Sheila and Eric, and wife of Mr. Birling.

Mrs. Birling is a capitalist and a snob who values social class above all else. She is an ignorant character, who doesn’t think there are any problems in her family and struggles to believe that Eric drinks too much or that he’s the father of Eva’s child ‘I wont believe it’

ACTIONS DURING THE PLAY

  • Treats the inspector as inferior - acts superior

  • Disgusted to learn Eva was Gerald’s mistress - for class separation

  • Persuaded the charity to not help pregnant Eva - unsympathetic towards the lower classes

  • Blames Eva’s death on Eva and the baby’s father (who turns out to be her son) - rejects social responsibility

  • Claims to be the only one not to give in to the inspector - ignorant/resistant

Opening

Mrs. Birling shows her narrow-mindedness from her early lines. She praises Gerald and seems to approve of him.

Inspectors entrance and interrogation

Mrs. Birling is off stage when the inspector arrives, and doesn’t re-enter until Act 2. She enters ‘self-confidently’ and attempts to dismiss the inspectors investigation, calling it absurd ‘business’. These help indicate her arrogance and unwillingness to listen or change. Even after admitting she met Eva she still refers to her as ‘girl’, as though Eva isn’t worthy of being recognised as an individual. Mrs. Birling also implies that women like Eva is incapable of the same level of emotion or morality as them, in the upper/middle class.

Ending

Mrs. Birling hasn’t changed. She appears the most resistant to the inspectors message. Priestley shows that she has a lack of understanding of how other people live and is prejudiced to all classes.

PRIESTLEY’S MESSAGE

Priestley uses Mrs. Birling as a symbol to represent the wealthier, privileged classes and their selfish attitudes. She views the working class as morally inferior. Priestley wants his 1945 audience to despise Mrs. Birling and the ignorant social snobbery and prejudice she represents.