Questions:
1) How is the drinking of port significant in the play?
In the first line of dialogue in the novella Birling says: ‘giving us the port, Edna? That’s right.’ The
drinking of port is significant due to its cost it is something that was associated with the wealthy in
society the price alone would have been prohibited and therefore out of reach for the working class.
2) What does Thora Hands explain about the significance of alcohol?
The domestic contest of alcohol consumption was governed by rules of social etiquette which both
demonstrated and reinforced social class and gender values. Within middle and upper-class homes,
purchasing, serving, and consuming good quality wines and spirits were keyways to demonstrate
levels of cultural capital and good taste
3) Who does Birling name-drop to Gerald? Why?
Priestley utilises the word ‘Finchley’ to indicate that Birling wants to impress his future son-in-law. It
is important to note that speaking to Gerald croft the son of upper class lady and sir croft birling is
actually speaking to his social superior. This imbalance of power has reduced him to name dropping
to endear himself to a family whose social position is one to which he personally aspires to.
4) How is Birling’s Act One celebratory speech surprising?
Early on in act one Birling surprises the audience when birling delivers a speech to his family during
the engagement meal which does not, as you would have thought, focus on his love for his daughter
or his fondness of his future son-in-law instead his speech revolves on his opinions about the
economic future of the country and the failings of neighbouring nations. This speech is an excellent
example of Priestley presenting Birling as a flawed mislead and pompous man who is depicted as a
‘hard-headed businessman’ and a’ hard-headed practical man of business’ this deliberate repetition
on Priestley’s part emphasises how Birlings self-perception on how he sees himself in terms of work
and money.
5) What are Birling’s priorities? How do we know?
Birlings priorities aren’t with family or people but with how much wealth he can accumulate this
produces a lack of empathy for Birling.
6) What is capitalism? How does Birling represent it?
Mr Birling can be seen as a representations of the ideology of capitalism a system where business is
privately owned by the sole purpose of making profit; of course, to make this profit business owners
need to keep labour costs low as Birling explains as we go onto learn Birlings capitalist agenda will
be one that cases Eva Smiths death Birlings viewpoint will be directly contrasted by the message
soon to be delivered by Inspector Goole who Birling himself will see Goole as being: ‘probably a
socialist’
7) What is dramatic irony? How is it used with the character of Mr Birling?
Where the audience knows something the actor on stage doesn’t. Given that the play was set in
1912 but first performed in 1945 the audience knows that much of Mr Birling asserts is simply
incorrect. His confidence that the ‘Germans don’t want war’ is doubly wrong because not only one
but two world wars take place in the coming years.
1) How is the drinking of port significant in the play?
In the first line of dialogue in the novella Birling says: ‘giving us the port, Edna? That’s right.’ The
drinking of port is significant due to its cost it is something that was associated with the wealthy in
society the price alone would have been prohibited and therefore out of reach for the working class.
2) What does Thora Hands explain about the significance of alcohol?
The domestic contest of alcohol consumption was governed by rules of social etiquette which both
demonstrated and reinforced social class and gender values. Within middle and upper-class homes,
purchasing, serving, and consuming good quality wines and spirits were keyways to demonstrate
levels of cultural capital and good taste
3) Who does Birling name-drop to Gerald? Why?
Priestley utilises the word ‘Finchley’ to indicate that Birling wants to impress his future son-in-law. It
is important to note that speaking to Gerald croft the son of upper class lady and sir croft birling is
actually speaking to his social superior. This imbalance of power has reduced him to name dropping
to endear himself to a family whose social position is one to which he personally aspires to.
4) How is Birling’s Act One celebratory speech surprising?
Early on in act one Birling surprises the audience when birling delivers a speech to his family during
the engagement meal which does not, as you would have thought, focus on his love for his daughter
or his fondness of his future son-in-law instead his speech revolves on his opinions about the
economic future of the country and the failings of neighbouring nations. This speech is an excellent
example of Priestley presenting Birling as a flawed mislead and pompous man who is depicted as a
‘hard-headed businessman’ and a’ hard-headed practical man of business’ this deliberate repetition
on Priestley’s part emphasises how Birlings self-perception on how he sees himself in terms of work
and money.
5) What are Birling’s priorities? How do we know?
Birlings priorities aren’t with family or people but with how much wealth he can accumulate this
produces a lack of empathy for Birling.
6) What is capitalism? How does Birling represent it?
Mr Birling can be seen as a representations of the ideology of capitalism a system where business is
privately owned by the sole purpose of making profit; of course, to make this profit business owners
need to keep labour costs low as Birling explains as we go onto learn Birlings capitalist agenda will
be one that cases Eva Smiths death Birlings viewpoint will be directly contrasted by the message
soon to be delivered by Inspector Goole who Birling himself will see Goole as being: ‘probably a
socialist’
7) What is dramatic irony? How is it used with the character of Mr Birling?
Where the audience knows something the actor on stage doesn’t. Given that the play was set in
1912 but first performed in 1945 the audience knows that much of Mr Birling asserts is simply
incorrect. His confidence that the ‘Germans don’t want war’ is doubly wrong because not only one
but two world wars take place in the coming years.
