How far does Priestley portray Mrs Birling as an unlikeable character?
Mrs Birling is classist and belittles those of lower status than herself. Mrs Birling says
Eva Smith showed 'gross impertinence' when she 'impertinently made use of our
name'. The repetition of 'impertinence/t' emphasises how greatly Mrs Birling looks
down on Eva Smith and Mrs Birling's inability to empathise with Eva Smith's plight.
Priestley uses Mrs Birling to reflect the selfish upper-class capitalists of his time, who
believed the poor deserved their misfortunes.
Mrs Birling refuses to accept any responsibility for her part in Eva's death. She
blames Eva ('she only had herself to blame'), then Eric (‘Go and look for the father of
the child. It’s his responsibility’) and finally takes pride in her denial (‘I was the only
one who didn’t give in to him.’) Mrs Birling's lack of character development is
contrasted with Sheila and Eric's growth as characters, as both characters accept
responsibility for their role in the death. Priestley presents Mrs Birling in this way to
highlight the ignorance of his capitalist contemporaries, who could not see how their
lack of social awareness was harming the lower classes.
Mrs Birling is superficial. Even though she is expected to be submissive to her
husband, she scolds him at the dinner table in front of his family and a guest
(Gerald): ‘I don’t think you ought to talk business on an occasion like this.’ Mrs Birling
is driven by vanity: she does not want Mr Birling to harm the family's reputation in
front of Gerald by acting improperly. As Mrs Birling represents the privileged upper
classes of the early 20th century, Priestley is implying that her contemporary
counterparts had superficial priorities. You could also argue that Mrs Birling is a
hypocrite - she scolds her husband for defying social customs while defying her
position as a submissive wife.
Mrs Birling is classist and belittles those of lower status than herself. Mrs Birling says
Eva Smith showed 'gross impertinence' when she 'impertinently made use of our
name'. The repetition of 'impertinence/t' emphasises how greatly Mrs Birling looks
down on Eva Smith and Mrs Birling's inability to empathise with Eva Smith's plight.
Priestley uses Mrs Birling to reflect the selfish upper-class capitalists of his time, who
believed the poor deserved their misfortunes.
Mrs Birling refuses to accept any responsibility for her part in Eva's death. She
blames Eva ('she only had herself to blame'), then Eric (‘Go and look for the father of
the child. It’s his responsibility’) and finally takes pride in her denial (‘I was the only
one who didn’t give in to him.’) Mrs Birling's lack of character development is
contrasted with Sheila and Eric's growth as characters, as both characters accept
responsibility for their role in the death. Priestley presents Mrs Birling in this way to
highlight the ignorance of his capitalist contemporaries, who could not see how their
lack of social awareness was harming the lower classes.
Mrs Birling is superficial. Even though she is expected to be submissive to her
husband, she scolds him at the dinner table in front of his family and a guest
(Gerald): ‘I don’t think you ought to talk business on an occasion like this.’ Mrs Birling
is driven by vanity: she does not want Mr Birling to harm the family's reputation in
front of Gerald by acting improperly. As Mrs Birling represents the privileged upper
classes of the early 20th century, Priestley is implying that her contemporary
counterparts had superficial priorities. You could also argue that Mrs Birling is a
hypocrite - she scolds her husband for defying social customs while defying her
position as a submissive wife.
