An Inspector Calls: Mrs Birling Summary Revision

Alternative transcript:

the young man" we've done a great deal of useful work in hesping" it refusool" -Mrs Birling uses her position you know of course that my husband was lord Mayor only to deny vital support Eva two years ago. needs. 11 Character name (sybil) Mrs Birling 5.Like her husband, she will not change. If anything, her attitude is hardened. "I was the only one of you who didn't give in to him. Once the inspector leaves, she criticises the others for not standing firm against him. (Social inferior) 4.Irresponsible mother. Sees and treats her daughter as a child. Thinks (just like her husband) Sheila should not be exposed to 'unpleasant things' - "You look tired dear-go- to bed." She appears distressed - Eric's drinking problem is told to her by Sheila, that it has been going on for two years to which she replies, "It isn't true." Mrs Birling She is a dramatic device. She represents or functions as an Edwardian upper-class woman. Stage Directions: "[Mrs Birling] is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior." (grandly) (bitterly) (with sudden anger) (alarmed) (severely) 1.Views herself as socially superior to the lower class - She corrects her husband's social manners "Arthur you're not supposed to say such things." When he tells the maid to thank the cook for a lovely dinner. She tries to use her husband's social position to intimidate the inspector when she first meets him. 'You know of course that my husband was lord Mayor only two years ago and that he's still a magistrate." 3.Is she generally unaware of what is going on around her, OR is she deliberately 'blind' to anything she does not wish to see? She has a nasty, spiteful attitude towards the father of Eva's child "He ought to be dealt with severely." But changes her attitude once she knows it's Eric. "Eric, I can't believe it. There must be some mistake." "I don't believe it. I won't believe it." Frightened glance at husband. (Hypocrite) 2.Arrogant - When exposed to criticism, she hides behind words like 'respectable', 'duty', 'deserving. She feels she is qualified to judge what such words mean. "Yes, we've done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases." Prejudice. She sees people from the lower classes as a different species -Eva Smith's plea for help OFFENDS her. "Giving herself ridiculous airs." "Claiming elaborate feelings." "I didn't like her manner." "She only had herself to blame." "I did my duty." "I was justified." MRS BIRLING What does this show about them? Mrs Birling percieves Evas suicide as Eva's own fault as those who are responsible were "first, the girl herself" and secondly the young man". urs Birling takes the igne woman voluntarily choose View that the working class prostitution rather than being forced into it. Mrs Birling is very unsympathetic when describing frasmiths postion. Sybil assumes instantly that because Evás pregnant and Single She is a bad person Other character notes Superior judgemental Link to / treatment of Eva Mrs Birling turned Eva Smith away (from her charity) when she needed help? The girl was penniless and pregrant - But Mrs Birling thought she was lying, as no girl of that sort would refuse money. Ars Birling perciens How they change Mrs Birling is presented throught the play as a harrow -minded, patichising plous. Character by priestly through Arrogant her views and responses to FYCÍS suicide. In doing so, priestley's privileged wider points about the unfair distribution of power, and the corrupting infulence it has upon society and numbn life emerge. By the end of the play she had not changed. she seems the most recistan't to the inspector's message. lacks empathy irrisponsible mother cold woman ant ignora Lacks regret