Birling: “I speak as a hard-headed businessman who has to take risks and

knows what he’s about…”

In what ways is Mr Arthur Birling important throughout the play.

You must refer to the context of the play in your answer.

Useful Context to be used:

 Priestley was a socialist – the play is a socialist allegory.
 Priestley fought in World War 1 – he witnessed the unfair treatment of
the working-class.
 Relations of the Family.
 Developing relations

Key Dates (Context):

 1900: The Labour Party was formed (a working-class voice).
 1910: 1/10 unemployed.
 1911: Large-scale riots – people were brutally killed by the army.
 1912: The Titanic sank.
 1914-1918: WW1.
 1939-1945: WW2.

https://mrstepsliteraturerevision.wordpress.com/2018/03/26/essay-mr-
birling/

Answer –
Priestley has shown Mr Birling to be an important and dominating figure as the
head of the Birling household. Like Sheila and Eric are Priestley’s vehicles to
show his opinion, Mr Birling is Priestley’s tool to portray the evil side – he is the
antagonist of An Inspector Calls. He is shown to be rude and dismissive in his
bland apologies and his moral compass is shown to be misaligned as a
capitalist.

His ‘easy manners’ are subject to backlash from his wife as he is constantly
getting hushed. It can be seen in the quote, “Arthur!”. He is also shown to be
basic in his talk as he is described as being ‘a provincial speaker’. This is the
first outline of the importance of Mr Birling’s character. It implores us to come
to the conclusion that he is a ‘new rich’. The word ‘provincial’ means ‘speech
of the lower class’ and so this can only mean one thing – we can deduce that
Mr Birling made his money during the industrial revolution where ‘costs were
low but profit was high’…
Mr Birling is also shown to be important in the play for his delusions and usage
of dramatic irony. Whilst showing this, Priestley has also displayed another
trait of Birling, he is dismissive. In regards to a great war with Germany raised
by Eric, Birling replied, “to that I say – fiddlesticks”. Again, we know this is false
as WW1 took place between 1914 and 1918. Also, in regards to the Titanic,
Birling merely stated, “sinkable, absolutely unsinkable”. Priestley has
deliberately portrayed Birling to be dismissive. Priestley wants the greater
audience to realise that the future is inevitable yet we do not know what the
future holds so we should be prepared for all eventualities. From these two
particular examples’, it is clear and evident that Priestley, as a socialist has
portrayed typical capitalist characteristics in Birling – he is shown to be
arrogant, dismissive and deluded.

Mr Birling is important partly for being rude, retaliating and unempathetic.

During the heated exchange between Mr Birling and the Inspector, Mr Birling
clearly exercises that he has no blame or influence in the ‘wretched’ girl’s
death. Priestley has handpicked his words here. The word ‘wretched’ means
wrecked and also it means horrifying. We have to assume that Birling believes
both of these facts making him the true antagonist of the play. In regards to
accepting responsibility, Birling said, “it would be very awkward”. This is also
very ironic – Priestley is implicitly stating that his opinions and views on
Capitalism are true.

Mr Birling still maintains an important and significant role for the remainder of
the play. He is mainly shown to be worried about the ‘public scandal’ being
revealed and his hopes on receiving a knighthood diminish. In the latter period
of Act 3, Mr Birling is the main leader in revealing the fraud of the Inspector –
he is relieved when he finds the truth about the Inspector and the case.
Priestley has specifically done this to emphasise one point – Mr Birling is the
antagonist of the play and thus plays one of the most important roles. He is
almost portrayed by Birling as the ‘villain of the play’.

One might come across another point supporting the importance of Mr Birling.
The first and the last line has been given to the character of Birling. By the time
Mr Birling says his last line, ‘the inspector is on the way’, Priestley would have
won the hearts of the audience – a socialist viewpoint would have been cast
over their minds and they would be glad seeing justice receive Mr Birling.