MRS Birling

Priestly uses her to criticise the

ingrained class system.

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 • Much or her dialogue is to reprimand and
She is her control.

husband's • This is clear from the start of the play.

• Priestly establishes her in the beginning of the
social play as bossy and controlling to set up the
superior. eventual conflict with Inspector Goole.
 • Quotes from the text
• 'Now, Sheila, don't tease him.'
• 'I don't think you ought to talk business
Bossy and on an occasion like this.'

Controlling • 'I think Sheila and I had better go into

the drawing-room and leave you men.'
• .Eric - I want you a minute.'
 • She finds his comments ' a trifle impertinent'.
(Act 2)
• His questioning is 'peculiar and offensive' (Act 3)
Mrs. Birling • She namedrops people she know in the police
and Inspector (so does Mr. Birling) thinking Goole will be
easier on them.
Goole • She is perplexed when this doesn't happen
as she is used to getting her way.
• She sees herself as above the law.
 • Priestly uses her as a dramatic device to
develop tension.
• She, at first, refuses to admit she knows
Eva.
• When she admits she defends herself and
try to avoid questions until the end of Act
Dramatic Device 2.
• Every time she refuses to answer the
tension in the audience increases.
• Use of dramatic irony intensify this as the
audience know by now that Eric is the
father of Eva's child, while Mrs. Birling has
no idea.
 • Priestly found that many upper-class
women, after the war, only thought
about themselves and didn't care about
anybody struggling.
• This was before the time of the NHS and
Self- benefit help for struggling citizens.
• Although Mrs. Birling are on a charity
Centered committee it is not because she wants to
help but rather because it give her a
position of power.
• She refers to the working class as
'liars' and claim they are to blame for the
situation they are in.
 • Inclusion of Edna highlights how out of date the
Birlings are. 
• By 1946 the idea of servants and ringing bells to
Bells and call them, was outdated.
• Priestly highlights Mrs. Birling's (and the
domestic family's) privilege and how privileged people
can take advantage of the poor.
servants • He questions the morality of the Edwardian
society through focussing on the harsh
treatment of the lower class by people such as
Mrs.Birling.
 • Mrs. Birling accepts her husband is her superior
and promotes the idea of submission to Sheila.
• Sheila must come second to Gerald's work. 
• Women are delicate and need to be protected.
Gender Men forces but women accepts it.
Inequality • Upper-class women had not the same freedom
to drink as men. Double standards for men and
women as Eric and Gerald go out to drink.
• Mrs. Birling doesn't realise Eric has a drinking
problem.