Mr Arthur Birling in An Inspector Calls - Characters - CCEA - GCSE English Literature Revision - CCEA - BBC Bitesize (2024)

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How would you describe Mr Birling in Inspector Calls? ›

In the opening of An Inspector Calls, Priestley presents Birling as selfish and inconsiderate in his discussions about his role as a factory owner, businessman and proponent of capitalism. The character of Birling seems to prize business and financial gain over family relationships.

Mr Birling represents greedy businessmen who only care for themselves. Priestley uses him to show the audience that the Eva Smiths of the world will continue to suffer if people like Birling remain in positions of power.

Mr Birling, the hypocritical, pompous head of the family, is immediately unlikeable. He is almost hubristic in his arrogance. Birling is Priestley's 'puppet'. Throughout the play, he is made to look an utter fool.

“Arthur Birling is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech.” Quotes by him: “Its one of the happiest nights of my life… your engagement to Shelia means a tremendous lot to me.”

Priestley's use of the ​adjective​ “​awkward​”​, coupled with Mr Birling's self-absorbed character reveals that an increased sense of responsibility for everyone would really only be ​“​awkward​”​ for him. This awkwardness extends to the class and ideology that he represents: capitalist middle-class.

Birling is one of the most stubborn characters in the play, and refuses to back down to the Inspector when it is suggested that he is to blame for Eva's death. This reflects a lack of social responsibility and justice in his character, and demonstrates Priestley's disdain for Capitalist beliefs and society.

First he is seen as a great warrior, then as a constructive and idealistic statesman. All Arthur's efforts are devoted to the well-being of Britain; because of his deep religious and moral sense, he works ceaselessly to bring the true religion to fruition among his countrymen.

Despite Arthur's extraordinary importance to the novel, however, he is a fairly simple character. As a child, Arthur (then called the Wart) is honest, trusting, modest, and good-hearted, and he preserves these qualities when he becomes king.

Arthur is generally polite and friendly with everyone. Despite his politeness, Arthur sometimes tends to break promises his parents have given him, such as not touching the computer during his mother's tax season, cleaning up his room like being told, and to practice the piano - which he does other things instead.

Mr. Birling is partially to blame because he initiated the series of unfortunate events. He was simply being a "practical man of business", and Eva would not have been able to secure a better job at Millwards if he hadn't done so.

Why is Mr Birling innocent? ›

Mr Birling ​refuses to accept any responsibility ​for her death, as this was 2 years ago. He believes he is ​fully justified​in his actions, as it is his ​duty ​to ​keep labour costs low​and keep his workers in check. Eric ​challenges ​him, but Mr Birling ​criticises ​him for being ​spoilt ​and ​inexperienced​.

Priestley uses dramatic irony to make Mr Birling look unreliable and foolish as he is wrong about the Titanic, war and labour. Priestley does this to make the audience distrust Mr Birling. If Mr Birling is wrong about history, his capitalist views may also be wrong.

He is the head of the household and family in a patriarchal (male ruled) society. He is in charge of the finances (money). He is the owner of a factory. He encourages Sheila's marriage to Gerald to secure his links to the upper-class Croft family.

The sin of greed is embodied by Mr Birling. Priestley uses Mr Birling as a construct to place emphasis on greed and selfishness being capitalistic traits. Birling's avarice becomes apparent through his interactions with other characters, proclaiming "it's my duty to keep labour costs down. Our labour costs".

Priestley uses Mr Birling as a symbol to represent the selfishness and arrogance of capitalists in Edwardian society. Priestley wanted his audience to dislike Mr Birling and to see him as a fool. By rejecting the attitudes held by Mr Birling, Priestley's audience would lead a more responsible, socialist life.

Arrogant, Conceited (excessively proud, in terms of status), Pompous (self important - in how she values her surname) , Haughty (arrogantly superior), Imprudent (not caring about the consequences of an action), Overbearing.

To begin, Mr Birling starts by expressing that he has a responsibility to 'his own', the pronoun 'his' evoking his belief that his personal ownership is central to his belief system. Furthermore, he continues that a responsibility 'for everything that happened to everybody' would be 'very awkward'.

His ​motto ​about family loyalty​is repeated several times, as he tells Eric and Gerald, ​“A man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too,” (Act 1, pg 9)​. ➔ The repetition of ​“a man has to”​ reveals Mr Birling believes men are ​born with an obligation to themselves alone​.

Mr Birling again shows his ignorance, referring to young men as 'you', putting them all together in one group and not seeing them as individuals. Mr Birling's ideas about social responsibility are summed up when he tells Eric and Gerald that is “a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself”.