Arthur Birling

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  • Created by: Beth_trim
  • Created on: 04-03-18 16:19
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  • Arthur Birling
    • He is very confident
      • Head of his family. Boss of his own business
      • He likes to be in control and he likes to remind the other characters that he is control
        • Birling dosen't want to be told what to do.
          • He "angrily" tells the inspector, "Well - if you don't mins - I'll find out first"
      • Birling is
        • Ambitious
          • "there is a very good chance of a knighthood"
        • Business-minded
          • "a hard-headed, practice man of business"
        • Selfish
          • "a man has to make his own way"
        • Anxious
          • "there'll be a public scandal - unless we're lucky"
    • He is optimistic about the future
      • He thinks the strikes won't be a problem for his company
      • He dismisses fear of war
        • Priestly used dramatic irony to make Birling's optimism seem foolish and short-lived. This undermines his authority.
          • He is confident that the Titanic IS unsinkable
          • He thinks the strikes won't be a problem for his company
        • "silly little war scares"
      • He is confident that the Titanic IS unsinkable
    • Dosent accept responsibility
      • He dosent believe in "community and all that nonsense"
        • He views other people (the working class) as "cheep labour"
      • He is selfish  and self-centred.
        • He would rather pass off the Inspectors visit as a "Hoax" than face up to what he's done.
        • He wants his business to make higher profits, but Priestley uses  the character of Birling to show that this profit come with a high moral cost
          • "a man has to mind his own business  and look after himself"
      • So he blames the inspector for making a "nasty mess" of the night's events
    • He is a public figure
      • When his good name is threatened he comes terrified and would "give thousands" (a bribe) to avoid the scandal.
      • He isn't used to being challenged
        • The Inspector barley says 20 words befe Birling shows "a touch of impatience"
      • Birling's family is falling apart, and he can do nothing about it.
        • So he blames the inspector for making a "nasty mess" of the night's events
    • Birling uses authoritative language to gain control
      • Priestley uses stage directions and careful language choices  to help build his character.
        • In the stage directions Priestley writes that billing must have a regional accent
          • "Provincial in his speech"
          • Accent and social class were closely linked, so it would be clear that Birlingwas a middle-class businessmn rather than upper-class
            • Birling is a deathly business man but i would have been more prestigious to come from an "old country family" like the Crofts, that had land, inherited wealth and titles (eg. ':Lord' and 'lady')
        • He has the most continuous speech int he play.
          • He dosen't like being interrupted
            • When Eric try to correct him, Birling ignore him, saying "Just let me finish, Eric"
        • He repeatedly shouts "Rubbish!" to dismiss what other people have said.
          • But he finished his own sentences with "of course", to make his own claims seem obvious and matter-of-fact.

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