Mrs Birling's Character Analysis Through Quotes

Mrs Birling's character in "An Inspector Calls" is vividly illustrated through her dialogue, revealing her prejudices and lack of empathy. This analysis explores key quotes that highlight her personality and role in the play.

Quote: "Girls of that class"

This quote demonstrates Mrs Birling's classist attitudes. By referring to Eva Smith as part of "that class," she immediately distances herself and shows her belief in a rigid social hierarchy.

Highlight: Mrs Birling uses the term "girl" to describe Eva, despite Eva being an adult woman. This choice of words underscores Mrs Birling's condescension and dismissive attitude towards those she considers beneath her social standing.

Quote: "Eva showed 'Gross impertinence' and 'prejudiced me against her case'"

This statement reveals Mrs Birling's inflated sense of self-importance. She views Eva's use of the Birling name as a personal affront, allowing her prejudice to override any sense of compassion or duty to help.

Quote: "But I think she only had herself to blame"

This quote exemplifies Mrs Birling's refusal to accept any responsibility for her actions. Even after learning of Eva's suicide, she remains unrepentant and continues to blame the victim.

Quote: "As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!"

Here, Mrs Birling's classist assumptions are on full display. She cannot conceive that someone from a lower social class might have principles or dignity that would lead them to refuse financial assistance.

Quote: "I accept no blame for it"

This final quote encapsulates Mrs Birling's character. Her inability to acknowledge her role in Eva's tragedy and her steadfast refusal to accept any blame make her a particularly unsympathetic character to the audience.

Highlight: Mrs Birling's quotes consistently reveal her as a character who embodies the worst aspects of upper-class prejudice and social inequality, making her a central figure in the play's critique of Edwardian society.

Through these Mrs Birling quotes, J.B. Priestley crafts a character who serves as a stark representation of the social injustices and class divides that the play seeks to expose and criticize. Her unwavering stance and lack of growth throughout the play make her a powerful symbol of the entrenched attitudes that the younger generation in the play must overcome.