Mr Birling Character Analysis

Mr. Birling is first described as a “heavy-looking, rather portentous man with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech”. He seems to be very proud of his standing in society and frequently reminds the audience and everyone on stage of his achievements, including “I was lord mayor here two years ago… there’s a very good chance of a knighthood." He is obsessed with status and his standing in society.

Mr. Birling is happy about the engagement of his daughter Sheila to Gerald Croft, but not because they love each other or make each other happy. It’s more because by marrying Gerald, Sheila will maintain or increase her social status. Gerald is a man who's parents own an even more successful company than Birling and Co. We see that through the quote “Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birling and Company” Birling presents the union of his daughter and Gerald almost as a business deal and makes it very clear that: “a man has to mind his own business and look after himself”. He is a very selfish man even when it comes to his daughters marriage and he seems concerned that he doesn't have the same type of family connections that Gerald has. Therefore, Mr. Birling has …show more content…
An audience even at the first performance knows that not only did the germans did want war, but the Titanic also sank. This is a clever use of dramatic irony by Priestley where the audience know something the characters onstage don't know. It is used to undermine the character of Mr. Birling and to make it very clear that Priestley wants us to see him as a foolish man and for that reason, his opinions are instantly belittled. This clever structure used by Priestley means that Birling follows these incorrect claims up with things like “community and all that nonsense” but we as the audience may believe he is continuing to talk

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