Notesale: Turn your study into money

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Monday, 8 February 2016
“How does Priestly present mrs Birling in a act two of the play? You should look closely at
language, actions and other characters’ opinions in your answer
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Consequently
she arrives with great arrogance and is dismissive of he effect that he has had particularly upon
Sheila
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Immediately after she arrives the audience can see her haughtiness in the way she is dismissive of
those that have already spoken to the Inspector when she speaks to Sheila she comes across as
condescending advising her to “forget about this absurd business” and suggesting that Sheila’s
desire to stay is “nothing but morbid curiosity” This suggests that she does not understand the
change Sheila has undergone and whilst she says to the inspector “you seem to have made a
great impression on this child” she clearly does not appreciate how or why
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In the early stages of the scene we
can see that she is in denial about Eric and his drinking; claiming he is “only a boy” and she is also
in denial about Alderman Meggarty and what a pest he is, “surely you don’t mean Alderman
Meggarty?” She disbelieves all of the evidence that is presented to her, because she is so fixed on
her world view
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This can be seen in her reference to Eva
as “girls of that class” and “a girl of that sort”
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The audience can also see how difficult the
inspectors job will be, to get through to Mrs Birling as she claims from the beginning “naturally i
don't know anything about this girl”
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The audience can see her pride when she says “(with dignity) we’ve
done a great deal of useful work to deserving cases”
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She criticises her “gross impertinence” and says “I didn't like her
manner” going so far as to admit that she was “prejudiced… against her case”
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The confrontation between Mrs Birling and the Inspector is made dramatic in the way Mrs Birling
says “if you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, you’re quite mistaken”
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The audience
is shocked to see how she attacks the rest of her family as a way of defending herself “unlike the
other 3, I've done nothing m ashamed off…”
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However the person she incriminates most is “the father of
the child” who she does not know is her son, Eric
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The only way her arrogance is shaken is in the

inspectors revelation that it is Eric who is responsible for Eva’s pregnancy
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In conclusion the audience perceives a negative evil woman who has a very fragile grasp on her
family and the world in which she lives

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